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Sacred Histories
"This collection of essays in honour of Máire Herbert focuses primarily on the textual culture of Ireland (in Latin and Irish) in its historical context from the medieval to the modern. Contributions engage with genres such as poetry, saga, hagiography, apocrypha, and 'historical tales,' and with themes that range from the cults of the saints in early medieval Ireland to the literary portrayal of women; this sustained interrogation by some of the foremost experts in their disciplines results in numerous fresh insights and new perspectives"--Publisher description.
Iona, Kells, and Derry
"This is a study of the history and documentary records of one of Ireland's most important early monastic communities, the familia of St Columba, between the sixth and twelfth centuries. The federation of Columban, monasteries left three major hagiographical works: the Vita Columbae of Adomnan, the Life of Adomnan, and an Irish Life of Colum Cille. The conventional literary settings in which the Columban texts are presented has tended to obscure the valuable information they contain about the circumstances and prevailing attitudes of the time. Approaching the texts from three points of view, historical, linguistic, and literary, Maire Herbert makes clear how the hagiography reflected, and responded to, significant events. Iona, Kells and Derry gives a unique insight into the aims and attitudes of the Columban monastic federation at critical stages in its history."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel
This book explores the strange world of Irish sagas. It offers a systematic literary analysis of any single native Irish saga and presents an analysis of the finest of the sagas, 'The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel'. The reader is invited to not only understand this and other Irish sagas, but also to enjoy them as literature.
John, the Son of Zebedee
Beginning with New Testament descriptions of John as fisherman, and extending through the most recent Johannine scholarship, Alan Culpepper gathers stories from church fathers, the apocryphal acts of John, medieval sources, Victorian poets, and nineteenth- and twentieth-century historians of earliest Christianity to explore the life, exploits and the death of this most significant apostle. The resulting picture of John is one of the most important and complete, and is a fascinating account of the development of the Johannine legend, no less than the historical tradition.
The Legend of St Brendan
The Legend of St Brendan is a study of two accounts of a voyage undertaken by Brendan, a sixth-century Irish saint. The immense popularity of the Latin version encouraged many vernacular translations, including a twelfth-century Anglo-Norman reworking of the narrative which excises much of the devotional material seen in the ninth-century Navigatio Sancti Brendani abbatis and changes the emphasis, leaving a recognisably secular narrative. The vernacular version focuses on marvellous imagery and the trials and tribulations of a long sea-voyage. Together the two versions demonstrate a movement away from hagiography towards adventure. Studies of the two versions rarely discuss the elements of the fantastic. Following a summary of authorship, audiences and sources, this comparative study adopts a structural approach to the two versions of the Brendan narrative. It considers what the fantastic imagery achieves and addresses issues raised with respect to theological parallels.
In Search of Ancient Ireland
This engaging book traces the history, archaeology, and legends of ancient Ireland from 9000 B.C., when nomadic hunter-gatherers appeared in Ireland at the end of the last Ice Age to 1167 A.D., when a Norman invasion brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. So much of what people today accept as ancient Irish history-Celtic invaders from Europe turning Ireland into a Celtic nation; St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland and converting its people to Christianity-is myth and legend with little basis in reality. The truth is more interesting. The Irish, as the authors show, are not even Celtic in an archaeological sense. And there were plenty of bishops in...
Medieval Manuscripts in Transition
In Medieval Manuscripts in Transition, various scholars investigate the ways in which the study of manuscripts can contribute to interpretation or provide insight.
The Country House Library
Beginning with new evidence that cites the presence of books in Roman villas and concluding with present day vicissitudes of collecting, this generously illustrated book presents a complete survey of British and Irish country house libraries. Replete with engaging anecdotes about owners and librarians, the book features fascinating information on acquisition bordering on obsession, the process of designing library architecture, and the care (and neglect) of collections. The author also disputes the notion that these libraries were merely for show, arguing that many of them were profoundly scholarly, assembled with meticulous care, and frequently used for intellectual pursuits. For those who love books and the libraries in which they are collected and stored, The Country House Library is an essential volume to own.
Theatre Stuff
Essays on contemporary Irish theatre
