Overview

Examines common themes and connections in Gaelic storytelling from the Middle Ages to present day. From the great medieval saga Táin Bó Cúailnge to cautionary folk tales in contemporary Gaeltacht areas, storytelling has remained a cornerstone of Gaelic culture for over a thousand years. Pre-Christian motifs and ecclesiastical influences, with nods to classical literature and poetic devices, provide the framework for many stories that remain familiar today (such as St Patrick's journey across Ireland and the exploits of Finn mac Cumhaill). However, despite this rich tradition, scholarship on Gaelic storytelling that crosses both medieval and modern fields is a rarity; as a result, there is a question mark over what of the early tradition remains in the modern, and what this can tell us about the ecology and the survival of Gaelic storytelling. This volume presents ground-breaking research from scholars in both areas, providing a dynamic insight into the refractions of Gaelic storytelling across a broad chronological period. Contributors address matters such as composition, style, narrative techniques, audience, and the importance of physical and social landscapes, drawing on a variety of methodologies, including philological, narratological, comparative literature, folkloristic, and translation studies. From seminal research on notions of scél ""story"" and truth to an exploration of the issues facing a Gaelic translator today, these essays work together to widen and deepen our understanding of how and why stories were so fundamental - and remain so fundamental - to Gaelic culture.

Full Product Details

Author:   Alice R Taylor-Griffiths ,  Seosamh Mac Cárthaigh ,  Duane Long ,  Kay Muhr
Publisher:   Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Imprint:   The Boydell Press
Weight:   0.666kg
ISBN:  

9781783277766

ISBN 10:   1783277769
Pages:   206
Publication Date:   29 July 2025
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

List of Illustrations List of Contributors Acknowledgements Note on Terminology List of Abbreviations Introduction - Alice R. Taylor-Griffiths and Seosamh Mac Cárthaigh 1. The Semantics of scél and the Truth of Stories in Medieval Gaelic Culture - Ralph O'Connor 2. 'An intricate business is storytelling': Tales, Transmissions, and Truth in Acallam na Senórach - Sarah Künzler 3. Place-Name Realism in Gaelic Narrative - Kay Muhr 4. The Evolution and Expansion of Tochmarc Ferbe - Rebecca Shercliff 5. Laoi na Mná Móire: the Composition and Development of an Ossianic Lay - Dubhán Ó Longáin 6. Heroic Narrative and Masculinity in Irish Vernacular Culture: 'Conall Gulban' in Munster Folklore in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries - Síle De Cléir 7. Love, Marriage and Love Charmes - Tomás L. Ó Murchú 8. Towards Translation: 'How Cù Chulainn Came to Emain Macha' in Modern Scottish Gaelic - Robbie MacLeòid Bibliography Index

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Author Information

ALICE R. TAYLOR-GRIFFITHS is Teaching Associate in Modern Irish in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic at the University of Cambridge. SEOSAMH MAC CÁRTHAIGH is a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Irish and Celtic Languages in Trinity College Dublin where he lectures in Early Irish.

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