Poems of the dispossessed, an anthology of one hundred irish poems, with the gaelic version on one. The following entry presents an overview of kinsella s career through 1999. The book is illustrated lavishly and magnificently by louis le brocquy. Kinsella also offers a brief introduction to the tain itself and places the various pre tales he includes in context. The project gutenberg ebook of tain bo cualnge, by joseph. The tain bo cuailnge, centrepiece of the eighthcentury ulster cycle of heroic tales, is irelands nearest approach to a great epic. Thomas kinsella s lively translation is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, with elements from other versions. Pdf the tain bo cuailnge and the role of women in celtic. The tale was composed in prose with verse passages in the 7th and 8th centuries. From the irish epic tain bo cuailnge, translated by thomas kinsella, oxford. This ninth dolmen edition is an irish equivalent of the livre dartiste.
A beautiful rigour kinsella s tain transmits something of the austerity of the irish, prickly and black as the contorted balckthorn bush, with its sudden. This edition includes a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the tain along with brush drawings by louis le brocquy. The story tells the tale of a grand cattleraid, the aim of which is to carry off the great brown bull of cuailnge. Ive read this version many times and still get caught up in the language. Its written in an accessible style, but keeps the strange beauty of the myth. After youve bought this ebook, you can choose to download either the pdf version or the epub, or both. It tells the story of a great cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of medb and ailill, queen and king of connacht, and their allies, seeking to. In the tain, the reader learns a good deal about the culture of the time and is introduced to many of the most famous figures from the ancient celtic pantheon. The tain by thomas kinsella and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The events leading up to this tale, the most famous of irish mythical stories, may be shortly summarised here from the book of leinster introduction to the tain, and. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. The cattle raid of cooley gaelic literature britannica.
It tells the story of a great cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of. It tells the story of a great cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of medb and ailill, queen and king of connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great brown bull of cuailnge. Widely acknowledged as the great irish livre dartiste of the twentieth century, seamus heaney writes in the listener. Representations of women in the poetry of thomas kinsella. To which are added the ancient prologues, prefaces, and the pretales or stories, adventures which preceded the principal expedition or tain, from various vellum mss. The tain bo cuailnge, centerpiece of the eighthcentury ulster cycle of heroic tales, is irelands greatest epic. Map entitled in conaille and cuailnge from the 2 nd edition of thomas kinsella s tain 1970, map iii. The illustrations on the bookcover are by louis le brocquy. Thomas kinsella is one of the most important irish poets to emerge since the end of world war ii. The cattleraid of cualnge tain bo cuailnge translated from leabhar na huidhri and the yellow book of lecan by l. Pdf an edition of thomas kinsellas translation of tain bo cuailnge was published by oxford university press in 1970 1st ed. Queen medb of connaught gathers an army in order to gain possession of.
The tain from the irish epic tain bo cuailnge by thomas kinsella, louis le brocquy and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The cattleraid of cooley tain bo cualnge is the central epic of the ulster cycle. The tain, also known as tain bo cuailnge or the cattle raid of cooley, is a heroic and legendary tale from early irish literature. The hero of the tale is cuchulainn, the hound of ulster, who resists the. Sometimes heroic seems the wrong word for much of the worlds ancient. In particular, reading the tain shows us a great deal about the role of women in ancient. Oxford university press, 1969 2 fortunately for madb and her. Now for the first time done entire into english out of the. The tain by thomas kinsella, 9780192803733, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Covering north louth as well as parts of south armagh, it is the first published attempt to. The tain translated from the irish epic tain bo cuailnge by thomas kinsella with brush drawings by louis le brocquy madison street madison, wi 537061494 published in association with the dolmen press, dublin oxford university press london new york 1970. There is no canonical tain, but several sources and recensions from several anonymous authors written in different styles. Thomas kinsella presents a complete and living version of the story. The tain edition 1 by thomas kinsella 9780192803733.
It tells the story of a great cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of medb and ailill, queen and king of connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great. Ciaran carson succeeds in translating the tain in a manner that it becomes an epic and understand why cu chulainn is a legendary hero to these people. In addition to the tain, kinsella s other critically acknowledged work of translation is an duanaire. Thomas kinsella 1928 irish poet, translator, essayist, and editor. Cuailnge, centerpiece of the eighthcentury ulster cycle of heroic tales, is irelands greatest epic. Earliest manuscripts of this epic story survive from the 12th century and versions of this ancient tale have been found in old irish, middle irish, and modern irish translations. Kinsella s aim, as he said vigorously in his introduction, was to produce a relatively coherent, readable modern version. His translation is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, with elements from other versions, and adds a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the tain. Kinsella s tain is the gold standard of epic irish poetry. Winifred faraday in parentheses publications medieval irish series cambridge, ontario 2002. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. By means of a restlessly experimental formal and aesthetic sense, broadly conceived themes, and. Translated from the irish epic tain bo cuailnge reprint by louis le brocquy, thomas kinsella isbn.
Bookcover of the thomas kinsella translated and louis le brocquy illustrated, the tain bookcover of the thomas kinsella translated edition, of the tain 1970. Thomas kinsella s translation is the first attempt to present a living. Ancient and medieval epic and heroic poetry of europe in english. In kinsellas tain, the wise warrior scathach instructs her daughter, on. The tain translated by thomas kinsella ask about ireland. The tain bo cuailnge, centrepiece of the eighthcentury ulster cycle of heroic tales, is irelands greatest epic. Set in a rural, tribal and pagan ireland, it is peopled with fearless warriors, haughty queens and kings and prize bulls cover photo. Kinsella makes note of where he has turned to an alternate version from another manuscript, and adds contextual notes to assist in trying to create a narrative in the modern sense from a collection of loosely connected tales. Bo cuailnge by thomas kinsella, with ink brush drawings by the irish painter. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg.
928 1431 760 1233 470 1087 844 658 586 438 210 105 706 428 1298 1198 362 1118 381 1144 407 805 940 382 835 394 657 957 752 758 727 966 134 446 446 112 14 1385 701 1159 629 553 969 1211 646 601 884 1349