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Ancient Irish Legends
Ancient Irish Legends' is a re-telling of some of the best-loved and most famous tales of ancient Ireland. From the 'Children of Lir' to 'Diarmuid and Grainne' to 'The Salmon of Knowledge' and 'Oisin in Tir na nOg', Padraic O'Farrell re-introduces us to these classic stories of the Celtic past. Other books by Padraic O'Farrell Irish Fairy Tales Irish Saints Irish Surnames
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 8, 2020
Albeit that Padraic O’Farrell does with no doubt whatsoever feature many of the most poignant and well known legends and tales of ancient Irish mythology and the country’s early history (The Children of Lir, Déirdre of the Sorrows, Díarmuid and Gráinne etc.) I have really not at all enjoyed either how O’Farrell has chosen to introduce his Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland or how he has retold the fourteen presented tales from a writing style point of departure.
For one and yes for me as a folklore enthusiast who always does very much look forward to not only the given tales of a presented collection but also and equally to what is featured as supplemental historical and cultural details, there unfortunately and sadly is a very strong taint of personal impatience present in the introduction to Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland, almost as though Padraic O’Farrell really does not even desire to be presenting his potential readers with supplemental information on Irish mythology, culture and lore and yes, that he in fact seems to feel rather annoyed at having to do so (not something that I for one in any manner can or will accept and an attitude that really does seem to permeate the entire text of the introduction, its educational bits and pieces notwithstanding).
And for two, while thematically Padraic O’Farrell seems to have included all of the necessary factual details of the fourteen featured stories (from their literary sources), the tone of authorial, of narrational voice in Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland, the general writing style of O’Farrell’s retellings, it sure does feel very strangely aloof, unemotional and often even like a history or cultural textbook and therefore certainly not as though I am reading legends filled with dramatic excitement, pain, love and betrayal, a reading experience totally on the surface so to speak and so removed that I am not able to even really commiserate with and feel all that much empathy towards for example the Children of Lir and their tragic fate or that Díarmud will be killed by Fionn because of his love for Gráinne.
Thus not really recommended is Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland (and with the added caveat that there is also and in my opinion too much detail on violence against women and rape culture featured in Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland to make this collection of tales in any way suitable for reading with or to younger children, and especially so since the on the surface and emotionless writing style that Padraic O’Farrell has chosen also makes the violence and casual comments about rape and sexual abuse at best supremely problematic and very much personally uncomfortable).
For one and yes for me as a folklore enthusiast who always does very much look forward to not only the given tales of a presented collection but also and equally to what is featured as supplemental historical and cultural details, there unfortunately and sadly is a very strong taint of personal impatience present in the introduction to Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland, almost as though Padraic O’Farrell really does not even desire to be presenting his potential readers with supplemental information on Irish mythology, culture and lore and yes, that he in fact seems to feel rather annoyed at having to do so (not something that I for one in any manner can or will accept and an attitude that really does seem to permeate the entire text of the introduction, its educational bits and pieces notwithstanding).
And for two, while thematically Padraic O’Farrell seems to have included all of the necessary factual details of the fourteen featured stories (from their literary sources), the tone of authorial, of narrational voice in Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland, the general writing style of O’Farrell’s retellings, it sure does feel very strangely aloof, unemotional and often even like a history or cultural textbook and therefore certainly not as though I am reading legends filled with dramatic excitement, pain, love and betrayal, a reading experience totally on the surface so to speak and so removed that I am not able to even really commiserate with and feel all that much empathy towards for example the Children of Lir and their tragic fate or that Díarmud will be killed by Fionn because of his love for Gráinne.
Thus not really recommended is Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland (and with the added caveat that there is also and in my opinion too much detail on violence against women and rape culture featured in Ancient Irish Legends: The Best Loved and Most Famous Tales of Ancient Ireland to make this collection of tales in any way suitable for reading with or to younger children, and especially so since the on the surface and emotionless writing style that Padraic O’Farrell has chosen also makes the violence and casual comments about rape and sexual abuse at best supremely problematic and very much personally uncomfortable).
April 10, 2019
This is a small collection of the fairy tales, the myths and the legends that have built up to Irish society, and are as significant for the people now as they were centuries ago - maybe, they're even more relevant today than they have ever been -. May it be because Irish culture and tradition is crumbling under the pressure of immigrated cultures, may it be because "real" Irish are stressing on the importance of these stories.
All the heroes, all the adventures are a clear understanding of Irish society that can often be spread to society.
What strikes the reader the most, or at least me, it's that the underlying themes are, in the end, analogous to those of Greek and Roman mythology. The virtues of heroes, sacrifice, motherhood, more than one character has reminded me of stories my father used to tell me as a child.
I can't wait to sink deeper in Irish culture.
All the heroes, all the adventures are a clear understanding of Irish society that can often be spread to society.
What strikes the reader the most, or at least me, it's that the underlying themes are, in the end, analogous to those of Greek and Roman mythology. The virtues of heroes, sacrifice, motherhood, more than one character has reminded me of stories my father used to tell me as a child.
I can't wait to sink deeper in Irish culture.
July 6, 2022
Picked this up in Ireland after hearing one of the legends in a store. Interesting stories which I'd never heard before. I picked this book because it was light and easy to carry on the plane. Not sure it's the best introduction to these tales but it was a nice little read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews