Celtic dawn: A portrait of the Irish literary renaissance

by Ulick O'Connor

Dublin is the only city in the world to produce three Nobel Prize winners for literature. An indication that something remarkable was taking place, not only in the capital but in the whole country, came in the extraordinary confluence of talent which appeared at the end of the nineteenth century. The names alone – W. B. Yeats, George Moore, George Russell (AE), James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, John Synge – spell out a renaissance. The revival of the Irish language, folk movements and growing nationalism were other ingredients. Ulick O’Connor has created a brilliant composite portrait of the figures who dominated the era of this literary renaissance. He has written the story of the rebirth of a nation with so much local colour that at times it reads like a novel. Yet every event took place and minor characters are not neglected. Celtic Dawn is acute, passionate, sometimes partisan, a pioneer work of biography, and compulsive reading even for those not closely acquainted with the figures who fills its pages.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Ulick O'Connor was an Irish writer, historian and critic.

Reviews

[Mr. Hardie]

It is the small details that make this book such a fascinating read. Often times, O’Connor includes anecdotes that make the characters seem more than characters from a not too distant history, but highlight them in the mind through their personal interactions with each other and with those around them. If you are a fan of any of the authors of the Irish Renaissance, this is a must read.

[Cliff]

This is the most beautifully written non-fiction book I've ever read. The Irish should be proud to call Ulick O'Connor their own.