Literary Tour of '07-'08
During the 2007-08 school year, we are spending more time sampling literature from the three dialects: Ulster in the fall, Connaught in the winter, Munster in the spring.
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Literary Tour of '07-'08During the 2007-08 school year, we are spending more time sampling literature from the three dialects: Ulster in the fall, Connaught in the winter, Munster in the spring.
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10/16/07 |
Tour 07-08 |
07-08 Tour Home | Rules | Where to Get | Costs | The Lists | Back to Will's Class |
This area lists the books that "qualify" for purchase as relevant to our topics this year. I may update this list from time to time, as I discover new resources.
NOTE: I'll order the winter required text for everyone, so just think about fall, and maybe spring, in your orders (or additional stuff, etc.)
Maureen has spotted a good offer from Kennys (Galway). If you go to Kennys online bookshop, you'll see a banner at the top of the home page advertising free shipping worldwide on orders placed by Oct. 31. Now, Kennys doesn't have all the Irish books some of our other sources do, but if you search on some of the titles listed below, you can find some of them.
IF (large) we can pull it off, we can have some books brought back for us without shipping charges, thanks to friends Jane and Maureen. I am hoping to take advantage of this for our winter play by Johnny Chóil Mhaidc, but it may also work for your individual orders.
Here's what I have so far, for this trip (both our travelers leave within the week!):
NOTE: we may have a couple of people headed to Ireland within about a month, willing to bring back a few items, so early decisions could save us (but not them) some trouble! And if we recruit their services, we may want to limit our "orders" to the most popular items, so they don't have to search for them.
We don't have a local source anymore. I'm going to list books available from two sources, Cló Iar-Chonnachta (CIC) and Litriocht. Either one is an option, although CIC is an important publisher of material, not just a shop, so they deserve support. CIC is a rather better about indicating when an item is out of print..
I'll try to provide links to information about these books from these two sources. But some books are available, used, through Amazon or e-Bay (although that doesn't do much for Irish publishing).
There are other sources in Ireland -- see this list, although some entries are out of date -- and there are some sources in the U.S.. Use a search engine on the title of the book to see what pops up.
NOTE that used book sellers are a GREAT option for English translations of some of the works listed below.
I just don't have time to track down other sources, so I'll leave that to anyone else who wants to pursue that stuff.
In the lists below, prices are in euros! The euro is running about $1.40 in American money. Use the form below to estimate costs, before shipping:
Shipping:Here are some quick hints to how these lists work. Remember that I may be adding to them over the next couple of weeks. Lists are sorted by region: Ulster, Connaught, Munster.
There is an excellent chance that I have screwed up some of these links, but you probably have enough information to find what you need.
These are the most best options for getting to know some of these key Grianna contributions.
| Title | Notes | CIC | Lit.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seamus: Cith is Dealán | His best known collection of stories, from 1927, and the one we took Grásta from. (Also one of the easier to find used, in the U.S.) | -- | 8.50 |
| Seosamh: An Druma Mór | a novel that is reasonable reading, good sample of his work | -- | 7.62 |
| Annie: Seanchas Annie Bhán | terrific bilingual hardcover collection of her stories, lore, customs, photos of the family | -- | 25.00 |
Some Grianna options that are just fatter, or for later consumption, as well other Ulster items of interest.
| Title | Notes | CIC | Lit.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seamus: Cora Cinniúna 1 | 27 stories published between 1940 and 1968, collected and edited by Niall Ó Dónaill. There is also a book 2 of this series under the same title, but I can't quite figure out what is in book 2. | -- | 12.00 |
| Seosamh: Mo Bhealach Féin | His autobiography of his younger days. Not as easy as An Druma Mór, but good stuff. | -- | 5.71 |
| Seosamh: Dá mBíodh Ruball ar an Éan | this is what he was working on when he finally went round the bend completely, and many feel it gives an idea of where he wanted to go with Irish literature. never completed, but see the next item. | -- | 6.35 |
| Ruball an Éin | Antain Mac Lochlainn's attempt to finish Seosamh's work! I just skimmed reviews when this came out, but people seem to be impressed by the attempt, which tries to stick to Mac Grianna's style. | 10.00 | 10.00 |
| Seosamh: Pádraic Ó Conaire agus Aistí eile | Essays about literature. Ó Conaire was actually a Conamara writer, but he seems to have been a major inspiration for Seosamh. | -- | 6.00 |
| Hiúdaí: Amhráin Hiúdaí Fhéilímí | A collection of about 9 songs from one of the brothers we don't hear as much about. | -- | 9.35 |
| Seamus: Tairngreacht Mhiseoige | A longer novel, so a lot to bite off. The Irish fight for independence serves as a backdrop for this romantic story. | -- | 6.99 |
You might look for used copies of Séamus's autobiographical stuff, Nuair a Bhí Mé Óg, and Caisleáin Óir.
There are other collections of Donegal lore available, I know, but I can't identify them all. Here are some interesting options, however.
| Title | Notes | CIC | Lit.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Searcaigh: Homecoming / An Bealach ’na Bhaile | A bilingual collection of his poems, this came out about 1993. Included translations done by other poets. Good place to start. | 11.40 | -- |
| Searcaigh: Ag Tnúth leis an tSolas | Collection of work, poetry and drama, 1975-2000. Includes CD of readings by the poet. | 15.25 | 15.24 |
| Searcaigh: Gúrú i gClúidíní | One of his more recent collections. I haven't read it. I would guess, given how his themes have expanded, that it would be a little more challenging than the items above. | 12.00 | 12.00 |
| Micí Mac Gabhann: Rotha Mór an tSaoil | a fabulous true story of a fellow from Cloughaneely, in the north, who went to America, mined in Montana, prospected in the Yukon, and eventually came home and married. Amazing story, and there is an English version available to give you some help. | 8.00 | 10.00 |
| The Hard Road to Klondike | The English version of the above. Not available from the Irish language sources, but easily found on Amazon. New, about $22, but lots of used copies available more cheaply. | ||
| Mac Lochlainn: Sruth Teangacha - Stream of Tongues | We've listened to and read poetry from this interesting Belfast poet. CD included, and the readings are more than just readings. Includes translations, some very good stuff in here. | 15.00 | 15.00 |
| lore: An Bealach go Dún Ulún | An interesting collection of stories, newly composed and collected, poetry, songs, from southwest Donegal. Book with CD audio of some of the contents. Donnchadh Ó Laighin, I think Dáithí met this guy! | 15.00 | 15.00 |
Johnny is our major focus for Winter term.
| Title | Notes | CIC | Lit.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Cruastóir & An Mhéar Fhada | Required: this is the only major work we'll all do in synch this year. Two plays, I expect to do the first one in the book. | ||
| Buille Faoi Thuairim Gabha | For more of his work, this contains poems and lots of other snippets of humor, songs, and so on. | 4.45 | 4.44 |
| Title | Notes | CIC | Lit.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tobar an Dúchais | A collection of traditional customs and beliefs, mostly from Conamara, but also a good section from Corca Dhuibhne | 15.00 | 15.00 |
| Seoda Ár Sinsear | Great collection of stories from Eddie Bheairtle Ó Conghaile, who lives around Carna. This is a small book, we've done stuff from it over the years, but if you order this, also search for and order the cassette of Eddie telling the stories. (Cassette about 8.00 euro) | 7.00 | 7.00 |
| Antoine Ó Flatharta: An Solas Dearg | A fairly recent play by one of the more active playwrights working in Irish, the one who gave us Gaeilgeorí. | 6.35 | 6.35 |
| Ó Conaire: Scothscéalta | the best known short stories of this author, who was an inspiration for Seosamh Mac Grianna and many others. I think an English version is available of some of this stories. | -- | 7.60 |
| Ó Conaire: Bairbre Rua & Drámaí Eile | better known as a short storyteller, but much of his stuff is out of print. This offers some his plays. | 6.35 | 6.35 |
You might look for used copies of poetry by Máirtín Ó Direáin, as well as books by Máirtín Ó Cadhain and Pádraic Ó Conaire.
We have a somewhat special situation in Munster, where we want to deal with excerpts from the Blasket Island memoirs. That means the first requirement is investing in one of the three great memoirs.
One of the three memoirs is required, but I don't care which one you get. None of these are necessarily easy, but they were a major event in Irish literature in the late 20s through mid 30s, and you should own at least one of them! They are all substantial books.
| Title | Notes | CIC | Lit.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peig Sayers: A Scéal Féin | The most famous of the three. The book that has turned thousands of Irish school students against the language, but it really isn't Peig's fault. | -- | 8.00 |
| Muiris Ó Súilleabháin: Fiche Blian ag Fás | Another memoir, this author may have shown the most polish, but died rather young. | -- | 10.00 |
| Tomás Ó Criomhthain: An tOileánach | one of the "big three" memoirs of that time. | -- | 17.50 |
Note that English translations of all of these works can be found, look for used books.
Remember that Tobar an Dúchais, listed under Connaught above, also has a section of lore from Corca Dhuibhne.
| Title | Notes | CIC | Lit.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bab Feiritéar: Ó Bhéal an Bhab | The collection of tales we have heard in class. Excellent book and recordings of Bab herself, who came from a long line of storytellers. | 23.00 | 23.00 |
| Louis de Paor: Ag Greadadh Bas sa Reilig | Cork poet, any of this stuff would be good. This is a fairly recent (2005) bilingual collection of poems published earlier, a good way to sample his work. | 14.00 | 14.00 |
| An Béal Bocht | Special Note: this is not strictly speaking a Munster piece, but it is a satire on the above island memoirs, as well as a shot at the nostalgic writing of Séamus Ó Grianna, many think. Written by Myles na gCopaleen/Flann O'Brien/ Brian Ó Núalláin (one person) in 1941, a few years after the last of the island memoirs appeared. NOT easy going, but hilarious, and English translations are available. | -- | 8.88 |
Any questions or comments, drop me an e-mail.