Early Irish Myths and Sagas

Jul 7, 2026

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Early Irish Myths and Sagas presents translated early Irish stories, first written down around the eighth century, as the foremost written repository of Iron Age Celtic oral tradition. The introduction situates these myths within the shift from Celtic influence before Viking and Roman expansion to preservation in Ireland. It emphasizes recurring tension between reality and fantasy, expressed in vivid, concrete imagery and themes seen across Irish literary forms.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages377

Reading Time9 h 41 min

Introduction

Early Irish Myths and Sagas

The Celts

The Irish

Irish Storytelling

The Irish Manuscripts

The Irish Material

This Translation

Bibliography

A Note on the Pronunciation of Irish Words and Names

A Note on Irish Geography

Tales and Sagas

The Wooing of Étaín

The Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel

The Dream of Óengus

The Cattle Raid of Fróech

The Labour Pains of the Ulaid & The Twins of Macha

The Birth of Cú Chulaind

The Boyhood Deeds of Cú Chulaind & The Death of Aífe’s Only Son

The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulaind & The Only Jealousy of Emer

The Tale of Macc Da Thó’s Pig

The Intoxication of the Ulaid

Bricriu’s Feast

The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu

Notes

Index

EARLY IRISH MYTHS AND SAGAS ADVISORY EDITOR: BETTY RADICE These early Irish stories, probably ɹrst written down around the eighth century, represent the foremost written repository of the oral tradition of the Iron Age Celts who ɻourished in Europe during the seven centuries before Christ. As well as creating economic, social and artistic foundations throughout the continent, their myths and tales have been said to be the earliest voices from the dawn of western civilization. But later, with the growth of Viking and Roman empires, the Celtic inɻuence declined until it was only in Ireland, on the fringes of Europe and less exposed to the new traditions, that their original culture was preserved in a beautiful and elusive language with themes foreshadowing those still current in the inspiration of Yeats, Synge and Joyce. JEFFREY GANTZ received a doctorial degree in Celtic Languages and Literatures from Harvard University in 1972. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he works as a newspaper editor and journalist. He has also translated The Mabinogion for Penguin Classics. EARLY IRISH MYTHS AND SAGAS Translated with an introduction and notes by Jeʃrey Gantz Penguin Books PENGUIN BOOKS Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Putnam Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Books Australia Ltd, 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcorn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 3B2 Penguin Books India (P) Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi – 110 017, India Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd, Cnr Rosedale and Airborne Roads, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Oɽces: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England [www.penguin.com](www.penguin.com) First published 1981 27 Translation, introduction and notes copyright © Jeʃrey Gantz, 1981 All rights reserved Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that itshall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser ISBN: 978-0-141-93481-5 Contents Introduction Early Irish Myths and Sagas The Celts The Irish Irish Storytelling The Irish Manuscripts The Irish Material This Translation Bibliography A Note on the Pronunciation of Irish Words and Names A Note on Irish Geography Map: Early Ireland EARLY IRISH MYTHS AND SAGAS The Wooing of Étaín The Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel The Dream of Óengus The Cattle Raid of Fróech The Labour Pains of the Ulaid & The Twins of Macha The Birth of Cú Chulaind The Boyhood Deeds of Cú Chulaind The Death of Aífe’s Only Son The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulaind & The Only Jealousy of Emer The Tale of Macc Da Thó’s Pig The Intoxication of the Ulaid Bricriu’s Feast The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu Notes Index Introduction Early Irish Myths and Sagas One day, in winter, Derdriu’s foster-father was outside, in the snow, ɻaying a weaned calf for her. Derdriu saw a raven drinking the blood on the snow, and she said to Lebarcham‘I could love aman with those three colours: hair like a raven, cheeks like blood and body like snow.’ ‘The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu’ (p. 260) This passage, from one of the ɹnest stories ever written in Ireland, evinces much of what Irish literature is: romantic, idealistic, stylized and yet vividly, even appallingly, concrete. Most of all, it exempliɹes the tension between reality and fantasy that characterizes all Celtic art. In Ireland, this art has taken many forms: illumination (the books of Durrow and Kells), metal wor

FAQs

What historical period do these early Irish stories reflect?

The stories were probably first written down around the eighth century, preserving much older oral tradition from the Iron Age Celts.

Why does the introduction stress a blend of reality and fantasy?

Characters and settings often blur historical Ireland and the mythic otherworld of the Síde, and many figures are partly “euhemerized” gods becoming ordinary mortals.

How does the book characterize Irish literary style in the excerpted discussion?

It highlights Irish literature as romantic, idealistic, and stylized, while remaining vividly and concretely graphic, often in startling depictions of blood and violence.

Jul 7, 2026

Upload by Violet