Tain: Amazon.ca: Louis Le Brocquy, Thomas Kinsella: Books

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Book Description

The Táin Bó Cuailnge, centre-piece of the eighth-century Ulster cycle of heroic tales, is Ireland's nearest approach to a great epic. It tells the story of a giant cattle-raid, 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.

Thomas Kinsella's translation is the first attempt to present a `living version' of the story, complete and unbowdlerized. It is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, and includes a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the Táin. There are 31 brush drawings by Louis le Brocquy, and three maps.

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31 b/w brush drawings throughout --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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First Sentence
THE POETS of Ireland one day were gathered around Senchan Torpeist, to see if they could recall the 'Tain Bo Cuailnge' in its entirety. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews

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4.5 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Best of Ancient Mythology, April 1 2004

By

Surreal "Political Historian" (Kansas City, Missouri United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tain: From the Irish epic Tain Bo Cuailnge (Paperback)

This is one of the greatest mythological tales recorded. Unlike what the summary says, it is not the 'closest thing Ireland has to a national epic'. The Irish national epic would be the Leabhar Gabhala, the Book of Invasions, or possible the Fenian Cycle. It is the certainly the great epic of Ulster, however, and I don't mean to reduce it at all.
The literary wealth, the humor, violent single combat, and glimpse into Gaelic culture makes this a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the ancient (and modern) Irish.
Beir bua!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Much easier to read than the direct translations, Aug 15 2002

By

Brennan T. MacDowell "branain" (Griffin, GA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Tain (Paperback)

This is a great story.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The men of Ulster are risen from their pangs., Aug 4 2002

By

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tain (Paperback)

This is the story of a 'tain' or cattle raid perpetrated on Ulster by Ailill and Medb, king and queen of Connacht, along with their allies from all parts of Ireland. It is arguably the earliest surviving epic of Ireland's pre-Christian heritage. The centerpiece of the story is the great feat of 17 year old Cuchulain, who single handedly halts the massed armies intent on seizing the brown bull of Cuailnge (and a tidy portion of the wealth of Ulster as well.

Due to a curse, the men of Ulster are doomed to suffer severe bouts of pain whenever they are faced with great difficulties. So, as Ailill and Medb approach Ulster, only Cuchulain can stand and fight. The 'Tain' and its peripheral tales are the story of Ulster's defense, first by Cuchulain, and finally by the massed men of Ulster, risen from their pangs. Poet Thomas Kinsella's telling of this story starts with the early history of Ulster and then introduces Cuchulain, who will be the hero of many of Ulster's legends.

This is a remarkable effort from a literary standpoint. Whether by Kinsella's art or the nature of the original language of the text, the "Tain bo Cuailnge" is one of the most accessible of the old epics. The language lacks the overblown pretensions of many translations, remaining clear and understandable whether it is prose or verse. Kinsella himself states that this is a translation, not a retelling, but the introduction leaves some doubt about the precise meaning of 'translation.' In any case, Kinsella's efforts have made the story come to life, bringing home beautifully both the glory and tragedy of a conflict that must have decimated the fighting men of an entire country.

The Irish of the "Tain's" writing loved making lists. Lists of heroes, lists of weapons, and lists of places abound. Indeed, every time Cuchulain lists a weapon or moves about, a place in Ulster receives its name. It is as if one of the purposes of this epic is to turn landscape into living literature.

Another purpose, more subtle and controversial is the defining or redefining of the place of women in Irish society. Coming into the "Tain" the key female roles - Medb and Morrigan are not queens or goddesses, but ruler's in their own right. But the blame for the defeat of the Connacht armies is laid clearly in Medb's head. At the end Fergus, an exile form Ulster remarks "It is the usual thing for a herd let by a mare to be strayed and destroyed." This is a conflict that will play out repeatedly in Irish history.

One of the more delightful features of this edition is the brush drawings provided by Louis le Brocquy. Brocquy's style recalls both cave paintings and Greek ceramic decoration. Gradually, it wins the reader over. His rendition of the final massing of the armies is simply stunning. Significant credit must go to Kinsella himself, who has found a way to make ancient prosody appeal to modern ears.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars This is GOOD!
Having heard it referenced so many times (and finally figuring out how to pronounce it!)I finally bought The Tain. Read more

Published on May 18 2002 by Amazonbombshell

5.0 out of 5 stars A Faithful Translation by an Irish Poet
The Ulster Cycle is a group of tales associated with the northeast of Ireland and the Ta/in Bo/ Cuailgne is the core of the cycle. Read more

Published on Mar 8 2002 by Francine Nicholson