Reliques of Irish Poetry
by
Charlotte Brooke
Charlotte
Brooke’s Reliques of Irish Poetry was first
published in 1789, and republished in 1816, but has since fallen into
obscurity. It was one of the first translations into English of classical Irish
Literature and includes both heroic tales of Cuchulainn and the Fianna, and
more intimate songs and shorter poems. In contrast to Macpherson’s Poems of
Ossian, which were largely the work of Macpherson himself, these were
unquestionably genuine: she gives the exact provenance of each poem, and prints
the Irish originals. Additional material includes a biography of Miss Brooke,
and learned disquisitions on the various poetical forms. In common with the
scholars Sylvester O’Halloran and Charles O’Connor she repeats as historical
fact the entirely fictitious history and society of Ireland elaborated by the
mediaeval scribes. Also of great interest are the words of two songs by
Turlough O’Carolan, which are nowadays usually
performed as instrumentals.
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