THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY IS IRELAND'S LEADING BODY OF EXPERTS IN THE SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

The Royal Irish Academy/Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann champions research. We identify and recognise Ireland’s world class researchers. We support scholarship and promote awareness of how science and the humanities enrich our lives and benefit society. We believe that good research needs to be promoted, sustained and communicated. The Academy is run by a Council of its members. Membership is by election and considered the highest academic honour in Ireland.

Read more about the RIA

Irish Texts Society Volume 58: Baile in Scáil

€ 42.00

Book Details

Published by Irish Texts Society

January 2004

Hardback

Number of pages: 180

This new edition of the early Irish vision tale, Baile in Scáil, prepared for the Society by Kevin Murray of the Department of Early and Medieval Irish at UCC, provides a modern treatment of a text last edited by the great German scholar, Rudolf Thurneysen, in 1935. Dr Murray's analysis of the text throws considerable new light on its origins and development. The tale is set on the ramparts of the hill of Tara, which is presented as a gateway to the Otherworld. Here Conn 'of the hundred battles' is said to have met the 'Sovereignty of Ireland' in the form of a beautiful maiden, and for every drink that she gave him, the god Lug named a future king of Ireland. The text thus bears important, and highly interesting, witness to the early Irish interpretation of kingship.