APPENDIX D.
I.—IRISH HISTORICAL FICTION.
The following is a select list: it does not aim to include all the historical novels mentioned in the body of this work. But many novels that, as literature, are of very little value have been included in order to cover periods not otherwise dealt with in fiction.
II.—GAELIC EPIC AND ROMANTIC LITERATURE.
I have thought it well to set apart from the mass of Anglo-Irish fictional literature and to put together in a list that portion of our national fiction which draws its inspiration from ancient Gaelic sources. To do this with any sort of completeness, it would be necessary, of course, to deal with the whole body of fiction that has been written in the Irish language. Reasons have been given in the Preface stating why this task was not undertaken. A further reason presented itself some two years ago, viz., the appearance of the magnificent work published in 1913 by the National Library—Bibliography of Irish Philology and of Printed Irish Literature (price 5s.). In this scholarly work the literature of Gaelic epic, saga, and romance is scientifically classified and described with the greatest bibliographical accuracy. For me to attempt that task over again would be little better than an impertinence. It might even be thought, and not unnaturally, that the present list is wholly superfluous. Yet perhaps it may not be without its utility, owing to the fact that in the work just referred to descriptive notes are not provided. This list, then, is practically an excerpt from that work, with the addition of some notes that may be useful. The notes will be found in the body of the book.
O’Grady, Standish Hayes. SILVA GADELICA.
Faraday, Winifred, M.A. THE CATTLE RAID OF CUAILNGE.
Meyer, Kuno. THE VOYAGE OF BRAN, SON OF FERBAL, TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING.
— LIADAIN AND CUIRITHIR.
— THE VISION OF MACCONGLINNE.
Joyce, P. W. OLD CELTIC ROMANCES.
Gregory, Lady. CUCHULAIN OF MUIRTHEMNE.
— GODS AND FIGHTING MEN.
Skelly, Rev. A. M., O.P. CUCHULAIN OF MUIRTHEMNE.
O’Mullane, M. FINN MacCOOLE: His Life and Times, and other pamphlets published by the C.T.S. of Ireland. See under name O’Mullane.
Hull, Eleanor. THE CUCHULLIN SAGA IN IRISH LITERATURE.
— CUCHULAIN THE HOUND OF ULSTER.
Rolleston, T. W. THE HIGH DEEDS OF FINN, and other Bardic Romances of Ancient Ireland.
— MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF THE CELTIC RACE.
Russell, Violet. HEROES OF THE DAWN (Stories of Finn and the Fianna).
O’Grady, Standish. FINN AND HIS COMPANIONS.
— THE COMING OF CUCHULAINN.
— THE GATES OF THE NORTH.
— HISTORY OF IRELAND: Heroic Period.
Leahy, A. H. THE COURTSHIP OF FERB.
— ANCIENT HEROIC ROMANCES OF IRELAND.
Squire, Charles. THE BOY HERO OF ERIN.
— CELTIC MYTH AND LEGEND.
O’Byrne, W. Lorcan. CHILDREN OF KINGS.
— A LAND OF HEROES.
MacLeod, Fiona. THE LAUGHTER OF PETERKIN, etc.
Carbery, Ethna. IN THE CELTIC PAST.
Hopper, Nora; Mrs. W. H. Chesson. BALLADS IN PROSE.
Dease, Alice. OLD-TIME STORIES OF ERIN.
Buxton, E. M. Wilmot. OLD CELTIC TALES RETOLD.
M’Call, P. J. FENIAN NIGHTS’ ENTERTAINMENTS.
Young, Ella. THE COMING OF LUGH.
— CELTIC WONDER TALES.
Simpson, John Hawkins. POEMS OF OISIN, BARD OF ERIN.
Carmichael, Alexander. DEIRDRE AND THE LAY OF THE CHILDREN OF UISNE.
Thomas, Edward. CELTIC STORIES.
Chisholm, Louey. CELTIC TALES.
Furlong, Alice. TALES OF FAIRY FOLKS, QUEENS, AND HEROES.
Campbell, J. F. THE CELTIC DRAGON MYTH.
Henderson, George. THE FEAST OF BRICRIU.
MacSweeney, P. M. MARTIAL CAREER OF CONGHAL CLÁIRINGHNEACH.
Hyde, Douglas. ADVENTURES OF THE LAD OF THE FERULE.
— ADVENTURES OF THE CHILDREN OF THE KING OF NORWAY.
Macalister, R. A. S. TWO IRISH ARTHURIAN ROMANCES.
Stokes, Whitley. THE DESTRUCTION OF DÁ DERGA’S HOSTEL.
Bugge, A. CATHREIM CELLACHAIN CAISIL.
Thurneysen, Rudolf. SAGEN AUS DEM ALTEN IRLAND.
Dottin, Georges. CONTES ET LÉGENDES D’IRLANDE.
D’Arbois de Jubainville. COURS DE LITTÉRATURE CELTIQUE.
— TÁIN BO CUALNGE.
Owing to a mistake the note on this writer and his books will be found partly on p. 68 and partly on p. 125.
Dunn, Joseph. THE ANCIENT IRISH EPIC, TÁIN BO CUALNGE.
Many of our heroic legends and ancient sagas have been retold in English verse. Though fiction in verse does not come within the scope of the present Guide, yet it may be of interest to mention here a few of these poetic renderings of ancient Gaelic tales. Sir Samuel Ferguson’s Congal, Conary, Lays of the Red Branch, and Lays of the Western Gael; Aubrey de Vere’s Foray of Queen Maeve; Robert Dwyer Joyce’s Blanid and Deirdre; John Todhunter’s Three Irish Bardic Tales; Douglas Hyde’s Three Sorrows of Story-telling; Herbert Trench’s The Quest; Katharine Tynan’s “Diarmuid and Gráinne” in her Shamrocks; Mrs. Hutton’s stately blank verse translation of The Táin; and, last year, Dr. Geo. Sigerson’s The Saga of King Lir; also The Red Branch Crests, a trilogy by Charles L. Moore; The Death of Oscar by Alice Sargant. Hector MacLean has collected in the Highlands and presented in English verse Ultonian Hero Ballads, which, as the title implies, are of Irish origin. For notes and bibliographical particulars of the above see A Guide to Books on Ireland, Part I. (Hodges & Figgis), 1912.
For an introduction to Gaelic Literature the reader may be referred to:—
Douglas Hyde. STORY OF EARLY GAELIC LITERATURE.
Miss Hull. PAGAN IRELAND.
— TEXT-BOOK OF IRISH LITERATURE.
Matthew Arnold. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF CELTIC LITERATURE.
It may be useful to subjoin here a list of publications (periodical and other) which contain, generally along with other matter, ancient Gaelic tales. I can give here only a bare list, but it will serve to give an idea of what has already been accomplished in this field.
(a) Publications of the following Societies:—
The Gaelic Society. 1808. One volume.
The Ossianic Society. Six big volumes concerned exclusively with the Fenian Cycle. 1854-1861.
The Irish Archæological Society and the Celtic Society, afterwards united as the Irish Archæological and Celtic Society. Twenty-seven volumes.
The Royal Historical Archæological Association. Nine volumes.
The Irish Texts Society. Thirteen volumes; five or six more in preparation.
The Gaelic League. Oireachtas publications, &c., &c.
The Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language.
The Celtic Society. 1847-55. Six volumes.
The Iberno Celtic Society. 1820. One volume.
The Royal Irish Academy. Transactions. 1786-1907.
” ” Proceedings, 1836-1915, in progress.
” ” Todd Lecture Series, 1889-1911.
(b) Periodicals:—
Atlantis.
The Gaelic Journal.
Eriu. Organ of the School of Irish Learning; in progress.
The Celtic Review of Edinburgh. Seven volumes; in progress.
La Revue Celtique. Collected in thirty-six volumes; in progress.
Zeitschrift fur Celtische Philologie. Collected in eight or nine volumes; in progress.
The Celtic Magazine. Thirteen volumes. 1876-88.
The Gael (N.Y.).
Gadelica. Three or four volumes.
Guth na mBliadhna (Highland Gaelic and English); in progress.
(c) Various:—
Kuno Meyer’s Anecdota Oxoniensia.
Irische Texte of Windisch and Whitley Stokes. Five volumes, 3793 pp., exclusive of introductory matter.
O’Curry: Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History.
— Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish (Appendices).
De Jubainville: L’Epopée Celtique en Irlande.
Windisch’s great edition of the Táin, pp. xcii. + 1120. Leipzig. 1905.
III.—LEGENDS AND FOLK-TALES.
Croker, Thomas Crofton. FAIRY LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS OF THE SOUTH OF IRELAND.
— KILLARNEY LEGENDS.
— LEGENDS OF THE LAKES.
Wilde, Lady; “Speranza.” ANCIENT LEGENDS OF IRELAND.
Kennedy, Patrick. LEGENDARY FICTIONS OF THE IRISH CELTS.
— THE FIRESIDE STORIES OF IRELAND.
— FICTIONS OF OUR FOREFATHERS.
— THE BARDIC STORIES OF IRELAND.
— LEGENDS OF MOUNT LEINSTER.
O’Hanlon, Canon John; “Lageniensis.” IRISH FOLK LORE: Traditions and Superstitions of the Country, with Humorous Tales.
— IRISH LOCAL LEGENDS.
Blake-Forster, Charles Ffrench. A COLLECTION OF THE OLDEST AND MOST POPULAR LEGENDS OF THE PEASANTRY OF CLARE AND GALWAY.
Joyce, Robert Dwyer. LEGENDS OF THE WARS IN IRELAND.
— FIRESIDE STORIES OF IRELAND.
Bardan, Patrick. THE DEAD-WATCHERS.
Curtin, Jeremiah. MYTHS AND FOLK-LORE OF IRELAND.
— HERO TALES OF IRELAND.
— TALES OF THE FAIRIES AND OF THE GHOST WORLD.
Hyde, Douglas. BESIDE THE FIRE. Gaelic Folk-stories.
— AN SGÉALAIDHE GAEDHEALAC.
— LEGENDS OF SAINTS AND SINNERS.
Larminie, William. WEST IRISH FOLK-TALES AND ROMANCES.
Yeats, W. B. THE CELTIC TWILIGHT.
— THE SECRET ROSE: Irish Folk-lore.
— FAIRY AND FOLK-TALES OF THE IRISH PEASANTRY.
Gregory, Lady. A BOOK OF SAINTS AND WONDERS.
Deeney, Daniel. PEASANT LORE FROM GAELIC IRELAND.
Dunbar, Aldis. THE SONS O’ CORMAC; an’ Tales of other Men’s Sons.
M’Anally, D. R., Jr. IRISH WONDERS.
Kennedy, P. J. IRISH FIRESIDE STORIES, TALES AND LEGENDS.
— LEGENDS AND FAIRY TALES OF IRELAND.
O’Connor, Barry. TURF FIRE STORIES AND FAIRY TALES OF IRELAND.
Lover and Croker. LEGENDS AND TALES OF IRELAND.
Anon.; C. J. T., ed. FOLK-LORE AND LEGENDS (IRELAND).
O’Neill, John. HANDERAHAN, THE IRISH FAIRY MAN, and LEGENDS OF CARRICK-ON-SUIR.
Brueyre, Loys. CONTES POPULAIRES DE LA GRANDE BRETAGNE.
Rhys, Prof. John. CELTIC FOLK-LORE, WELSH AND MANX.
Wentz, Walter Yeeling Evans. THE FAIRY-FAITH IN CELTIC COUNTRIES: Its Psychical Origin and Nature.
Hunt, B. FOLK TALES FROM BREFFNI.
Andrews, Elizabeth. ULSTER FOLKLORE.
Crawford, M. G. LEGENDS OF THE CARLINGFORD LOUGH DISTRICT.
Doyle, J. J. CATHAIR CONROI, &c.
Henderson, Geo. SURVIVALS IN BELIEF AMONG THE CELTS.
Hardy, P. Dixon. LEGENDS, TALES, AND STORIES OF IRELAND.
Drohojowska, Countess. RÉCITS DU FOYER.
Keegan, John. LEGENDS AND POEMS.
Rodenberg, Julius. DIE HARFE VON IRLAND.
Seymour, St. John D. IRISH WITCHCRAFT AND DEMONOLOGY.
— TRUE IRISH GHOST STORIES.
It may be of interest to mention, as specimens, some of the chief collections of Scottish Gaelic folk-lore, for it is, at bottom, identical with that of Gaelic Ireland.
Campbell, J. F., of Islay. POPULAR TALES OF THE WEST HIGHLANDS.
WAIFS AND STRAYS OF CELTIC TRADITION. A Series initiated and directed by Lord Archibald Campbell. It comprises four volumes:—
Vol. I.—Craignish Tales. Ed. by Rev. J. MacDougall.
Vol. II.—Folk and Hero Tales. Ed. by Rev. D. MacInnes.
Vol. III.—Folk and Hero Tales. Ed. by Rev. J. MacDougall.
Vol. IV.—The Fians. Ed. by John Gregorson Campbell of Tiree.
Ferguson, R. M. THE OCHIL FAIRY TALES.
McKay, J. G. THE WIZARD’S GILLIE.
Mackenzie, D. A. FINN AND HIS WARRIOR BAND.
IV.—FAIRY TALES FOR CHILDREN.
Graves, Alfred Perceval. THE IRISH FAIRY BOOK.
Bayne, Marie. FAIRY STORIES FROM ERIN’S ISLE.
Hannon, John. THE KINGS AND THE CATS: Munster Fairy Tales.
Grierson, Elizabeth. THE CHILDREN’S BOOK OF CELTIC STORIES.
MacManus, Seumas. DONEGAL FAIRY STORIES.
— IN CHIMNEY CORNERS.
Leamy, Edmund. THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE.
— IRISH FAIRY TALES.
Yeats, W. B. IRISH FAIRY TALES.
IRISH FAIRY TALES. Illustr. by Geoffrey Strahan (Gibbings).
Downey, Edmund; “F. M. Allen.” THE LITTLE GREEN MAN.
Furlong, Alice. TALES OF FAIRY FOLKS, QUEENS, AND HEROES.
O’Neill, Moira. THE ELF ERRANT.
Irwin, Madge. THE DIAMOND MOUNTAIN; or, Flowers of Fairyland.
Preston, Dorothea. PADDY.
Thomson, C. L. THE CELTIC WONDER WORLD.
Jacob, Joseph. CELTIC FAIRY TALES.
— MORE CELTIC FAIRY TALES.
V.—CATHOLIC CLERICAL LIFE.
Banim, Michael. FATHER CONNELL.
Banim, John. THE NOWLANS.
Neville, E. O’Reilly. FATHER TOM OF CONNEMARA.
Carleton, William. THE POOR SCHOLAR, and Other Tales.
— DENIS O’SHAUGHNESSY GOING TO MAYNOOTH. (In TRAITS AND STORIES).
— FATHER BUTLER.
McCarthy, M. J. F. GALLOWGLASS.
Moore, George. THE LAKE.
McNulty, Edward. MISTHER O’RYAN.
— MAUREEN.
Hinkson, H. A. FATHER ALPHONSUS.
Buchanan, Robert. FATHER ANTHONY.
Fremdling, A. FATHER CLANCY.
Sheehan, Canon P. A. MY NEW CURATE.
— LUKE DELMEGE.
— THE SPOILED PRIEST, and Other Stories.
— THE BLINDNESS OF DR. GRAY; or, The Final Law.
Most of Canon Sheehan’s books deal directly or indirectly with the priestly life.
Guinan, Rev. J. SCENES AND SKETCHES IN AN IRISH PARISH; or, Priests and People in Doon.
— THE SOGGARTH AROON.
— THE ISLAND PARISH.
And, in fact, practically all his books.
Hickey, Rev. P. INNISFAIL.
Thurston, E. Temple. THE APPLE OF EDEN.
O’Donovan, Gerald. WAITING.
— FATHER RALPH.
Anon. THE PROTESTANT RECTOR.
— THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST.
— THE IRISH PRIEST.
— FATHER JOHN; or, Cromwell in Ireland.
— PRIESTS AND PEOPLE.
Fuller, J. Franklin. CULMSHIRE FOLK (“Father O’Flynn”).
Jay, Harriett. THE DARK COLLEEN.
— THE PRIEST’S BLESSING.
Archdeacon, Matthew. SHAWN NA SOGGARTH.
Stacpoole, H. de Vere. FATHER O’FLYNN.
It would be easy to extend this list, as many novelists introduce Irish priests, at least incidentally.
VI.—HUMOROUS BOOKS.
The word “humour” is used here in a wide sense to cover wit and comicality or broad comedy, as well as humour in the strict sense of the word. The present list is not a selection of the best samples of Irish humour. It merely brings together a number of books which are entirely or mainly of a humorous character. Humour of a greatly superior order is often to be found here and there in books of a predominantly serious purpose—in My New Curate, for instance, or in Knocknagow.
O’Donoghue, D. J. THE HUMOUR OF IRELAND.
MacDonagh, Michael. IRISH LIFE AND CHARACTER.
Harvey, W. IRISH LIFE AND HUMOUR.
Kennedy, Patrick. THE BOOK OF MODERN IRISH ANECDOTES.
Lever, Charles. A DAY’S RIDE.
— THE DODD FAMILY ABROAD.
The rollicking novels of Lever’s earlier manner might all be included here.
Lover, Samuel. HANDY ANDY.
— FURTHER STORIES OF IRELAND.
MacManus, Seumas. THE LEADIN’ ROAD TO DONEGAL.
— THE HUMOURS OF DONEGAL.
— ’TWAS IN DHROLL DONEGAL.
— DOCTOR KILGANNON.
Downey, Edmund. THROUGH GREEN GLASSES.
— GREEN AS GRASS.
— FROM THE GREEN BAG.
And most of his other books; see pp. 75-77.
Bodkin, M. M’D. PAT O’ NINE TALES.
— POTEEN PUNCH.
— PATSY THE OMADHAUN.
“Heblon.” STUDIES IN BLUE.
Dunne, F. P. THE DOOLEY BOOKS.
Archer, Patrick. THE HUMOURS OF SHANWALLA.
Doyle, Lynn. BALLYGULLION.
McIlroy, Archibald. THE HUMOUR OF DRUID’S ISLAND.
Moran, J. J. IRISH STEW.
— IRISH DROLLERIES.
Birmingham, G. A. SPANISH GOLD.
— THE MAJOR’S NIECE.
And those of his books that are mentioned on pp. 28 and 29.
Crane, Stephen, and Barr, Robert. THE O’RUDDY.
O’Donovan, Michael. MR. MULDOON.
Wright, R. H. THE SURPRISING ADVENTURES OF MY FRIEND PATRICK DEMPSEY.
Gill, M. H. & Co., Publ. IRISH PLEASANTRY AND FUN.
Lyttle, W. G.; “Robin.” ROBIN’S READINGS.
Maginn, Wm. MISCELLANIES.
Fitzgerald, Rev. T. A. HOMESPUN YARNS.
— FITS AND STARTS.
Harkin, Hugh. THE QUARTERCLIFT.
Blenkinsop, A. PADDIANA.
Conyers, Dorothea. Most of her sporting novels are humorous. See pp. 55 sqq.
Rogers, R. D. THE ADVENTURES OF ST. KEVIN.
Roche, Hon. Alexis. JOURNEYINGS WITH JERRY THE JARVEY.
Langridge, Rosamund. IMPERIAL RICHENDA.
Jebb, Horsley. SPORT ON IRISH BOGS.
— THE IRISH BUBBLE AND SQUEAK.
There are some humorous stories in Lefanu’s “Purcell Papers” that make us regret that he did not give us more in the same vein. Carleton’s “Stories” are a miscellany containing episodes of the wildest fun amid much that is gloomy, and scenes of pleasant and kindly humour interspersed with traits of savagery and of fanaticism.