[net.books] The Book of Conquests

jmg@houxk.UUCP (12/08/83)

	The following is the introduction to "The Book of Conquests" a modern
translation and rendering of ancient Irish tales. Each page of this book is
beautifully illuminated and illustrated in a style very close to that of
ancient manuscripts:

	The literature of ancient Ireland has been called "the earliest voice
from the dawn of western European civilisation".
	Unfortunately much of early Irish literature has been lost, what
remains is contained in a few important manuscripts that have survived the
centuries of warfare and invasion.
	The earliest Irish stories are divided into four groups or cycles:
	1) The Early Mythological Cycle
	2) The Ulster Cycle
	3) The Fenian Cycle
	4) The Historical Cycle
	The chief characters in the Early Mythological Cycle belong to the
Tuatha De Danann (The Tribes of the Goddess Danu), a supposedly divine race
which inhabited Eireann (Ireland) before the time of Christ.
	The Ulster Cycle is composed of stories which tell mainly of the
exploits of Cuchulainn (pronounced Coo-coo-lain), the Hound of Ulster; King
Conchobor and the warriors of the Red Branch.
	The Fenian Cycle is made up of the tales of the deeds of mighty Finn
Mac Cumaill (pronounced Mac Cool), his son Oisin (pronounced Oy'-shin), Conann
Goll (refered to as Conan the Barbarian in other modern books), Oscar and the
Champions of the Fianna.
	The Historical Cycle contains stories of a more miscellaneous nature
celebrating various high-kings of Ireland and set between the third century
B.C. and the eighth century A.D.
	The Book of Conquests is drawn from the Early Mythological Cycle and
relates the story of Tuan, The Coming of the Tuatha (pronounced Too'-a-ha) De
Danann and the First Battle of Moy Tura.
	Early story tellers working within the oral tradition found it
difficult to determine whether the Tuatha De Danann were men, demons or gods.
	The oldest of the surviving manuscripts is Lebor na h Uidre, written
about the year 1100. This contains the story of Tuan which speculates about
the origins of the Tuatha which, it says, even learned men did not know for
certain though the wisdom and prowess of their race indicated a heavenly
descent.
	The heroic Tuatha De Danann are supposed to have fought and won two
battles at Moy Tura. In the first battle they defeated the Fir Bolg (an Irish
tribe) and in the second they routed the Formor (another Irish tribe).
	The later inhabitants of Ireland worshipped the Tuatha De Danann as
Gods and according to surviving manuscripts they continued to be honoured as
divinities as late as the fifteenth century. In Lebor Gabala Eireann, the poet,
probably a Christian scribe writing about 1100 A.D. finds it necessary to
comment that although he enumerates them, he does not worship them.
	In early times, traditional tales such as The Story of Tuan, The
Coming of the Tuatha De Danaan and The First Battle of Moy Tura were
transmitted and preserved from generation to generation by several orders of
druids. These sagas served as the oral "scriptures" of the pre-Christian Celts
of Ireland and blessings were said to accrue to those who related them
accurately and to those who heard them told.
	The ancient Celts were a cultured warrior-race with a rigidly
structured social organisation. Their religion was administered by druids who
jealously guarded their eloquent heritage of heroic legends and sagas.
	Even today in Donegal, Cork, Kerry and the west of Ireland these tales
and ancient arts survive - kept vividly alive by local storytellers and
musicians. These stories have been pased on through generations by the tellers
or "seanachai" (pronounced shan'-a-kee) as they are called in my native tongue.
	Such respect for ancient tradition has made the west of Ireland and
the islands a deep lake of legend in which the hearer and the reader may catch
glimpses of a long vanished world, the dim and wavering outlines of a glorious
age now passed.
	My material was forged for me long ago; I can only hope I have done it
justice in the telling.
				Jim Fitzpatrick 1978

	- More to follow in further articles -

elwell@cwruecmp.UUCP (Clayton Elwell) (12/08/83)

The Book of Conquests is an excellent piece of workmanship.  The
translation of the original texts into English is good, and the artwork
is an incredible blend of authentic Celtic design elements and modern
pictorial style.

Being a specialist in Celtic calligraphy and illumination (references
available upon request), I wouldn't say that it's "close to the original
style," but it is an excellent modern interpretation.

I heartily recommend it, both for the visual treats and the poetry.