From Frank McCourt's Foreword:
The Legends and Lands of Ireland is a book for slow times, a journey through the collective unconscious of the Irish race. You cannot speed through Richard Marsh’s rich, nourishing prose, witty, learned, beautiful. If you do, you’ll miss nuggets along the way. ... Mr. Marsh carries his learning lightly, so lightly you might not notice how profound his scholarship is. ... Each picture here is worth a book in itself and every sentence of Richard Marsh is worth a picture.
Introduction
The Written Sources of the Stories: The Annals and Books The Story Cycles The Mythological Cycle The Ulster Cycle The Fionn Cycle The Cycles of the Kings The Legends in Modern Ireland Are the Stories True?
Chapter 1 - Myths
The Naming of Baltinglass The Fate of the Children of Lir The Dagda and Boann Grianán Aileach Ollamh Fodhla The Second Battle of Moytura
Chapter 2 - Tales of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna
Aideen and Oscar Diarmuid and Gráinne How Fionn Got His Gray Hair (hear Richard tell the story at a Dublin storytelling session.) Fionn and the Scottish Giant: The Origin of the Giant's Causeway Fionn and the Battle of Gabhra A.D. 284
Chapter 3 - The Táin Bó Cuailnge - The Cattle Raid of Cooley and Its Hero, Cúchulainn
Maeve and Aillil's Pillow Talk The Tragic Death of the Sons of Uisliu: The Deirdre Story The Curse of Macha The Birth of Cúchulainn Sétanta Goes to Emain Macha How Cúchulainn Got His Name Cúchulainn's Single Combat with Ferdia The Death of Cúchulainn
Chapter 4 - Legends of Saints
Brigit, Saint and Goddess Saint Colmcille The Cursing of Tara Saint Fechin and the Seven Wonders of Fore Saint Kevin and Glendalough The True Legend of Saint Patrick Saint Patrick and the Demons
Chapter 5 - Legends of Kings
The Blarney Stone Killeen Cormac Guaire and Diarmait Guaire and Mochua: The Road of the Dishes Cormac mac Art Lia Fáil, the Stone of Destiny
Chapter 6 - Family Legends
Granuaile and Howth Castle The Lynch Wall Máire Rua Chapter 7 - Local Legends and Folk Tales
The Fairies The Irish Harp Bunratty Ghosts An Bacach Rua, the Redheaded Beggar Clonmacnoise: The Unfinished Round Tower The Curse of Cromwell The Hill of the Hag The Pipers Stones
Review from the Amazon.com website: "Got this book as part of a 4 for 3 offer and couldn't be more pleased. Hardcover book, with large, beautiful, sometimes breathtaking pictures of Ireland. I am planning a trip to Ireland this summer and reading up on the folklore and myths will certainly come in handy for my travels. Great offer, everyone should buy this one."
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