Some of the most powerfully moving tales in Western literature are found in the epics of Celtic Ireland. In this collection, Markale restores these texts to their original form and reveals how deeply these mythic tales have shaped modern thought.

The Táin Bó Cuailnge, centre-piece of the eighth-century Ulster cycle of heroic tales, is Ireland's greatest epic. It tells the story of a great cattle-raid, the invasion of Ulster by the armies of Medb and Ailill, queen and king of Connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great Brown Bull of Cuailnge. The hero of the tale is Cuchulainn, the Hound of Ulster, who resists the invaders single-handed while Ulster's warriors lie sick. Thomas Kinsella presents a complete and living version of the story. His translation is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, with eleme...

The complete narrative of the majestic epic - of which the Tain Bo Cuailgne is the centrepiece- presented in graphic and modern prose. The author also provides an Introduction outlining some of the difficulties involved and an Addendum describing some aspects of Iron Age Ireland in which the epic is set.

A Celtic historian re-creates the life and times of the real King Arthur and explains how even today Arthurian ideals of knightly virtue remain at the heart of Western thought.

The most famous Irish legend of all in an exciting and easily understood version. Tells of the great battle between the warrior Cúchulainn and his friend, Ferdia.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1903 Edition.

The Rig Veda, written in India about 1500BC, praises a holy plant called Soma, which is sacrificed and consumed, granting the drinker an experience of enlightenment and ecstasy. The late Gordon Wasson identified Soma as a "magic mushroom," Amanita muscaria, and he and his followers discovered that such Indo-Europeans as the ancient Greeks, Iranians and Norse had also used a Soma-type plant. In Ploughing the Clouds Peter Lamborn Wilson investigates the probability of a Soma cult in ancient Ireland, tracing clues in Irish (and other Celtic) lore. By comparing Celtic folktales, romances, epics and topographic lore with the Rig Veda, he uncovers the Irish branch of the great Indo-European tradition of psychedelic (or "entheogenic") shamanism, and even reconstructs some of its secret rituals. He uses this comparative material to illuminate the deep meaning of the Soma-function in all cultures: the entheogenic origin of "poetic frenzy," the link between intoxication and inspiration.

Including works from Welsh, Irish and Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, Breton and Manx, this Celtic Miscellany offers a rich blend of poetry and prose from the eighth to the nineteenth century, and provides a unique insight into the minds and literature of the Celtic people. It is a literature dominated by a deep sense of wonder, wild inventiveness and a profound sense of the uncanny, in which the natural world and the power of the individual spirit are celebrated with astonishing imaginative force. Skifully arranged by theme, from the hero-tales of Cú Chulainn, Bardic poetry and elegies, to the sensitive and intimate writings of early Celtic Christianity, this anthology provides a fascinating insight into a deeply creative literary tradition.

Legends of the adventures of that famous band of warriors the Fianna have captured the imaginations of listeners and readers throught the centuries. Four exciting stories of magic, heroism and love featuring some of the best-known names from Irish myth and legend. Includes the story of Oisín and Tír na nÓg, the humorous Quest for the Giolla Deacair and how Fionn MacCumhaill was trapped in The Enchanted Palace. These tales are told with vivacity and wit bringing Ireland's magical mythology to life. Liam MacUistín's Celtic tales will enchant all readers.