A Golden Treasury of Irish Verse

by Lennox Robinson

Originally published in 1925, A Golden Treasury of Irish Verse is an impressive and beautifully crafted collection of the best of Irish poetry from ancient times to the early twentieth century. It features folklore and legend, often beautifully translated from Gaelic together with contributions from William Congreve, Thomas Moore, Moira O’Neill, Katharine Tynan, Padraic Colum and many more.

This edition was created by Irish poet and dramatist Lennox Robinson whose main criteria for selection was that each poem should be excellent. He acknowledges the help of both W. B. Yeats and A. E. Housman in choosing the poems and poets.

Capturing wide-ranging themes of love and loss, home and country, freedom and conflict, this beautifully produced collection of uplifting verse makes the perfect gift for poetry lovers everywhere.

Genres: Poetry

448 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1925

About the author

Esmé Stuart Lennox Robinson was an Irish dramatist, poet and theatre producer and director who was involved with the Abbey Theatre.

Reviews

[Jules Martjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are mostly long, translated poems. And I am neither a fan of long poems that seem to drag nor is translated poetry something one might particularly enjoy, because the translation into another language messes with the rhythm a tone.
However, there were some gems in there, my favourite might be “The Wedding of the Clans” by Aubrey de Vere.
Also, this book has an absurdly beautiful cover.

[Jamie Skuse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed reading this book of Irish verse. the poetry within is highly evocative, full of sadness and melancholy, but with joy weaved throughout. There is a strong sense of storytelling that is absent in British verse.

'I'm sitting on the stile, Mary,
Where we sat side by side
On a bright May morning, long ago,
When first you were my bride;
The corn was springing fresh and green,
And the lark sang loud and high -
And the red was on your lip, Mary,
And the love-light in your eye.'

[hibariii☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Slowly, one by one,
Through the damp-smelling, misty air of autumn the delicate leaves drop down,
Covering the grass like a carpet—
A carpet woven in gold and silver:—
And the sun,
Shining through the bare black trees, Turns to a glory of gold these dying woods.”
💚I’m so glad i bought this, i’ll read it whenever i wish to go back to this precious island🥹

[Mia Cookson · Rating 3 out of 5]

…the sheer joy of reading sally gardens as a choir bitch is insane