Old Celtic Romances: Including the Three Sorrows of Irish Storytelling

by Patrick Weston Joyce

First published in 1879, this famous treasury of tales from Celtic mythology has long been regarded as a classic in the field. The book was compiled by a noted folklorist who selected and translated the tales from rare Gaelic manuscripts into simple, familiar English. Often based on historical events and legends, these popular narratives were handed down from generation to generation, becoming part of a rich body of romantic lore.
Abounding in brave warriors, fair maidens, monsters, and mermaids, the 13 selections feature "The Three Sorrows of Storytelling," metaphorical interpretations of tragic events in Irish history and culture involving the fates of the children of Lir, Turenn, and Usna. Contents include "The Overflowing of Lough Neagh," "The Pursuit of Dermat and Grania," "Connla of the Golden Hair and the Fairy Maiden," "The Voyage of Maildun," "The Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees," and other fables. Lovers of Celtic mythology and legends will find hours of reading pleasure in this superb collection of some of the oldest and best-loved Irish folktales.

Genres: Mythology, Classics, Ireland, Poetry, Fantasy, Irish Literature, Fairy Tales

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Patrick Weston Joyce, or P.W. Joyce, (born 1827) was an Irish historian, writer and music collector, known particularly for his research in local place names of Ireland.

Reviews

[Artemiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved old legends and myths. That was the reason, why I chose this book from NetGalley. And It’s a wonderful collection of old legends and myths about ancient heroes and heroines, their stories are from a time when druids ruled the Dedannas till the time that Christian religion reached the Irish islands. The stories are drenched in blood and green mist of magic. The heroes are sent to avenge for the death of their fathers or rescue fair maidens or they have to run when the fair maidens choose them over their king. The jealous or the greedy relatives use magic to eliminate their more fortunate relatives. There are brothers that go to the quest to avenge for their father but end up going to a very long trip where they visit many different islands, and there are brothers that go to a pilgrimage, where they visit very similar islands only those islands are different levels in hell. All the heroes are always ready to charge into a battle with their Fena, and they hack at their enemies till the soil beneth their feet is soaked with blood. The heroes are always the most powerful and fair, the maidens are always most beautiful anyone has ever seen, the monsters are always the most grotesque and hideous and they all live much longer than the small Irish people. But these legends do not have happy endings, very few heroes live to participate in another tale and these stories do not have enlightening moment for the readers, they are just bloody chronicles about the ancient Dedannas and Milesians with their king Finn and his sons Oisin and Oscar.

Good and surprising read!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reprint of a classic 1879 translation of legends, myths, folktales and fairy tales from ancient Ireland. I found this book super interesting, as I'd not heard/read any of these tales before. Many of them are based on actual historical figures - kings, warriors, etc. - but mixed with magic, fantastical creatures, bloody battles and incredible feats of strength, and passed down over thousands of years. I do wish there was a bit more flow and emotion to the tales, however. I know the author translated these from old gaelic texts, but since he "modernized" them somewhat by using common English and rewording phrases that wouldn't have made much sense in literal translation, perhaps he could've smoothed out the rough edges a bit (re-worded some of the abrupt scene change/endings, etc.). It also would've been helpful to have the dictionary at the front of the book so we readers could've gotten a glance at some of the unfamiliar terms first, rather than at the end (especially for us e-book readers, where navigation isn't always easy).

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Lora Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely collection of old traditional tales from the Irish tradition like The Children of Lir, that many of us have grown up with. Most of these tales are told in prose, though some in poetry.

The Irish tales have always had a lyrical quality to them even in prose and have been the basis for many later stories that build on the tales of both ancestors and the fairy tradition that weaves its magic through this style of storytelling.

This book gathers several of these romance tales into one volume for easy reference and would be a lovely gift for someone who enjoys all things Celtic.

The commentaries are also very interesting and explain the background of the tales. Some readers might have a little trouble with pronunciation of some names and names of places, but there is some help for that in the back.

[Skjam! · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Gaelic-speaking people of ancient Ireland told tales of their mighty ancestors and great men, not unlike the people of every nation and tribe. When writing came, they began to put these tales into manuscripts. Out of the large body of remaining literature, in 1879 P.W. Joyce chose thirteen legends he felt represented the most interesting of Irish tales. Eleven of these were printed in the first edition, but this volume is a reproduction of the third edition which has them all.

They’re roughly in order of internal chronology.

“The Fate of the Children of Lir; or, The Four White Swans” is the first of what are called “the Three Sorrows of Irish Storytelling” due to their somewhat tragic endings. Lir’s four children are turned into swans by their stepmother due to her belief that people liked them better than her. She curses them to spend nine hundred years in those forms, three hundred years each in three different bodies of water.

Only the arrival of Christianity to Erin allows them to leave their watery prison, and a disciple of Saint Patrick is able to turn them human, whereupon the children of Lir die of extreme old age.

There’s some evidence to suggest that some of the older tales started out under the old “pagan” religions and then were altered to meet new Christian guidelines. “Druidical wands” are common in the early ones.

“The Fate of the Children of Turenn; or, the Quest for the Eric-Fine” is set in the days of Lugh of the Long Arms, as he battles the Fomori (sea raiders, often depicted as giants or deformed.) Lugh’s father Kian is murdered by the three sons of Turenn due to an earlier quarrel that is not explained. Because Turenn is a distant relative of Kian, this is considered kin-slaying and Lugh can choose to have them either executed immediately, or exact a blood price (the “eric-fine” of the title.)

Lugh describes the eric-fine in general terms that makes it sound not so bad, but when the brothers accept, he reveals that each of the items he mentioned are in fact mystic relics of great power guarded by mighty owners, or are otherwise hard to get. For example, the three apples he wants are the Golden Apples of the Garden of Hisberna, which can heal any wound among other properties.

The brothers cut a bloody swath across Europe gaining the parts of the eric-fine, using each item they gain to make it easier to get the rest. Eventually, a smart king just gives them what they want rather than have his army and himself slaughtered. But with 5/7ths of the fine gathered, Lugh plays a nasty trick on the children of Turenn, mind-zapping them into returning to Eire with only that part of the eric-fine, confiscating the magic items, and then sending them off for the rest.

The last two items have the toughest guardians yet, and the brothers are fatally wounded in the process of gaining them. The children of Turenn manage to return to Lugh successful in paying their fine, and ask him to heal them. He refuses and cheerfully watches the brothers expire, followed by their grieving father and sister. The ancient Irish really know how to hold onto a grudge!

“The Overflowing of Lough Neagh, and the Story of Liban the Mermaid” tells the tale of two brothers who decide to leave home with their followers to settle new territory. One perishes quickly, but the other settles down in an area with a magic well. Too soon the protection around the well is broken, and it floods the entire valley. One person, Liban, survives by becoming a mermaid.

“Connla of the Golden Hair and the Fairy Maiden” has the handsome young man lured from his home by a beautiful woman from the land of Moy-Nell, where there is no old age or sickness. He is never seen again.

“The Voyage of Maildun” has the title character go off for vengeance against the raiders who killed his father. He’s told by a soothsayer to only bring sixty crew members, but his three foster-brothers insist on coming along. Breaking this prohibition gets the ship lost in a storm, and they must sail randomly to bizarre islands and have adventures not unlike the Odyssey. They lose each of the foster-brothers and are at last able to find their way again, but Maildun learns he must show forgiveness to finally come home.

“The Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees” is the first of the tales starring Finn, mighty leader of the Fena. Finn and his men slaughter an invading army, sparing only Midac, the youngest son of the invading king. Finn brings up the lad in his own house, intending to turn him to good.

Midac, though, holds a grudge, and when he is fully grown, invites Finn and his men to his palace made of quicken tree (mountain ash). It turns out to be a magical trap, foiled only by a) a couple of the younger men of the Fena being left on guard outside the palace, and b) Midac holding a huge banquet for all the villainous fellows he’d recruited to help him kill Finn. The baddies come over in small groups, and by the time Midac is there with his full army, the Fena have been freed to fight.

This story also introduces Conan Maol (“Conan the Bald”) who is something of a comic relief figure. He’s a coward, glutton and most feared for his sharp tongue-but also deadly in a fight.

“The Pursuit of the Giolla Dacker and His Horse” has Finn and his men be fooled by a giant calling himself “Giolla Dacker” (“slothful fellow”) who has a equally slothful-looking horse. Giolla Dacker tricks several of the Fena to mount his horse in an effort to tame it–they are then stuck to it, and the suddenly vigorous horse runs off, followed by its also suddenly speedy master. The rest of the story is the many adventures of Finn and his men trying to get back their fellows.

One bit that I noticed was Dermat O’Dyna has the habit of never eating leftovers–later his companions are able to know he’s been somewhere by the heap of half-eaten deer, as he kills a new one whenever he’s hungry rather than finish off the old one.

“The Pursuit of Dermat and Grania” has the young hero Dermat elope with the beautiful Grania. This is an issue as she was promised to Finn (who is by this time old enough to be her grandfather.) Finn reacts badly. After much slaughter, Finn finally backs off.

However, this leads to the scene I describe as “remember that time twenty-five years ago when I said I forgave you? I lied. Now, I’ve led you into a trap, and will watch cheerfully as you bleed out and refuse to magically heal you.” The translator notes that this is an unusually negative portrayal of Finn.

“The Chase of Slieve Cullinn” is the story of how Finn’s hair changed from golden to silver. It involves a shapeshifter, a magical lake, and vanity.

“The Chase of Slieve Fuad” has another shapeshifter lure the Fena including Finn to her brother’s castle to be magically imprisoned and slaughtered. This is Conan Maol’s big moment as he saves everyone–but also has a sheepskin permanently bonded to his body, requiring shearing every year.

“Oisin in Tír na nÓg” concerns Finn’s son Oisin, (also known as Ossian), the last survivor of the Fena. He had been scouted by a young woman from the Land of Youth, and agreed to accompany her there to be her husband. And that fair land was agreeable to him, but Oisin grew homesick. When he returned to Ireland, the Fena were long dead, the people had shrunk, and Christianity had come to Erin. Oisin accidentally broke a taboo, and could not return to his wife, becoming old and blind. (Tradition has it that this and the preceding two tales were told by Oisin to Saint Patrick before he died.)

“The Voyage of the Sons of O’Corra” has triplets who were dedicated to the Devil before birth (as God had not answered O’Corra’s pleas for children.) They caused much mischief in honor of their sponsor (mostly destroying churches and outraging the religious) before suddenly coming to the epiphany that evil is bad.

Repenting, they converted to Christianity and started atoning for their ill deeds. As part of their penance, the triplets and several men of the cloth took a sea voyage where they saw many strange islands, some of which were metaphorical. (The translator notes that many of the instances are similar to or identical to scenes from Maildun’s voyage.)

“The Fate of the Sons of Usna” ends the volume with the Third Sorrow. A girl named Deirdre is born, and it’s prophesied that she will bring woe to Ulster and Erin. Deidre is raised in isolation, but decides that she wants to marry a man with hair as black as a raven, cheeks as red as blood, and skin as white as snow.

This turns out to be Naisi, one of the sons of Usna, and a Knight of the Red Branch. He reciprocates, and they elope to Alba (Scotland) with his brothers and a group of followers.

Unfortunately, King Conor has decided he wants Deirdre for his own wife, and engages in a series of treacherous actions to bring the sons of Usna and Deirdre back to Ireland and then have the men killed. This eventually works and Deirdre dies of grief.

Mr. Joyce notes in his prologue that he has erred more on the side of preserving the sense of the language from the old texts than a literal translation. He’s also kept in the poetry that the characters occasionally burst into, which is probably fragments of the earlier oral tradition versions of the stories. There are copious footnotes that explain words and the present-day names of places. End notes go into further detail on aspects of Irish folklore.

As mentioned earlier, this Dover publication is a reproduction rather than a reformatted reprint. This means it keeps the tiny font of the original book, and the even tinier font of the poetry sections. It was difficult to read on Kindle, so I would recommend springing for the hard copy instead. I also urge Dover to come out with a large print edition.

The writing style is a bit stiff and old-fashioned, but that’s to be expected. Recommended to those wanting to research Celtic legends but without the ability to read the sources in the original languages.

Disclaimer: I received a download of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was offered or requested.

[Critterbee❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reprint of a lovely collection of beautiful classic Celtic tales, translated from the Gaelic lyrically by Irish historian Patrick Weston Joyce about 150 years ago.

Intensely emotional, and written as if to be told orally or sung out in a forest gathering. They are tales of great journeys, ferocious battles and tragic events. Completely engrossing.

I would object to the cheap, officious font of yester-century, though. Such beautiful words deserve a more respectful font, one that is both easier to read and more reflective of the magnificence of the words.

*eARC Netgalley*

[Eileen Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most welcome reprint of an old book of folk tales first published in 1879.
If you are a fan of ancient fairy tales, mythical creatures and the like this is for you.
An ideal book for reading when feeling melancholic, or you just feel like being whisked away to chivalric times!
The illustrations also reminded me of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and his fellow painters, which are wonderful!
Highly recommended.

[Camila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the accuracy of translations, I think that was the real job behind this book. It was interesting to understand the current names of some places in Ireland and also how deeply engraved into their culture these stories are. The heroic tales reflect a stage into Ireland's history that goes back and forth from Paganism to Christianism. Definitely worth reading is those topics spark an interest.

[Joseph F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halfway through this work, I realized why this work is considered a classic. This is a collection of Irish myths and legends translated into English, and it is full of excitement and wonder. Joyce gives us very readable accounts of these old stories.
I have read many books before about Celtic mythology. Some of them, like Rolleston's Celtic Myths and Legends, and Squire's book with a similar title, are very comprehensive, but only give us summaries of all the major stories. But in this book, the author is interested in telling fewer stories, but telling them at length. Many of these myths deal with Finn MacCumal and the Fianna, who, when they are not fighting invaders or hunting stags, find themselves in enchanted lands filled with damsels, giants and wizards. You will also find here three stories called the three sorrows of storytelling, because they are considered the three saddest stories from Ireland. The author does not say so, but I've read this from other sources. (the fate of the children of Lir, Turenn, and Usna).
Some stories here are of gods who inhabited Ireland before the coming of humans, sea voyages, and great kings.
I would say this collection is a must for those who love Celtic myths. Keep in mind however, that you will need to read other books as well in order to get a more balanced view of Celtic myths. Joyce does not include much from the Ulster cycle (perhaps because this might fall more under "epic" than "romance"), and nothing from Welsh mythology.

[Tara Carlisle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading this for a class and really enjoying it.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collection of celtic mythology tales. It is really engaging and I like it very much.
Unfortunately it was not possible to read it on Kindle as it appears as a scanned copy.
Recommended for all the people that loves fantasy and mythology.
Many thanks to Dover Publications and Netgalley

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in depth look at ancient Celtic stories. Stories are presented in chapters, and with some description explaining their origin and meaning. Well worth a look for those interested in the subject.

[Consu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you l0ove fairytales that are old as magic? These happen in a mythical past on Ireland and you can see how some of the stories we tell today are nothing but remakes. It's pretty and whimsical. Still, since the tales are old they are also plagued with sexism

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celtic stories are amazing. Most have been handed down from one generation to another. This people believe in keeping their heritage alive. They used to only do it orally through story-tellers. They were meant to memorize each of the poems, tales and even the historic tales and to share them with others. It is not unusual, then, for the story tellers to be given a house of honor and to be highly respected.

The author who brought the tales together is a folklorist who translated the tales from the Gaelic manuscript into today's English. Many are based on real-life events. Included in these romances are tales of warriors, maidens, monsters and mermaids. There are 13 in all including "The Overflowing of Lough Neagh," "Connia of the Golden Hair and the Fairy Maiden," and "The Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees.

The compiler of these tales made an admission in his prologue that when he erred it was on the side of keeping the sense of the language instead of a literal translation. There are also footnotes throughout the book to help to clarify words or places.

This book is a reproduction which means some of the elements may not be ideal. The font is rather small throughout but more so in the poetry.

Those who are interested in the history of the Celts, like I am, would enjoy this book.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic book of Celtic mythology. This is a upgrade version of the original print 1897. Thanks Dover to print back to the shelves this wonderful classic.