T W Rolleston

The High Deeds of Finn and other Bardic Romances of Ancient Ireland (Illustrated) T W Rolleston

This edition of T. W. Rolleston's retelling of Finn and other legends of Irish folklore is complete with detailed illustrations depicting the characters and scenes.

This superb and comprehensive volume harbors many of the finest and most lauded Irish myths, legends and sagas. They are retold in a manner which is authoritative, respectful and captivating. The compiler and author of these tales in English, T. W. Rolleston, was a lifelong scholar of ancient stories and the folk traditions of the Irish and wider Celtic peoples.

The book's layout is intuitive, with individual chapter or chapters devoted to specific stories. The first half of the book contains the bardic romances concerning prominent Irish kings and prominent figures of old. Iconic legends such as the Children of Lir and the legendary exploits of King Iubdan and King Fergus are examples of the tales chronicled.

The second half of the book is occupied by the titular High Deeds of Finn. Rolleston approaches the life of the valiant Irish hero Finn (also known as Fionn mac Cumhaill) from a biographical standpoint, traversing the tales of the man's childhood and youth to his maturity. The birth of Finn's son Oisin, and their subsequent travels and adventures together are also present.

At the conclusion of this book there are a selection of notes explaining certain reference sources in the text. This is swiftly followed by a useful guide to the pronunciation of Irish words and terms, and a list of general notes helping the reader better understand the language and terminology which appear in the stories.