Folklore and Modern Irish Writing

Book excerpt: Exploring the fascination of Irish folklore and storytelling for collectors, scholars, writers, and readers, this book offers a comprehensive overview of the complex relationship between oral traditions and literary practices in Ireland. The rich contributions build upon existing studies of the nature and importance of Irish folklore, acknowledging the symbiotic relationship that exists between storytellers of oral narrative on the one hand, and literary storytellers on the other. The book deepens our understanding of the creative use of oral traditions by leading Irish writers, such as W.B. Yeats, Padraig Pearse, Peig Sayers, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, and Anne Enright. Fresh perspectives are offered on the continuing evolution of folklore collection and scholarship in Ireland, while new contexts are provided for evaluating the diverse ways in which Irish writers have drawn on traditional narratives, beliefs, and practices, exemplified by the blending of folklore and individual creativity. This collection is a timely treasury for those interested in Irish writing, identity, life, and ideas. *** "Two sections immediately captured this reviewer's attention: the essays on the modernist project in creating the National Folklore Collection fascinate, and Margaret O'Neill offers tremendous insight into Anne Enright's postmodern work utilizing a psychoanalytic lens, particularly regarding the funeral tradition of keening." - Choice, July 2015, Vol. 51, No.11 [Subject: Irish Studies, Literary Criticism, Folklore]