Proceedings
This collection of essays focuses on the medieval Irish tales which modern scholarship has designated as belonging to the category of literature known as the Cycles of the Kings. The five scholars featured in this volume (Neil Buttimer, Clodagh Downey, Ralph O'Connor, Ken Ó Donnchú and Aogán Ó hIarlaithe) have already made a substantial contribution to our understanding of this body of material. In these studies, all the authors engage to a greater or lesser extent with the concept of the cycle, and with its importance to the study of medieval Irish literature.
Ardaíonn ábhar nanImeachtaí seoceisteanna bunúsacha i dtaca leis an ngaol idir an saol uirbeach agus an nua-aoiseacht. An féidir a léiriú go háititheach go raibh an chéadfacht mhothúchánach á cur in iúl ar bhealaí nua? An rabhthas níos réidhe chun mothúcháin a chur i bhfocail agus i bhfriotail as Gaeilge i mBaile Átha Cliath ag tús an 18ú haois ná mar a bhíothas roimhe seo? Nó, an amhlaidh go raibh níos mó ná sin i gceist, is é sin, go raibh cruinneshamhail nua tagtha ar an bhfód? An raibh aon éifeacht aige seo go léir ar an Athbheochan ag casadh an fichiú haois, maidir le tuiscintí, coincheapa nó gníomhaíocht de? An bhfuil éifeacht intleachtúil aige sa lá atá inniu ann?