The Midnight Court (Irish Studies)

Banned and beloved in equal measure, The Midnight Court is a canonical eighteenth-century text widely considered to be the greatest comic Irish poem. Despite its simple story line, Merriman’s poem addresses a wide range of themes, from its satirical treatment of sexuality to its biting social commentary. This volume, the first critical edition, offers readers a fluid translation and five essays that contextualize the poem, making it an ideal text for any student of eighteenth-century Irish literature. Written specifically for the nonspecialist reader, Ó Conchubhair’s edition contains notes, a glossary, a map, and explanations of the rhyme, meter, form, and genre that traditionally puzzle those unfamiliar with the Irish-language tradition. The essays explore the text’s themes and allusions, acquainting readers with the poem’s controversies and critics’ competing interpretations of Merriman’s achievement.

Contributors include: Alan Titley, Michael Griffin, Sarah E. McKibben, and Bríona Nic Dhiarmada