In dialogue with the Agallamh

essays in honour of Seán Ó Coileáin

Aidan Doyle & Kevin Murray editors

‘This collection of essays, dedicated to Professor Seán Ó Coileáin, is especially welcome … Many festschriften are disparate gatherings of useful essays, more at home on the photocopier than the private bookshelf. Here, however, we have a collection focused on a single text – a particular utility of which will be as a companion for students to use alongside the recent Oxford World’s Classics translation of the Acallam by Ann Dooley and Harry Roe … this is an extremely useful and fresh collection, fittingly honouring a notable scholar and offering a companion to further exploration of a key text’, Jonathan M. Wooding, Australian Journal of Irish Studies (2016).

‘In this collection of essays, the richness and “otherliness” of Acallam na Agallamh bheag, the Agallamh Nua, and the Reeves Agallamh, are explored in depth, and its importance, not only to medievalists and scholars of Modern Irish, but to anthropologists and folklorists also, is significant … The multi-faceted approach towards Acallam na senórach, as evident in this work, makes for engaging reading. Central themes pioneered by Ó Coileáin – the “fluidity” of the world of fianaigheacht, and the central question of orality, literacy and transition, for example – underpin much of the scholarship so fittingly dedicated to him … The editors of In dialogue with the Agallamh are to be praised for this excellent collection of essays’, Tríona Ní Shíocháin, Béascna: journal of folklore and ethnology (2015).

‘This editorially well balanced and elegantly produced volume illustrates the high production standards of the press and is complemented by a collective bibliography, list of contributors and a full and very useful index. This is a welcome collection and mise à point in fianaigeacht studies’, William Sayers, Peritia (2015).

‘This work has clearly enhanced our understanding of the different versions of the Acallam na senórach and it is to be hoped that the contributions will inspire more study of this important text in all its versions … The volume also contains a tabula gratulatoria and two articles written in honour of Seán Ó Coileáin, the first by Gearóid Ó Crualaoich and the second by Joseph Falaky Nagy’, Caoimhín Breatnach, Studia Hibernica (2014). 

‘As a whole this collection of essays represents the very latest scholarship concerning Acallam na senórach and the field of finaigheacht studies, from a selection of the most significant names currently working in this area, and must be essential reading for anyone with a professional interest in this field. The quality of scholarship is excellent; the essays are well presented, with themes flowing gradually into one another allowing for the easy transfer of attention from topic to topic … certainly a fitting tribute for a scholar whose career has made such a significant contribution to this area of Irish literary studies’, Max Quaintmere, Béaloideas (2014).