Lanterna Rally

Author: Standish O'Grady

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2015-09-15

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 9781517363963

MR. O'GRADY'S works, like the great cycles of Gaelic literature, may be divided into three parts. This divisio triplex is of unquestionable antiquity. There is a Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. Omnis Gallia divisa est in partes tres, says Caesar. "Omne trinum perfectum " comes from the schools. And so Mr. O'Grady's works are threefold: historical, historico-romantic, and legendary. Of his historical style and value we formerly gave our views of his "Storm of Ireland," a book against which we warned the young men of Ireland and against which we hesitate not to warn them again. His historico-romantic style-what is commonly known as the historical novel - is seen in "The Captivity of Red Hugh" - a book not quite so indiscreet as the above "story" but indiscreet enough. We can speak more highly of his legendary tales than we can of any other. From which it doth appear that Mr. O'Grady's success as a writer varies in direct ratio to the distance he keeps from all historical matter. The "Coming of Cuculain " is a romance of the heroic age of Ireland, and you have not advanced far before you discover that when Mr. O'Grady finds a heroic topic he wields his pen in heroic style. Battles, encounters, banquets, goblets, spears, Druids, enchantments, forays, shields clanging in battle, and forests and hills trembling at the sight, and all in a wild strain of Ossianic rhetoric, à la McPherson (which really suits the gigantic events of the ancient heroes), are the embellishments of the short tale of the boyhood of Cuculain. The latter was obviously a champion, and some of his fights are entertaining reading; while in Deidrè - ancient Celtic Jephtha - there is a very refined embodiment of a noble idea. Of course we purposely abstain from indicating anything further about Cuculain, as we prefer our readers to encourage Mr. O'Grady to continue his labors in embodying some more of the great heroic legends of Firbolgian and Femorian times, by turning to the book itself. -The Dublin Review, Volume 116