Mythic Ireland

Michael Dames sets out to tie the Irish landscape into the mythic tales of the Irish (mostly pre-Christian but also Christian as well). He paints a compelling image of Ireland's geography and living myth based on archaeology, and the like. The book is organized into five parts, each part covering a province of traditional Ireland (Ulster, Munster, Leinster, Connacht, and Meath). Within each part, the geography is told in three chapters: an introduction chapter, a second chapter which contains a great deal more detail, and a concluding chapter which includes summaries of other interesting sites. In general, only a couple of closely located sites are covered in any detail for each province. The book, however, requires that one has a reasonable grounding in Irish myth and legend. Dames does not retell the legends, but largely references them in his discussions of the land. If this is your first book on Irish myth, you are better off to set it aside for the time being, pick up Charles Squire's book, and read that first. However, once you have read that, I still recommend coming back to this book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Irish myth, though I might recommend other books first to the beginner.

Michael Dames, a student of geography, archaeology and art, wrote this book as his own introduction (or perhaps explanation) of Ireland. Divided into five sections (one for each province of ancient Ireland), the book looks at the beliefs of Ireland, and its magical locations - those both ancient, and modern. As a treatise on Irish mythology this book is rather lacking, and as a travel book it is a complete disaster. But, as a book that combines the two, it is nothing short of a tour de force. It gives the reader ideas on how he or she can travel Ireland, touching the magic of its history, and the history of its magic. This is quite a fascinating book.

I found this book to be fascinating, scholarly and helpful. It was one of two books I brought to Ireland as a pseudo-guide book. From it, I got a great tour of Lough Gur. For those interested in Celtic Ireland, it is a must read!

Whether you're a tourist, a researcher, or just interested in Ireland's mythic and ancient sites, this is THE book to own. Dames includes documented history and archaeology, as well as rich anecdotes that make each site come alive on the page. I read and discard many books about Ireland and its history. This one is at the top of my list, to keep and re-read often.