KINSELLA, Thomas (translator). The Sons of Usnech: The Exile of the Sons of Usnech & The Exile of Fergus & The Death of the Sons of Usnech & Deirdre.

Dublin: Dolmen Press, 1960. Reprint edition. Small octavo. Original pale green cloth, upper cover blocked in green with the Dolmen Press illustration of Deirdre, in the original pictorial dust jacket designed by Louis le Brocquy. Printed in red and black at the Dolmen Press. pp. [32]. Very good copy in a very good dust jacket, with light toning to spine and minor wear to extremities.

A handsome Dolmen Press edition of one of the central narratives of the Ulster Cycle, translated by Thomas Kinsella from the Irish text of the Book of Leinster. The tragic tale of Deirdre and the Sons of Usnech ranks among the finest achievements of early Irish literature and has inspired generations of Irish writers, dramatists and artists.

Published by Liam Miller’s celebrated Dolmen Press, this edition reflects the press’s commitment to presenting Irish literary and cultural classics in beautifully produced yet accessible formats. Kinsella’s translation remains one of the most admired modern renderings of the saga.

An attractive example of an important Dolmen Press publication and a key work in twentieth-century Irish literary translation.

[L3 8D]