Product Description

From the moving and erotic lovesongs of anonymous Celts, to the works of Early Christians, and the ballads and love songs passed down by word of mouth through Irish tradition, this anthology gathers together an abundant harvest - the 18th century 'Lament for Art O'Laoire' by his grieving wife, Jonathan Swift's lines to Vanessa. Modern poets such as Nobel Prize winners W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney are also represented as are the younger generation of emerging Irish poets. A perfect gift on an enduring and universal theme.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #362080 in Books
• Published on: 1997-09-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 183 pages

About the Author
Born in Dublin in 1920, he was educated at the High School, Dublin and Trinity College, Dublin (of which he was an Honorary Fellow); he was also a Research Fellow of Royal Holloway, University of London and of Oriel College, Oxford. He taught in University College Dublin (Classics); in Holland and Edinburgh (English) and held Chairs (English) in Adelaide, Leeds and Stirling. He had travelled widely, lecturing on Irish literature from the US to the USSR and in parts of Africa, the Middle East, India and Europe. He was a member of the Order of Australia, for services to Australian Literature, and gained honorary degrees from the Universities of Lille, France and Ulster. Although Prof. Jeffares' main interest was Irish Literature, he edited 24 Restoration comedies for the Folio Society and was considered an expert on Walt Whitman. His main work has been on Yeats but he edited and wrote on many Irish writers. His co-edited work includes The Poetry of Joyce in Prose and Verse; Irish Childhoods; Ireland's Women and the Gonne-Yeats Letters. Norman Jeffares founded IASIL (the International Association for the Study of Irish Literature) and ACLCAS (Association for the Study of Commonwealth Literature). In public life Norman Jeffares was Vice-Chairman of the Scottish Arts Council; member, Arts Council Great Britain; Vice President Royal Society of Edinburgh; Chairman, Book Trust Scotland and was largely responsible as Chairman of Literature, SAC, for getting the prestigious Edinburgh Book Festival into being. He died in 2005.

Customer Reviews

An awesome collection of Irish ove poems
Norman Jeffares is a veteran who has written extensively on Irish writers and literary scene. He has lectured in Trinity College, Dublin and written and edited the works of Irish master writers such as Joyce, Yeats and Swift. In this book, he is sharing an awesome collection of 'Irish Love Poems' with those who are not very familiar with the subject.

'Love poetry' is a good catch-all to include the variety of themes associated with love. Here Jeffares includes poems dealing with love, flirtation, devotion, frustration, jealousy, marriage, celebration, pleasure, parting and many other themes associated with love. The poets who have contributed to this volume include Swift, Goldsmith, Yeats, Beckett, Wilde, Synge as well as the love poems written by Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney. Jeffares has carefully selected a sample of the young generation of emerging Irish poets as well. The anthology also includes the works of several anonymous Irish poets. I enjoyed some of the poems written by several anonymous poets. My favourite collection includes poems such as 'Pulse of My Heart', 'The Girl I Love', and 'My Hope, My Love' and 'Love is a Mortal Disease'. All the poems in this anthology are neatly placed into categories such as "Intimations, "Flirtation and 'Courtship', 'Prase and Devotion', 'Youth, Age and Memory' and many more!

You can just turn the book and compare your joy or frustration on any emotion concerning love with a group of known and unknown Irish poets who have contributed to this marvellous collection.

Anyone who has either enjoyed the luxury of love or any other emotions (including pain!) attached to it must read this book.