Tomás Ó Criomhthain [Tomas O’Crohan] (Author) / An Seabhac [Padraig O Siochfhradh](Editor). Allagar na h-Inise [Island Cross-Talk]. First Edition. Dublin, C.S. O Fallamain, hOifig an tSolatain, [Printed by Alex. Thom & Co., Iona Works Dublin], 1928. 18 x 12 cm. vii, 186 pages. Original quarter cloth over paper covered boards. Very good condition. Binding rubbed and bumped with a paper sticker and dark stain on front board (see image). Mild fraying to spine ends. Sound binding. Single library stamp (‘Colaiste Moibi’) and three numbers on front free end paper. Edges and end papers age darkened. Small red stain on page iii (see image). Internally bright and clean without annotations, underlining etc.

Tomás Ó Criomhthain (1856 – 1937), anglicised as Tomas O’Crohan or Thomas O’Crohan, was a native of the Irish-speaking Great Blasket Island 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) off the coast of the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. He wrote two books, Allagar na h-Inise (Island Cross-Talk) written over the period 1918-23 and published in 1928, and An t-Oileánach (The Islandman), completed in 1923 and published in 1929. Both have been translated into English.
His books are considered classics of Irish-language literature containing portrayals of a unique way of life, now extinct, of great human, literary, linguistic, and anthropological interest. His writing is vivid, absorbing and delightful, full of incident and balance, fine observation and good sense, elegance and restraint. He began to write down his experiences in diary-letters in the years after World War I, following persistent encouragement by Brian Ó Ceallaigh from Killarney. Ó Ceallaigh overcame Ó Criomhthain’s initial reluctance by showing him works by Maxim Gorky and Pierre Loti, books describing the lives of peasants and fishermen, to prove to Ó Criomhthain the interest and value of such a project. Once persuaded, Ó Criomhthain sent Ó Ceallaigh a series of daily letters for five years – a diary – which the latter forwarded to scholar and writer Pádraig “An Seabhac” Ó Siochfhradha for editing for publication. Ó Ceallaigh then convinced Ó Criomhthain to write his life story and best-known work, An t-Oileánact. (Wikipedia).

• Keywords: Biography & Literary Criticism · History · History of Ireland · Irish Literature · Language · Literature · Modern Literature
• Language: Irish
• First edition
• Inventory Number: 102882AB

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