The Significance of the Táin in the Promotion of Cultural Nationalism with Particular Reference to Two Musical Compositions Inspired by Thomas Kinsella’s 1969 Translation

This interdisciplinary discussion explores cultural nationalism across the creative arts in relation to the significance of the ancient saga, the Táin. Thomas Kinsella’s 1969 translation of Táin Bó Cuailnge [Brown Bull of Cooley] has proved to be a key post-Revival literary source from the ancient manuscripts of Ireland, as it has prompted renewed interest in the saga. Various creative artists have engaged with the Táin as a result of this translation, thereby contributing to a novel movement toward Irish cultural nationalism. The paper compares two Táin-inspired compositions by James Wilson and Aloys Fleischmann as each composer’s musical language yields insight into prevailing attitudes in Irish society towards the end of the 20th century.