Magic, Metallurgy and Imagination in Medieval Ireland: Three Studies By John Carey

This book is a study of the rich and fascinating traditions found early Irish literature concerning smiths and the fashioning of metal. The smith had a special status within the traditional societies of early Ireland and elsewhere in the Celtic-speaking world. The figure is associated with magic and the supernatural, as well as having special legal status, and a marginal and ambiguous position within the community. John Carey is an internationally known expert on Old Irish language and literature and includes here texts and translations of magical spells, incantations, and narratives connected with smiths and their craft. Magic, Metallurgy and Imagination in Medieval Ireland: Three Studies

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A useful series of small looks at charms written in other European texts, covering the wrapping of healing charms in Christian prayers in the medieval era, the particular abiliites attributed to blacksmiths, and some unexpected ties between mythological figures of the Ulster Cycle to later powers. (The snake healing powers of the three daughters of Flidais was entertaining if unexpected, the descriptions of the cooking spits and griddles of the Morrigan and Dagda respectively verged on the bafflingly incomprehensible. Still, very interesting.) I appreciated the representation of the original texts as well as the provided translations, and the discussions of how different scholars translated the texts and other places the same turns of phrase were used. English