Cecile O'Rahilly
Encyclopedia
Dr. Cecile O'Rahilly was a scholar of the Celtic languages
and the sister of the Celtic scholar T. F. O'Rahilly
. She is best known for her editions/translations of the various recensions of the Ulster Cycle
epic saga Táin Bó Cúailnge
.
She received a BA with double first class honours in Celtic Studies and French from University College Dublin
in 1915, and, having won a Travelling Scholarship in Celtic Studies, an MA from the University College of North Wales in 1919. She taught French at a number of schools in Wales between 1919 to 1946, publishing an edition of the Irish tale Tóruigheacht Gruaidhe Griansholus ("The Pursuit of Gruaidh Ghriansholus") in 1922, and Ireland and Wales, their historical and literary relations in 1924. She returned to Dublin to take up an assistant professorship in Celtic Studies at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
under her brother T. F. in 1946, later becoming full professor some time after 1956. During this time she published an edition of Eachtra Uilliam, an Irish version of the werewolf legend of Guillaume de Palerme
, in 1949, Five Seventeenth Century Political Poems in 1952, Trompa na bhFlaitheas, an 18th century Irish translation by Tadhg Ó Conaill of La trompette du ciel by Antoine Yvan, in 1955; The Stowe Version of Táin Bó Cúailnge in 1961; and Cath Finntrágha in 1962. She retired from DIAS in 1964, but continued to publish: Táin Bó Cuailnge from the Book of Leinster in 1967, and Táin Bó Cúailnge Recension 1 in 1976.
She was fluent in Irish, Welsh and French. She never married, but lived with her companion Myfanwy Williams.
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
and the sister of the Celtic scholar T. F. O'Rahilly
T. F. O'Rahilly
Thomas Francis O'Rahilly was an Irish scholar of the Celtic languages, particularly in the fields of Historical linguistics and Irish dialects. He was a member of the Royal Irish Academy.-Biography:He was born in Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland...
. She is best known for her editions/translations of the various recensions of the Ulster Cycle
Ulster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle , formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
epic saga Táin Bó Cúailnge
Táin Bó Cúailnge
is a legendary tale from early Irish literature, often considered an epic, although it is written primarily in prose rather than verse. It tells of a war against Ulster by the Connacht queen Medb and her husband Ailill, who intend to steal the stud bull Donn Cuailnge, opposed only by the teenage...
.
She received a BA with double first class honours in Celtic Studies and French from University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
in 1915, and, having won a Travelling Scholarship in Celtic Studies, an MA from the University College of North Wales in 1919. She taught French at a number of schools in Wales between 1919 to 1946, publishing an edition of the Irish tale Tóruigheacht Gruaidhe Griansholus ("The Pursuit of Gruaidh Ghriansholus") in 1922, and Ireland and Wales, their historical and literary relations in 1924. She returned to Dublin to take up an assistant professorship in Celtic Studies at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies Dublin, Ireland was established in 1940 by the Taoiseach of the time, Éamon de Valera under the . The Institute consists of 3 schools: The , the and the . The directors of these schools are currently Professor Werner Nahm, Professor Luke Drury and...
under her brother T. F. in 1946, later becoming full professor some time after 1956. During this time she published an edition of Eachtra Uilliam, an Irish version of the werewolf legend of Guillaume de Palerme
Guillaume de Palerme
Guillaume de Palerme is a French romance poem, which has been translated into English.The French verse romance was composed circa 1200, commissioned by Countess Yolande...
, in 1949, Five Seventeenth Century Political Poems in 1952, Trompa na bhFlaitheas, an 18th century Irish translation by Tadhg Ó Conaill of La trompette du ciel by Antoine Yvan, in 1955; The Stowe Version of Táin Bó Cúailnge in 1961; and Cath Finntrágha in 1962. She retired from DIAS in 1964, but continued to publish: Táin Bó Cuailnge from the Book of Leinster in 1967, and Táin Bó Cúailnge Recension 1 in 1976.
She was fluent in Irish, Welsh and French. She never married, but lived with her companion Myfanwy Williams.