An Bal Bocht

Widely regarded as one of the greatest Irish-language novels of the 20th century, An Bal Bocht is a classic satire in Irish by one of the centurys great writers, Myles na gCopaleen/Flann OBrien/Brian ONolan. This extremely funny book, with its rain-sodden peasants of Corca Dorcha who combine pretensions to proficiency in English with true caint na ndaoine in the hope of impressing the insatiable Irish-language enthusiasts, was the proof that the Irish of the Revival had come of age. It earned Flann OBrien the accolade bestowed upon him by Austin Clarke: our Gaelic satirist and is still a useful corrective against the native tendency to take things too seriously. As its subtitle An Millenach indicates, it satirises Toms Criomhthains famous Blasket autobiography An t-Oilenach as well as other Gaeltacht works like Caislein ir by Donegal writer Samus Grianna (Mire).