The Midnight Court / Cirt an Mhen Oche

Banned and beloved in equal measure, The Midnight Court is a canonical eighteenthcentury text widely considered to be one of the greatest comic Irish poems. Despite its simple story line, Merrimans poem addresses a wide range of themes from its satirical treatment of sexuality to its biting social commentary. This volume, the first critical edition, offers readers a fluid translation and five essays that contextualize the poem, making it an ideal text for any student of eighteenthcentury Irish literature. Written specifically for the nonspecialist reader, Conchubhairs edition contains notes, a glossary, a map, and explanations of the rhyme, meter, form, and genre that traditionally puzzle those unfamiliar with the Irishlanguage tradition. The essays explore the texts themes and allusions, acquainting readers with the poems controversies and critics competing interpretations of Merrimans achievement.