Aislinge Meic Conglinne

Aislinge Meic Conglinne, an anonymous Middle Irish romance, recounts the efforts of the eponymous hero to exchange the hardscrabble life of a clerical scholar for the prestigious life of a poet. Mac Conglinne wins the patronage of Cathal mac Finguine, the king of Munster, after rescuing him from a “demon of gluttony” by reciting a fantastic, food-laden vision of alternate worlds. An accomplished and original eleventh-century satiric narrative poem, Aislinge Meic Conglinne is now available for the first time as a stand-alone translation.

Preston-Matto offers scholars and students an ideal teaching text, matching every meter of every verse in her translation. The volume includes an introduction that places the romance in its rich historical and literary context, and extensive notes that illuminate the wealth of references found in the text. Illustrating Aislinge Meic Conglinne’s significant influence and its participation in the intellectual movements and debates of its time, Preston-Matto’s translation makes an invaluable contribution to medieval and Irish studies.