Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends

Subject: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: Big Mick
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 09:10 PM

Hi folks.

I just had a picnic with a wee lass whose name is Maeve. Her Grandmother, Kathryn Gavan O'Connor Kuhn, is looking for kids books about Maeve in order that she may learn about the Warrior Queen she is named after.

Could any of you assist with titles, and authors on this subject? I am figuring there must be kids books on the subject somewhere but Google doesn't seem to be locating any.

The books should be targetted towards kids under the age of 13.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 09:37 PM

The original may not make suitable reading for young children who aren't ready for adult material (I'm thinking of the sexual content; extreme violence doesn't seem to be considered a problem as a rule). Medb tends to feature as an important character in other people's stories rather than on her own, so most childrens' books based on the Ulster Cycle will probably feature her, though they may not give a very accurate picture. Lady Gregory's re-tellings of the Cuchullainn stories might be a start, though there are bound to be more recent (and easier to read) books that other people here will know about.

Searching for Medb rather than Maeve will probably get you more useful results.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish frien
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 11:05 PM

Other spellings from Gaelic:
Mebh, Meabh, Meadhbh.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: Noreen
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 04:57 AM

I go along with Malcolm on this- my Mum said she didn't realise until well after I was christened that Queen Maeve was 'no better than she should have been"...!

Maeve was also a strong and beautiful woman- a positive role model, I think!

Noreen Maeve

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: Micca
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:03 AM

Thomas Kinsellas "The Tain" is possibly a bit too.....But Wonderful stuff..
Medb addresses Fedlim the Prophetess as her army sets out to steal the Brown Bull
" Fedlim, Prophetess, How seest thou the Host"
Fedlim " I see it Crimson, I see it red
Death and destruction fall on your army
the Crazed one the Warped one
dealing death and harsh wounds
three spears in his hand
death in his eye
slaying all before him
in a warp spasm"

Lady Gregorys, " Cuchullain of Murthemne" may be a bit Florid of language, but not as good as Kinsella.
The Trouble is that Medb is such an unmitigated BITCH !! that if you find a "cleaned up" story it is likely to be almost meaningless!!!! and not very interesting, especially since the whole premise of the Tain is started by the "war between the sheets" when Medb compares here possessions with Alill, her Husband (NOTE!! NOT the KING! but her Consort)and the only thing she doesnt and cannot match is his White Bull Finnabhair, this causes her such a fit of anger she sets out with her ENTIRE Army to Borrow (or steal, if it will not be lent) The Brown Bull of Cooley.
On the other hand you could get the child a copy of the Horslips CD called "the Tain", it includes "Queen Medb's march"

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: Noreen
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:12 AM

Mick, you might be better searching for e.g. • The Tain - Cattle raid of Cooley •.

Although I couldn't find a child-friendly version of the Táin via Google, I am sure there is such available in the shops in Ireland.

And the Táin by Horslips (from 1973) is now available on CD.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: Noreen
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:18 AM

Hi Micca! :0)

It would appear that (some) men do not take kindly to a strong woman...!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:28 AM

It might be that I have a remorselessly trivial mind, but the only fact that I can recall about Queen Maeve is that she won her crown in a contest against a number of other Princesses. When they had done all the usual contest stunts and were evenly matched, Maeve won the last round --- by peeing the deepest hole in the snow!

How very different from the Coronation of own dear Queen.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:30 AM

Irish children's Lit.

Here's a few to be getting on with. The recommended ages are at the end of each review. A good starting point for kids.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: Micca
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 06:32 AM

I don't have a problem with Strong wimmen, but ,having recently re-read the Tain, I stand by what I said about Medb, there is strong, and there is Pig-headededly blind to all common sense.. and for what? it was a " Nyaaah Nyaaah Ive got more Bull than you" kind of Playground stuff and if the story os to be believed caused the deaths of many.. ( maybe Dubya is a descendent???)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish friends
From: alison
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 07:20 AM

last year when I was back in Ireland the "touristy" shops had several books aimed at kids. I'm almost sure one of them was about the cattle raid..... can't think of the names of of the authors but I'm sure some Irish mudcatters could pop down the local souvenir shop and find out.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Folklore: Maeve - help needed from Irish frien
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 02:21 PM

Morgan Llywellan re wrote some of her books for kids....don't know if she did Red Branch that way or not.