‘Epic Man, Epic Tale – Fr Robert Callary and the Táin Bó Cúailgne’

On Thursday September 1, the Meath Archaeological and Historical Society held a lecture at the Kells Courthouse. The speaker was Paul Gosling, an archaeologist recently retired from GMIT, and a specialist on the epic Táin Bó Cúailnge (the Cattle Raid of Cooley).

Mr Gosling explained to the MAHS members the remarkable story of Fr Robert Callary, parish priest of Ballinabrackey and one of the founders of the MAHS in 1918.

Between August 1957 and June 1958 Fr Callary translated and serialised the entire Táin Bó Cúailnge in 40 instalments in the Westmeath Examiner and 42 instalments in the Meath Chronicle, an epic feat in itself.

Mr Gosling will be writing an article on Fr Callary and the Táin Bó Cúailnge for a future volume of Ríocht na Midhe, journal of the MAHS.

For more information on upcoming lectures see www.mahs.ie.