Archive of the Month
Poetry, Preservation, and Art
Exploring Unique Literary Treasures for National Poetry Month
By Rachel Bennett, Assistant Archivist, RCB Library
With April being National Poetry Month, the RCB Library is taking the opportunity to explore four unique poetry–related items currently held in the archive and special reserve collection. These distinctive pieces showcase the diverse holdings of the RCB Library as well as the invaluable role that the archive plays in preserving historically unique items.
St Patrick Breastplate – A Modern Irish Translation
Douglas Hyde’s modern Irish translation of ‘St. Patrick’s Breastplate’, provides a unique perspective of the Irish Language Movement of the early 20th century. Born in Co. Roscommon in 1860, Hyde was an Irish academic, politician and diplomat. An active figure in the effort to revive the Irish language, Hyde also founded Conradh na Gaeilge (The Gaelic League) in 1893. In 1915, Hyde was approached by Eitne Culverwell, a member of the Irish Guild with a request to provide an updated translation of St Patrick’s Breastplate to make it more accessible to a modern Irish language audience.
The Irish Guild was a group active within the Church of Ireland, specifically aiming to promote the use of the Irish language in the public services of the Church, as well as collect and publish suitable Irish prayers, hymns and other religious literature.
Hyde’s translation was completed in a novel series of postcard replies, with the translation subsequently being published in 1916 as part of Duanaire Diadha, a collection of literature and hymns designed to be used in Church of Ireland services, particularly those held in Irish at St Patrick’s Cathedral.
This version of the Breastplate aimed to make the work more accessible to contemporary Irish audiences while maintaining its deep religious and cultural significance.
Hyde’s work is an important example of how translation can preserve the essence of ancient texts while making them relevant to modern readers.
To read an in–depth exploration of Hyde’s translation – please click here.
Harry Clarke and ‘The Years at the Spring.’
Tucked away in our special reserve collection is a volume of poetry titled The Years at the Spring; an anthology of recent poetry. Originally published in 1920 this book is one of only 250 copies printed and contains a compilation of contemporary poetry, accompanied by the striking illustrations of Harry Clarke. The book features work by a variety of modern poets such as W.B. Yeats, Thomas Hardy and Francis Brett Young. The collection varies in style with many of the works being romantic in nature, with a handful of the poems also highlighting The Great War which was still fresh in the minds of the public.
The illustrations included within The Years at the Spring are what make this work particularly notable with the illustrator behind these drawings being the well–known Irish artist Harry Clarke.
Clarke, who was born in Dublin in 1889, was the son of a commercial church decorator. His father Joshua, originally from Leeds, encouraged his son’s artist talents from a young age, providing the young Clarke exposure to many different artistic styles through his father’s work. At 14 years old, Clarke was apprenticed to his father’s studio, while also attending night classes at the Metropolitan College of Art and Design. While studying, he won numerous awards for his stained–glass work.
After his study, Clarke visited both London and France just prior to the start of World War I where he studied medieval stained glass. This study led to a significant career as a stained–glass artist, receiving both religious and secular commissions within Ireland as well as internationally. While Clarke is remembered today for his stained–glass work, he was also an accomplished illustrator, with notable commissions including Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery & Imagination as well as a compendium of Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Anderson.
The RCB libraries copy of The Years at the Spring was a gift from Clarke to the Most Revd Dr Gregg (1873–1961), Archbishop of Dublin (1920–1939), including a handwritten inscription, signed by Clarke in December of 1922. This is the 50th imprint of the limited run and includes 21 full page plate illustrations.
Many of the illustrations invoke a whimsical nature, such as the black and white illustration for Patrick Chalmer’s poem ‘If I Had a Broomstick’ and Queenie Scott–Hopper’s ‘Very Nearly’ while other illustrations showcase an interest in a more macabre illustration style , such as the full colour illustration plate for James Elroy Flecker’s poem ‘The Dying Patriot‘ which echoes the darker sketches seen in Poe’s Tales of Mystery & Imagination. Clarke’s illustrations not only showcase his varied artistic range, but they also give the reader a visual interpretation of the poems, providing an additional depth to the overall work.
For a more in–depth exploration of The Years at the Spring and Harry Clarke – please click here
Letter and Poem Excerpt from Poet Edward Lear
The archive in the Library holds an extensive manuscript collection, including a large collection of letters and ephemera from its founding benefactor Rosamond Stephen. Within this collection there are two unique pieces relating to the poet Edward Lear (1812–1888). Lear is well known for his literary nonsense style poetry and prose, with his most recognisable poem ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ still proving extremely popular today.
The letter and poem held in Rosamond’s collection were addressed to H. W. Cunningham (Rosamond’s uncle) and she seems to have included them in her extensive scrapbook and autograph collection where they have been preserved ever since.The first item is a letter and original sketch sent by Mr Lear to Mr Cunningham, dated October 2nd, 1874. The letter from Mr Lear gives thanks to Mr Cunningham for an earlier item of correspondence not present, discusses his upcoming travel plans, his health and his dislike of the cold. Throughout the letter you gain an appreciation of Lear’s unique sense of humour, with Mr Lear finishing his letter stating
I am much altered since I had the pleasure of meeting you at Ockham and send a tolerably correct likeness of what I now am on the next page – whereby if you meet me suddenly you will be saved the involuntary and painful incivility of screaming aloud.
The letter then includes a fabulous comical self–portrait drawn by Mr Lear on the next page.
The second item is a poem, handwritten by Mr Lear titled, ‘The Cummerbund’. The poem was first published in The Times of India, July 1874 and it is unclear if the poem was sent with the above letter or if it was included in a separate piece of correspondence. The poem, which Mr Lear has dated October 8th, 1874, tells the story of a fair woman, who suffers the fate of being eaten by the Cummerbund monster, an imaginary creature of Mr Lear’s own creation. Lear has transcribed the poem in full for the recipient and has also included a brief ink sketch of the monster.
For a detailed list of items held in the Stephen Collection – please click here
Cuala Press and The Yates Family
Our final focus is on a selection of poetry books held in the RCB special collection, published between 1905 and 1938 by Cuala Press, an independent printing press run by the Yates sisters, Lily and Elizabeth. Originally established in 1902, operating as the Dun Emer Guild, the press was run as a portion of the arts and crafts studio in Dublin in conjunction with family friend Evelyn Gleeson. Dun Emer Guild focussed on several types of handicrafts such as embroidery, tapestry and printmaking. By 1908 the Yeats sisters had separated entirely from Gleeson and Dun Emer Guild and started Cuala Press, which would run until 1949.
The Yates sisters made several unique decisions when establishing the Press, when compared with similar operations of the time in the Irish Arts and Crafts movement. Cuala press was completely staffed and run by women, with the Yeats sisters putting a significant focus on contemporary literature, with the majority of the original printings focussing on modern Irish literature and poetry. At the end of each work a note is also included informing the reader of the location of the local press where the book was printed and the use of Irish paper.
Of the nine original books that are held in the Library’s collection, seven are works by W.B Yeats, who was Cuala Press’s most published author, due to the family connection. As a result of this connection the press also published several other notable authors of the time including Elizabeth Bowen, Douglas Hyde and Ezra Pound.
For more information about the Cuala Press – please click here
These four works represent a small sample of the unique items that make up the RCB Library’s diverse and eclectic whole, which will be preserved for future generations.