A Celtic Psaltery Being Mainly Renderings in English Verse from Irish & Welsh Poetry

A Celtic Psaltery offers listeners a lyrical journey through the spiritual heart of early Ireland and Wales, bringing ancient verses into vivid English song. The first half transports you from the dim shadows of pagan ritual into the dawning light of Christianity, featuring dialogues between legendary kings, the haunting “Irish Triads,” and heartfelt prayers of saints such as Patrick, Brigid and Columba. Gentle humor, pastoral imagery and solemn laments—like the mournful “Keening of Mary”— mingle with folk‑tune inspirations, revealing a faith that thrived in open fields as much as in cloistered cells.

The second half turns to Welsh sacred poetry, guiding you from the terse wisdom of Aneirin and Llywarch Hen to the sophisticated lyricism of Dafydd ab Gwilym and Iolo Goch. Here the verses shift to freer metres, allowing the translator’s ear to echo the original alliteration and vowel resonance while preserving the devotional spirit. Listeners will hear the quiet devotion of hermits on remote islands, the bustling devotion of monks in scriptoria, and the timeless resonance of Celtic reverence for nature and the divine.