Lewis Carroll’s most notable book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland celebrates the 150th anniversary (sesquicentennial) of its publication this year. This classic children’s tale is so beloved that it has never been out of print in its 150 year history and has been translated into over 100 languages.
Among the rare books held in the Celtic Collection is an Irish language version of this work. Published in 1922 by the Maunsel Press, Eactrad Eiblis i dTir na nLongantas was translated by Padraig O Cadhla with illustrations by Kathleen Verschoyle. Its illustrations depict many of the familiar scenes of the story including Alice meeting the Cheshire Cat and the famous tea party. One notable difference in this edition of the story is that the character of Alice is illustrated with dark hair (rather than with the familiar blonde hair).
The Maunsel Press was one of the leading publishers in Ireland in the first quarter of the 20th century. The press was well known as a vehicle for young Irish writers and (after the Easter Rising of 1916) for works of a political nature. This work is representative of the nationalist bent of the press as it was published to introduce the Irish language to children.
The Celtic Collection is the largest of component of the UST Libraries rare books collections. It features rare and unique materials relating to Irish history, language and literature, with materials published in both the English and Irish languages. For more information on the UST Libraries rare books and manuscripts collections see our website.
