Light as a leaf in Paradise,
Until the grey cock cries,
Cries Morn on garth and lawn,
Bleak Morn upon our eyes,
On our dream-cloistered eyes
The turbulent red of dawn
Banishing Paradise.
(from Triptych)
There are many reasons why a collected works by Ella Young has become necessary. The woman lovingly known as ‘Airmid’ to her devotees was a leading light in the Celtic Revival, a preserver of ancient tales from the oral traditions, a teacher of the Gaelic language, and a conduit to the Faery folk of Ireland. This remarkable woman, presented to us as an Irish Mystic and Rebel by Rose Murphy in a recent biography of the same name, is the source of much intrigue spiralling around her involvement in the Dublin rebel uprising, her unique relationship to W.B. Yeats and his bête noir – Maud Gonne, her solo emigration to the American West, and her lasting friendship with the likes of Ansel Adams, Robinson Jeffers, Harry Parch, and the mystical Dunite group.
Skylight Press is proud to present this new collection, At the Gates of Dawn, which is edited by two eminent writers and historians. John Mathews is a respected mythographer and scholar, the author of many notable books on Celtic history, the Arthurian legends and Grail studies. Denise Sallee is a novelist and screenplay writer who has been studying the writings of Ella Young for a number of years. The collection is a wonderful tribute to a marvellous poet and folklorist and presents a wide selection of poems and stories from legendary earlier volumes such as The Unicorn with Silver Shoes, The Smoke of Myrrh, Marzilion, and The Tangle-Coated Horse. Additionally, the collection offers excerpts from her autobiographical writings as well as a selection of unpublished works.
“How better to light the touch paper of interior fireworks…” — Gareth Knight
“There is a spell upon her prose, a real enchantment, that echoes through the mind like remembered music…” — Frances Clarke Sayers
At the Gates of Dawn is available from most book trade outlets, or direct from our website.
