Audiobook · read by volunteers
O, it was out by Donnycarney
James Joyce (1882–1941)
Read by Avery, Ancilla, Atalanta Pendragonne, Annie Coleman Rothenberg, Julian Jamison, Jay Rudman, Kristin Hughes (1974-2021), Lucy Burgoyne (1950-2014), Nick Avtges, Peter Bobbe · 11 chapters · 7 min
About the book
James Joyce is best known for his novels, but he was also a poet, and this short lyric, that takes its title from a district on the north side of Dublin, shows a lighter and more musical side of his talent. It is a brief, delicate piece in which the pace and sound of the words matter as much as the meaning. For St. Patrick's Day in 2007, LibriVox volunteers recorded eleven versions, and here they are, one after another. It takes only a few minutes to hear them all, yet the contrast of voices, rhythms and accents makes for a charming listen. A compact treat for lovers of Irish poetry. Pure music in words, it is a poem for anyone who loves language, and a charming way to celebrate a national holiday with a literary touch.
Introduction
James Joyce (1882 to 1941) is famous for Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, but his career began with verse. His first collection, Chamber Music, appeared in 1907, and it contains short, songlike poems that owe much to the Elizabethan lyric tradition. The poem recorded here is a short piece of that kind, and it is built on musical effects and on the sound of an Irish place name.
The title gives a sense of the poem's character. It names Donnycarney, a district on the north side of Dublin, and recalls a walk out of doors with a sweetheart at dusk, when the bats fly from tree to tree. It is a work for the ear more than for the eye, and that makes it perfect for a collective reading project.
The recording is part of the weekly poetry project of LibriVox, which asks each participating volunteer to record the same poem. For this week, in the spirit of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, eleven versions were recorded, and their different accents and speeds are a good lesson in how many ways a few lines can be spoken. The entire collection lasts only a few minutes.
If you would like to know a little of the poet behind the great novels, or if you enjoy hearing a poem read several times in order to appreciate its music, this short program will suit you. It also makes a nice companion for anyone preparing a program of Irish verse for the occasion. The program is short enough to be included in a longer playlist of Irish poems and songs, and it makes a fine companion to other recordings of Joyce.
Public domain
James Joyce died in 1941: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text