Other case studies: selected Irish Melodies from each number

Nora Creina as illustrated in an 1880 edition

1819. The first collected edition of the lyrics to the Irish Melodies

Cover for the 1876 Longmans edition, with illustrations by Daniel Maclise

The associated OMEKA collection, Moore's Irish Melodies: Texts and Illustrations, represents each edition of Moore's lyrics held at Special Collections and Archives, Queen's University Belfast. In order to facilitate direct comparison across these editions,  two lyrics have been selected from each number, and one from the supplement. So a single lyric will be presented in anywhere from four to eight editions. One of these will include an illustration of that particular lyric. The lyrics were chosen to represent the different topics to which Moore was drawn -- Irish folklore, the Irish landscape, tales of love and courtship, scenes of conviviality, departing Ireland for far-off shores, or acts of homage to departed friends. Below is an indication of the many images in the collection, Moore's Irish Melodies: Texts and Illustrations', that you are invited to explore.

List of featured lyrics

First number: Meeting of the Waters

First number: Oh! breathe not his name

Second number: Believe me if all those endearing young charms

Second number: Eveleen's Bower

Second number: St. Senanus and the Lady

Third number: 'Tis believed that this harp

Third number: After the battle

Fourth number: Lesbia hath a beaming eye

Fourth number: Love's young dream

Fifth number: The Minstrel Boy

Fifth number: The Last rose of summer

Sixth number: Come o'er the sea

Sixth number: While History's muse

Seventh number: Wreath the bowl

Seventh number: As slow our ship

Eighth number: Oh ye dead!

Eighth number: The Fortune Teller

Ninth number: As vanquish'd Erin

Ninth number: Sing sing Music was given

Tenth number: Song of Innisfail

Tenth number: The night dance

Supplement: Silence is in our festal halls