SweeneyAstrayisSeamusHeaney'sversionofthemedievalIrishworkBuileSuibhne-thefirstcompletetranslationsince1913.Itshero,MadSweeney,undergoesaseriesofpurgatorialadventuresafterheiscursedbyasaintandturnedintoabirdattheBattleofMoira.Thepoetryspokenbythemadking,exiledtothetreesandtheslopes,isamongtherichestandmostimmediatelyappealinginthewholecanonofGaelicliterature.SweeneyAstraynotonlyrestorestousaworkofhistoricalandliteraryimportancebutoffersthegeniusofoneofourgreatestlivingpoetstoreinforceitsclaimsonthereaderofcontemporaryliterature.