Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in Royal Irish Academy
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C i 2
Miscellaneous Prose
15-16th centt. (?). Vellum fragments, interleaved with paper. Ca. 5×4 (tiny folio inserted between ff. 41, 42 measures 3⅕ × 2⅒). Ff. 50 (inclusive of two vellum flyleaves formed from a fragment of a Latin ms. and the small vellum folio noted supra). Ms. is paginated in ink on inferior margin 1-11, pagination ending here. A late foliation begins in ink on top margin of p. 11, where it reads 4, thus ignoring the vellum flyleaves. This foliation breaks off with the number 44, the last three folios of the ms. (in a different hand) being unnumbered. The small vellum folio bears no number. The ms. is stated by "Niall Mac Muireadhaigh" to have contained 69 leaves in his time (see fo. 37 v.). There are chasms in the ms. (indicated generally by the presence of interleaves) after p. 8 (fo. [2]), ff. 8, 33, 34, [37], [39], 40, 44. No scribal signature is given in colophons (printed in full at their place of incidence infra). The place-name Gleand Guail ar Tir Conaill occurs p. 10 v. b. The ms. would appear from colophon on fo. 38 v. b i. to have been transcribed in a bardic school, and no doubt it is a composite manuscript, on which more than one scribe has worked. One scribe names "Donnchadh Maginngaill" in unflattering terms (fo. 25 v. b i.). The “Niall mac Muireadhaigh” signature already noted does not appear to bé that of a scribe. P. 5 (fo. [1]) is somewhat defaced. The inferior corners of ff. [1]-8 are decayed. Fo. 26 is defaced, as if it once stood as an outer folio; the ink here is of inferior quality. Fo. 27 is similarly defaced. Inferior ink is used ff. 29 verso, 30 recto-[31] verso, with good ink at intervals. Fo. 34 is defaced; perhaps it too once stood as an outer folio. Ff. [37], 40, 41 verso, 42 are somewhat defaced. The reverse of ff. 26, 38, 47 are blank or were originally blank. Ruling by dry point is visible at some points (cf. ff. 28, 29), but on the whole no lining is now visible. Colour is applied in an irregular fashion throughout; this is perhaps due to the composite character of the whole. Crude aluminium paint applied to capitals ff. [l]-8 have injured ms. Ff 9-10 bear no colouring. The rubrication on ff. [11]-25, 32-33, 42-44 is of superior quality, that on ff. 25, 27, 28, 29 being decidedly inferior to it. The fragment of a Latin black letter ms. standing as pp. 1-4 has capitals illuminated in blue, red, and yellow; the handwriting here runs transversely. Owing to the fact that the ms. is at present bound the following estimate of the composition of the gatherings must be regarded as merely tentative: ff. [l]-[2] (single leaves); [3]-8; 9, 10 (single leaves); [11]-18; 19-26; 27-[31] (originally a ternion, conjugate of fo. 27 being lost); 32-[37]; 38-[39]; 40-41; small folio unnumbered; 42-47. Bd. in calf, blind-tooled (recently rebacked); gilt-lettered on front of cover: uIrish MSS. No. xix. Miscellanea Hibernica de Vita Cumiani de regibus Pictorum de ordinibus Hibernorum numero xxi, eorumqe (sic) tributis de regibus Hiberniae de regum Hiberniae ét Albaniae synchronismis." Stowe ms. (Ashburnham Collection). Press I, no. 9 (see front flyleaf).
The first two leaves (pp. 1-4) are a fragment of a Latin ms. in black letter with illuminated capitals, used for binding purposes. P. 1 bears a number “xxxix.”, On p. 4 is a note : "45 leaves in this book or 90 pages."
fo.
[ 1 ] (p. 5) a. Fragment of a Life of St. Cumain Fota. Beg. Cumaín Fota mac Fiachna de Eoganacht Caisil. Ends imperfect fo. [2v.] (8) b.
[ 3 ] (9) a. Note on the length of reign of kings descended from Murchad mac Brain mic Conaill.
[ 3 ] b. Note on Ianus, from whom January is named.
[ 3 ] v. a. Note on Cruithne, ancestor of the Picts, with a reference to "Leabhar na Cruitneach" (fo. 4 a).
4 (11) b. Muirgius Ó Dubdaboireann (sec last q.). Einecland na trí secht ngrad,-18 qq.
5 v. a m. [Aided Chonchobhair.] Beg. Buí measca mór for Ulltaib. Ends fo. 8 b m.
8 b i. Short note (5 11.) beg. Darius mac Arsabi .i. doPersaib.
8 v. (16) a. Fragment of a Glossary. Andoid to Ailt; (9 a) Crap to Dearnna. There is a chasm after fo. 8. Ends fo. 10 v. b, followed by the words "Gleand Guail ar Tir Conaill 7 r." (repeated in another hand).
11 a. [Ferchuitred Medbe.] Beg. Ri rogabastair righi for Eirinn feacht n-aill .i. Eochaidh Feidhleach. Also known as Cath Boinde, see Ériu ii, 174.
13 v. a m, Cath Cinn Abrad. Beg. Riga rolaad an comdailsi ag Mac Con. Pr. Annie M. Scarre, Anecdota ii, 76, from this ms.
15 b m. Noindean Ulad. Beg. Noindean Ulad, cid dia ta.
16 b m. Eamain Macha, cidh dia da, 4 qq.
16 b i. Dun Da Leathglas os gach lis, 3 qq.
16 v. a m. Account of the Battle of Cuan Carba. Beg, Dorata morcoblach isin nAisia.
19 v. a m. Cath Leithreach Ruibhe. Beg. Airdrig rogabastair forlamus for Eirinn .i. Fachtna Fathach.
24 a i. Ceithri feadha fath gan geis, 3 qq. On the wood used in the Cross.
24 b m. Tale of Crechán and Cianóg. Beg. Brugaid cetach comrumach. Pr. K. Meyer, ZCP vii, 307, from this ms.
25 a. [Aided Néill Nóígiallaig.] Beg. Dia luid Niall dar muir sair. Pr. K. Meyer, Arch. für Celt. Lex., iii, 323, from this ms.
25 v.b i. Scribal colophon: "Mallacht uaim fein ar Donnchadh Maginngaill. Is mor m'easonoir uadh."
26 a. Genealogical notes on the descendants of Conall Gulban.
26 v., left blank, as ink has come through the vellum.
27 a. Prose tale of the Ulster Cycle. Beg. Bi rogábustair airdrige for Eirinn .i. Eochaidh Feidhliuch. The text treats in part of the fate of the Seven Maines, e.g., (28 b) "Oiged Maine Annai," (28 b i.) "Oiged Maine Tai," (28v.am.) "Oiged Maine Moepert," "Oiged Maine Maithreamail," (29 a i.) " Oiged Maine Aithreamail." Acc. to Purton (Acad. Obs.), the first portion of the text is a recension of Tochmarc Ferbe.
29 v. a. Irish Glossary fragment, beg. Teibe .i. Buain. Breaks off at end of folio.
30 a. Irish Glossary A-L, which breaks off fo. 31 v. b m.
32 a. Synchronisms of the kings of Scotland and Éire. Beg. Comaimsearacht righ Eirenn 7 righ Alban.
33 a. Irish Glossary fragment, beg. Adfeid .i. faisneisid.
33 b. Notes on the interrelationship of Irish families. Beg. Ac Cond tra foghailtear saerclanna Sil Cuinn.
33 v. a i. Short chronological note on Adam's life.
33 v. b. Annalistic notes, beg. Cairbri mac Maine Dichcollaigh dogab righi Connacht. Breaks off imperfect with fo. 33.
There is a chasm in the ms. after fo. 33.
34 (single column). Account of certain miraculous wells and loughs and the powers attaching to them.
34 v. Inganta Innsi Breatan. Beg. An ched ingnad. Ends imperfect with fo. 34.
There is a chasm in the ms. after fo. 34.
35 a. Genealogical notes, beg. (imperfect) Crimtan 7 Lugaid Cíche o daid I Luigdeach.
35 v. a i. Genealogical notes, beg. Ocht meic Liathain. On fo. 36 stand pedigrees of descendants of Conall Gulban and of Laegaire mac Néill Noígiallaig. Left unfinished (fo. 36 v.).
37 . Latin inscription, mostly indecipherable.
37 v. Non-scribal (?) note: "Naoi nduilleoga 7 tri fichthi ata san leabhar sa. Mise Niall Mac Muireadhuigh." Repeated in another hand.
38 a. Tale of an abbot of Bangor who was tempted by Satan. Fragment. Beg. here, imperfect, 7 dixit illi nícon fíu deitsu. This and the following item are ed. Bergin, Ériu ii, 221, from this ms.
38 v. a m.Tale of Laisrén. Beg. Araile anchore roboi hi Cluain macco Nois. See fo. 38 a supra. Colophon on fo. 38 v. b i. reads : "Oráit annso dona macaib fogluma 7 is catad in scel bec he, 7 na tarbra aibhir na litir orum, 7 is olc in dub, 7 in memram gann, 7 is dorcha an la."
39 a. Grammatical Tract, beg. Ca méd leitir ata san aibidil. Treats of alphabets, vowels and consonants. Ends imperfect fo. 39 v. b.
40 (single column). Genealogies, viz., Beantraigi Corca Laigdi, Daertuatha Caisil, Saertuatha Caissil. Ends fo. 40 v. m.
40 v. m. Chronological data concerning kings [of Munster]. Beg. Fingein mac Aedha Duib mic Crimtain.
40 v. i. Short note, beg. Sida mac Tomaltaigh mic Diarmata mic Lochlainn. Incomplete.
There is a chasm in the ms. after fo. 40.
41 . Genealogies of descendants of Ailill mac Nat Fraích. Acephalous. On tiny folio between ff. 41, 42 stands a fragment of a Legal Tract, beg. Ar atait tri hingaire dochuisin la Féniu .i. lamingairi 7 bélingaire 7 fuitingaire 7 rl. On reverse at end of tract stand fugitive glossarial notes.
43 a m. Notes on the interrelationship of Irish families. Beg. Ac Oilill Olum dano condrecaid Dal Cais 7 Dal Cein.
43 v. a m. Further notes on descendants of Nat Fráech, viz., (44 a i.) na Tuatha, (44b m.) Uí Chonaill. Text ends fo. 44 b i.
44 v. a. Notes on Sirna Sáeglach and Maeldúin (of Immrdmm Curaig Máil Dúin). The latter's pedigree is traced here to Ailill Fland Beg.
44 v. a m. Note on the creation of Man.
44 v. b m. Note on the inauguration of the kings of Cashel. Beg. As amlaig seo dleagar rigi Caissil do rigadh. Followed by a note on the extent of Corca Aithreach, in which Cashel is situated, and an (imperfect) note on Cu Deireoil mac do Lugaid Lamfhada.
There is a chasm in the ms. after fo. 44.
45 (in single column). Fragment of a Latin-Irish vocabulary in a crude hand. Ends fo. 47.
47 v. blank.