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MS 19

Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in King's Inns

MS 19

Lives of saints, etc.

18th cent. Paper. 20×16 cms, approx. Pp. 1088; scribal pagination, 13-18, continued in pencil to 1096; 2 pp. unnumbered after 188 and 2 others [553a, 553b] after 553; pp. [237-8], 325-8, 445-6, [699-704], 1015-16, almost completely torn away; lower half of pp. 725-6 torn away; pp. [355-6] missing; leaves missing at beginning and end and after 568, 648, 672; pp. 13-14 loose. Two sections show earlier paginations: 189-364 formerly [1]-176, 705-1088 formerly 1-384. Pp. 1065-76 (361-72) bound in error between 1088 and 1089.

The manuscript is a composite one, the sections not being bound in the order in which they were written. A number of colophons have been thoroughly erased (see below) and there is considerable variation in script. The names of two scribes appear: (1) Seán Ó Conaill (p. 568 i; cf. p. 553 i) and (2) Risteard Mac Gearailt (pp. 626 i, 1083 i). Dates of writing occur as follows: 1764 (p. 514 i), 1765 (p. 553 i), 1766 (p. 440 i), 1767 (p. 364 i), 1768 (pp. 568 i, 626 i), 1769 (p. 1083 i). It does not seem possible, however, to distinguish the parts of the manuscript written by each scribe; cf. NLW MS 5341A (especially pp. 71(93) and 216(207); Ó Riain, Clár, 36-8), where these scribes are perhaps similarly associated. Pp. 389-420, originally a separate manuscript, are by a third scribe (colophon erased, p. 415 i) and pp. 853-96 possibly by a fourth. The exemplar of some of Seán Ó Conaill's texts was probably written by an tAthair Eóghan Ó Caoimh (see p. 491); compare also p. 472 i with RIA 23 A 44, f. 116 r i (Cat., 2786), where Seán Ó Conaill is said to have copied Beatha Bharra from a transcript by an tAthair Eóghan Ó Caoimh also deriving from 'leabhar Hí Chruimín ó Achadh Bolg'.

The manuscript was evidently in the hands of Micheál Óg Ó Longáin in 1819 (p. 553 i) and was then apparently in the same condition as now; cf. the gaps occurring in transcripts (all of which have Ó Longáin associations) noted below as deriving from this manuscript. It is also clear from the following note by Ó Longáin that the manuscript was once owned by Father Paul O'Brien, professor of Irish at Maynooth (cf. p. 554, marginalia): 'D'ár fhan uaim gan sgriobh dom féin san leabhar mhór úd an Athair Póil Uí Bhriain---1819. Beatha Chríost / Beatha Pheadair ⁊ Phóil / Beatha Naemh Proinnsias / Beatha S. Sebastian / B. Naemh Tomais Chanterbuirí / Beatha Choluim Chille---6 atáid sin ag an easbuig/ Beatha Alexius---ag Éamonn Ó Mathghamhna' (RIA 23 E 15, p. 237; cf. RIA Cat., 2935). It was brought to Cork by Dr John Murphy, bishop of Cork, as appears from another reference to it by Ó Longáin: 'Ár mbeannacht mar is cuí / d'easpag clúmhail Chorcaí / tug an tseóid sin as Leath Chuinn' (from the poem Itche is áil liom d'iarraidh, RIA 23 C 18, p. 258).

Bound in home-made cover of cardboard and leather (cardboard missing from front cover). Labelled '556' on spine and '19' and '3' on front cover. Words 'Paul No. 6' (cf. MS 20) written below title on p. 13.

A strange script, possibly a form of shorthand, appears in pp. 188 and two following pages (mentioning in normal script 'Rabach Mac Gearuilt' and 'Donnchadh Mac Con Mare'), 515 (partly in the shape of a cross), 554 (3 lines), 648 i, and inside back cover. Notes and jottings: (a) 516. 'James Bermingham Was Born in / The Year of 1772 to this Present Day / Being 21 of Augus 179[1 ?] One' (date smudged). (b) [553b]. 'Galway May the 6 th 1792 / 1 promise to pay John Tye / of Galway the sum' (rest of page blank). (c) 554 (lightly cancelled). 'James Bermingham Tyes is, 5 ft.. 10½ in. / And his age is only 17 years / This 20th Day of May 1789.' 'James Bermingham / Was Born in the Year / Of 1772 two to this Present / Day is 17 years 1789.' 'Revd. Paul O'Brien / Cork ['II'erased] Dublin.' '1772 / his age, / 1789 / to this day.' (d) 648 i. 'James Bermingham.' (e) 1025, upper margin. 'James Bermingham Galway.' (f) 1027, upper margin. 'Hugh Hugh Demand.' (g) Inside back cover. 'John Ry[. . .].' Arithmetical calculations on pp. 516 and [553a] (inverted; most of page blank).

P.

13 [SCÁTHÁN SHACRAMAINTE NA HAITHRIGHE by Aodh Mac Aingil.] Acephalous. Beg. here with c. 5, 'Admháil na ttiodhlactheadh fuarais ó láimh Dé'. Gibe lérab mian a ainim do chur aleabhar na beathaso síorruidhe . . . [=ed. Ó Maonaigh (Baile Átha Cliath 1952) line 558]. Ends (p. 188) et árdughadh na heagailse naoimhe do gheabhadh loghadh na nuile pheacadh. Sixtus .5. féach iomad eile ag Rod. t. 2. q. 87. Finis. Foll, by colophon, erased and written over. For remainder of p. 188 and two following pages see above.

189 . BEATHA CHRÍOST ANNSO. Beg. Paeter alia Virtutum (corrected from Virdictum) et Laudum praeconia. . . . Léightear ar an mbanóigh choisreagtha re anabarthar Cecilia idir gach uile shubhailce, go rabhadar soisgeil Chriosd go foilightheach ionna croídhe. Ends (p. 364 i) ⁊ ní hiongnadh sin óir is aonghairdiochus ata aco do shíor, ⁊ ní theasduighionn moladh na conach uathadh in secula seculorum. Foll, by colophon: 'Finis le beathadh Chríosd. Ar na sgriobh l(e ?) [name erased] an 15. la do July san mbliadhain (?) 1767 [⁊] guidh or[m] a leathoir'. Chasms occur due to loss of pp. 237-8 [= ed. Ó Maonaigh (Baile Átha Cliath 1944) lines 1882-1943], 325-8 [most of an interpolation occurring between Ó Maonaigh, capp. 61 and 62], 355-6 [= Ó Maonaigh, lines 5605-65], and this manuscript is clearly the exemplar or ancestor of some later Cork copies of the text (RIA 23 B 29, Maynooth M 35, UCC T.xxx), which have blank spaces at points correspond­ing to the missing pages here.

365 . DE STATU ET MODO VIVINDI VIRGINUS MARIAE POST ASCENTIONEM FILLII EJUS .I. DOSTAID ⁊ DO BHEATHA MHUIRE TAR ÉIS AMIC DO DHUL SUAS. Beg. Óir do fhan Eoin soisgéaluighe ag seirbhís don bhaintíghearnain Muire tar éis na neapstal, do imtheacht uatha. Ends (p. 388 i) óir moIfaid na haingil .⁊ na hardaingil tú óir is leat gloire Fhlaithios De. Foll, by colophon completely erased.

389 . PÁIS CHRIOST. Beg. In Nomine Dei Amen. Christus Dedit Semel ipsum.... Do thug Criost e féin ar ár son, ionnus go bhfuasgladh sinn ón uile olc. Ends (p. 415i) et treóraig sinn chum an bheatha mharthannach an nídh go ttuga Dia dhibh se et damhsa. Anainim an athair, et an mhic et an spioraid naoimh Amen. Foll. by colophon: 'Ag sin seanmóir Aoine an Cheasta ar na precept le St. BB [sic; recte S.D. (Seán Ó Dúlaidh); cf. BM Cat. ii, 103] a Labhán. Tugadh gach naon dheisdeas no leighfios í, beannacht Dé ar anam an sgriobhnoradh . . .' [remainder erased].

416 . SGEALADH AR MHIORBHUILLEADHAIBH MHUIRE SONN. Beg. Do bhi lánamha shuairc, shoibheasach san domhan shoir, et do bhí grádh eagmhaiseach aco dá cheile. Ends (p. 420i) Et as ahaithle sin tugadur moladh don Trionoid et do Mhuire bheadnaighthi gan chrioch gan forcheadn. Finis.

421 . BEATHA PHEADAIR APS[TAIL] ANNSO. Beg. Fiafraighidh losa Criost mac De (mar adeir St. Mathew) an cheist so da apstalaibh . . . . Ends (p. 440 i) et go deimhin do comharthuigheadh gurab é féin teampoll an Spioraid Naoimh. Foll. by colophon: 'Ag sin críoch ar bheadhtadh an Eapstail Naomhtadh Pheadair et sirim ar gach aon leaghthoir guidhe orm ar sonn mo shaothair. November ye. 22. 1766' [scribal signature (?) erased].

441 . BEATHA PHÓIL APSTAIL ANN SO. Beg. Ar na fhaicsin do Dhia uile chómhachtach an buaidhreadh ⁊ an cathughadh do bhí ar chloinn Israel san Eigipt. . . .Ends (p. 456 i) agus do meastaoi gur shoightheach e, do bhí ar na lioná do ghrásaibh De. Foll. by colophon, heavily cancelled and erased: 'Beatha an Apstail naomhtha go nuige sin arna [. . .]'. Chasm in text due to loss of pp.445-6; cf. RIA 3 B 7 and Maynooth M 35, which have blank pages corresponding to the gap in this manuscript.

457 . BEATHA BHARRA ANN SO .I.CEIDEASBOG CHORCAIGHE. Beg.Barra an teasbog naomhtadh do Chonnchtaibh dhó. Ends (p. 472 i) an aonta ógh ⁊ aingiol, et na naoi ngrcdh neimhe et an aontadh is uaisle ná gach aontadh .i. an aontadh na Trionóide rónaomhtha, an athar an mhic, et an spioraid naoimh. in omnia Saecula Saeculorum. Amein. Foll, by colophon: 'Ag sin beatha Bharra do réir mar fuarus sgriobhtha a leabhar hÍCruimín ó Achadh Bolg, et gabhadh gach aon mo leithsgeal trém dhroichsgribhinn, do bhrígh nach fuilingid curaim saoghaltadh dhomh luíghe go fírinneach ar sgríbhneoireacht'. This is the second Irish Life of Finbar in Plummer's classification (Misc. hag. Hib. (1925) no. 6).

473 . BEATHA S. TOMÁS ÁIREASBOG [sic] CHANTERBURÍ. Beg. Feacht naon dá raibh buirgéiseach a Lúndain darbadh chomhainim Gilbert Beckett. Ends (p. 490 i) .⁊. rug an Papadh buídheacus mór re Dia na miormhuileadha sin do foillsighecdh ó Dhia ar S. Tomás.

491 . 'An sgribhne(óir cct. antan do chuaidh go Conachtaibh) ag glacadh na ngradha ccoisreagtha ón Easbog, sa ainim accinnleitribh an dáin, amodh Acrostick amhail as leir sonn.' (Letters enclosed in parentheses have been somewhat rubbed.) As mithid damsa leas manma. 15 qq.+2+l stt. The first letters of the quatrians spell 'Aoda Mac Diarmoda', the bishop's name. The author of the poem was an tAthair Eóghan Ó Caoimh (see M. Ó Murchadha, Éigse 10 (1961) 19-25) and the heading here would seem to suggest that the scribe had before him an autograph copy.

493 . BEATHA NA HOIGHE BEANNAIGHTHE .I. BRIGHID BANPHATRÚN NA HEIRIONN ET CEADBHANAB CHILLE DARA. . . . Beg. Ase ionad ionna rugadh an óigh bheannaighthi Brighid naomhtha a bhFochaird .i. baile beag abhfoigse míle do Dhún da Lágh; a cconntáe Lúgha. In ten chapters. Ends (p. 514 i) ⁊ do chuaidh go haoibhneas mharthannach Pharrathais, mar attreoróchaidh Dia lea ghrasaibh doichríochnighthi sinn uile; gonadh í sin beatadh Bhrighde naomhtha treasphátrún na hÉirionn. Foll. by colophon dated 1764, with scribal signature erased. This is the third Irish Life of Brigit in Plummer's classification (see Misc. hag. Hib. (1925) no. 13).

515-1515-16. See above.

517 . BEATHA SHEAN CHIARÁIN SAIGRE. Beg.[B]eatisimus episcopus Ciaranus scorum [sic] Hibernue primo geintus .i. Ase an teasbog Naomhtha Ciarán Saigre céadnaomh do geineadh an Éirinn. Ends (p. 541 i) ⁊ do léig as aphubail uadha, ⁊ dubhra x. neapstal xx. do óirdneastar fein do cead De, [iar cancelled] ar ndul ar aon oidhche ris chum fladhais Dé. Finis. This is the third Irish Life of Ciarán of Saighear in Plummer's classification (Misc. hag. Hib. (1925) no. 20).

542 . BEATHA FHIONNAIN. Beg. Fionnán Naomh do Chorca Dhuibhne adearthar abhunádhus. Ends (p.553 i) do dhéan imtheacht le haingiolaibh neimhe, et do fíoradh sin uile. Finis. Foll. by colophon: 'Ar na sgríobha le [Seán O Dómhnuill over erasure] an dara la don mhí Agust an sa mbliadhain 1765. Guidh orm aleaghthóir. ar son Dé et tanma féin' ['Beannacht ar anam an sgribhnneóra so ⁊cetera' and calculation '1819/1765/54' added later, apparently in the hand of Micheál Óg Ó Longáin, who also altered the scribal signature]. This is the second Irish Life of Fionnán in Plummer's classification (Misc. hag. Hib. (1925) no. 35). For pp. [553a, 553b] and 554 see above.

555 . BEATHA SEBASTÍANUS AN Martíreach óirdhearc SONN. Beg. An paitriarc [Job cancelled] Jacob an tan do bhí ag iongaire caorach athar acheile. . . .Ends (p. 568i) Labhruidh St. Ambrose ar an naomh so . . . . ⁊ morán eile. Foll. by colophon: 'Finis le Seagan Ó Conuill an chead la do february. 1768'.

569 . BEATHA MHOCHODA SONN. Beg. An teaspadh glórmhar re anabarthar Chartagus .i. Carthach, ag ár ab ainim coitchionn Mochoda, is do Chiarruídhe Luachradh a chinéol. . . . Ends (p. 626 m) do chuaidh an teasbog glórmhur naomhtha sin maille re sluadhaibh aingiol cum neimhe, is an dara hidus don mhí May .⁊ an ceathramhadh lá déag don Bhealltaine, an aonta na naomh ⁊ na Trionóide Amen. Foll, by colophon: 'Ar na sgriobhádh le Ristiord Mac Gearailt an 17. la. don Abrán, san mbliadhin 1768'. Remainder of page blank. This is the second Irish Life of Mochoda in Plummer's classification (Misc. hag. Hib. (1925) no. 53).

627 . BEATHA DHEAGLÁIN NAOMHTHA SONN. Beg.An teasbog naomhtha re a raidhtior Deaglán as cineadh ró-uasal Ríghe Eirionn do. Breaks off (p. 648.6) with et tug an Rígh dhó í, et diompuig Diaglan tar ais go hAithbhreasail [=ITS XVI (1914) 28 c. 20.1]. The late copies of this text all seem to break off at this point; cf. RIA 23 M 50, p. 120.2, which is earlier than this manuscript. For the remainder of p. 648 see above.

649 . IN FESTO ST. FRAN: Beg. Ecce Nos Reliquimus omnia . . . féach gur threigeamair an saogal uile, sgur leanamar thusa. Breaks off (p. 672 i) with deiníg machtnamh ar an sgathán áluinn úd; leanaidh a shómpladh (cuiridh catchword). Though the running title is 'Beatha / St Proinnsias', this text is simply a sermon on the saint; cf. P. Ó Súilleabháin, Beatha San Froinsias (Baile Átha Cliath 1957) ix. The text in Maynooth M 35, pp. 270-99 (Ó Fiannachta, Clár ii, 74), is evidently a copy, breaking off at the same point.

673 . 'Don Áithrighe, et don dul asteach do rin soighdiuir an UAIMH NA PURGADORADH, et dona taisbeantaibh do rin Dia dhó san uaimh.' Beg. Soighdiuir dáirighthe dár bhainim Eoghan, noch do bhí aseirbhís morán do bhliadhnaibh fó Righ Saxon dár bhainim Stabhna.... P. 698 ends .⁊ imeochaidh tar ais dá mheas gur cailleadh mar chách thú, as ann sin do ghluais an Soi. sailm dhiadha chum an (dorais catchword). Remainder of text torn away.

705 . BEATHA CHOLUIM CHILLE SONN. Beg. Beatha an naoimh ghlórmhar .i. Colum Cille mic fiorádhluinn Fhéidhlime, do lónradh go solusda abhfiadnaise Dé agus ró tharangair mórán fáidhe ⁊ naoimh atheacht. . . .Ends (p. 1083 i) gur moradh ainim De et Cholaim Cille de sin .⁊ go ndeantur go siorraidhe Amen. Finis. Foll. by colophon: 'Arna sgríobha le Risteard Mac Gearailt ansa mbliaghuin. 1769 le luas lámh .⁊. ar droich gléas gan teanta búird ná binnse'. Plummer (Misc. hag. Hib. (1925) no. 28) regards this as a third Irish Life of Colum Cille. For the order of leaves see above. Gaps due to loss of text in pp. 725-6 and 1015-16. Maynooth M 34 (Ó Fiannachta, Clár ii, 73) derives from this copy, having corresponding gaps and breaking off with text of p. 1076 i here, where the scribe obviously forgot to return to p. 1077 for the remainder of the text.

1084 . Donnchadh Mór Ó Dalaidh. Mairg dhiultus dinghion Anna. 41 qq.

1088 . idem. Rógha gacha beathadh bheith bocht. 11 qq.

1089 . TEACHT CHLOINNE ISRAEL ANN SO SÍOS. Beg. Do bhi athair uasal onóireach diadha ar shliocht Noah dar bhainim Abraham. End of text torn out (see above). Breaks off (p. 1096 i) et arádh lena nathair ná facadar féin Joseph . ⁊ go ttarla sa tslíghe orrtha cuid dá éadach lán dfuil beathadhach allta (agus catchword).