Catalogue of Gaelic Manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland
© Ronald Black, 2015
Adv. MS 72.2.6
(Gaelic MS.LVI). TALES.
Mackinnon, pp.101, 166-71; Mackechnie 219-21; described by Stokes, Irische Texte, 2nd ser. 2, p.109.
18th cent. Paper. 20-21 × 16 cms. 53 ff. , paginated 369-400, 409-459, 337-362. A recueil of material by an anonymous Irish scribe, probably the end portion of a larger MS. It was obtained by Patrick Turner during 1798-1802; of it Ingliston MS. A.i.15 (g) declares “that he purchased the manuscript without a cover and marked No.III. from a flying stationer in Dublin, whose name he cannot recollect”. “Peter Turner Aug” is scrawled on p. 427. The MS. became no. 3 of the four presented by Turner in 1809 to the Highland Society of Scotland, through John Campbell, J.P., the Society’s Translator; the final page, p. 362, in addition to being inscribed “N. III”, is signed by Turner and initialled by Campbell. In 1811-12 the MS. was examined by Ewen MacLachlan, whose description of it is in Adv.MS.72.3.4, pp. 55-67. MacLachlan added references to the Glenmasan MS. (Adv.MS.72.2.3) at pp. 434 and 443, and a list of contents on p. 362. Deposited in Advocates collection in 1850. Stitched unbound. P. 410 is loose.
The MS. consists physically of 3 sections, corresponding to MacLachlan’s designations I, II-III, and IV. They are here described in what appears to have been their original order.
IV. 12 ff. , paginated by scribe 337-362, 1 f. (pp. 343-344) being torn out leaving a stub. Unwatermarked.
I. 16 ff. , paginated by scribe 369-400. Watermark unclear. P. 400 marg. inf.: “Wm. Reidy of Lismatigue in Parrish of Newmarkett Barreny of Knoctopher County of Kilkenny Provence of Linster & Kingdom of Ireland”.
II, III. 25 ff. Having mistaken the scribe’s figure 400 for 409, MacLachlan paginated section II as 410-431 (he has a note on this on p. 399). He paginated section III as 1-28, then altered this to 432-459. Pp. 410-443 watermarked “Pro Patria” with letters G R (an 18th-cent. mark); the remaining gathering is of unwatermarked paper, the 2 outer sheets of which (pp. 444-447, 456-459) are blue-tinted. The scribe’s hand and ink change somewhat at the foot of p. 443, and a discrepancy in the running titles at this point suggest that the final gathering may in fact have been transferred from a separate copy of the text. P.418 marg. inf.: “Thomas Brittan Dated March 27th 1782”. P. 459 marg. sup.: “James St”.
TEXT
p.
(I)
369 OIGHEADH CHLAINNE TUIREANN “nó an treas thruagh do thrí truagh na sgealuigheachta”. Beg. Righ socharach saoirchineóil ro ghabh fhlath as & fórlámhas ar Thuathaibh dísle datháille Dé Danann.
399 .1 End of a 10-point tract on repentance, beg. in §7 bhaistedh, diultadh d’ ádhaltranas an diabhail.
400 .7 Two further notes on repentance (“Dá chomgnamh coitchionn ghluaisios an peacach do chum aithrighe & tuirsi fána pheacadhaibh”.
(II)
410 OIGHEADH CHLOINNE LIR “nó an dara truagh do thri thruagh na sgealuigheachta”. Beg. Iomthusa Tuatha Dé Danann a haithle chatha Taillteann.
(III)
432 OIDHEADH CHLOINNE hUISNEACH “no an treas thruagh do thri truagh na sgealuigheachta”. Beg. Rígh uasal oidhearc_ ardchomhachtach ro ghabh ceannas choige Uladh. P. 459: “Finis / Pro lectore lector oret”. Stokes, art. cit., pp. 110, 142.
(IV)
337 BRUIGHION EOCHAIDH BHEAG DEARG. Beg. Lá n-aon dá raibh Fionn mac Cumhaill mhic Airt mhic Tréinmhóir Í Bhaoisgne ar Dhruim na Gaillbhe.
361 .1Naomhtha an obair iomrádh Dé, 5½ qq. Underneath in late non-scribal hand is “Finid no foircheann”.
362 MacLachlan’s list of contents.