Introduction
This paper manuscript is the work of Piaras Grás, a farmer of Cappahayden (par. Killaloe, bar. Shillelogher), near Callan, Co. Kilkenny. Family records show that he died 23 March 1836. He was son of James and Anastacia Grace (died 1 May 1810). His brothers and sisters were as follows: James (d. New Orleans, 17 April 1820), Br John Austin Grace (d. 1886), Patrick (d. 24 August 1818), William SJ (d. Auburn, 8 March 1840), Anastasia (d. 21 April 1869), Catherine (Mrs James Holohan, d. Kilkenny, 12 July 1845), Ellen (d. 8 March 1820), Julia (d. 19 March 1871), Mary (d. Fethard, 10 December 1856).
A companion volume to this manuscript is now pp. 347–502 of National Library of Ireland MS G 199, written by Piaras Grás in 1808.
Description
19th cent. Paper. 14 × 18.5 cm. Pp. 252, un-numbered. Scribe: Piarus (al. Peadur [52],) Grás in Ceapeachuidín (pp. [1], [52], [78], [97], [108], [109], [177]), 1800 ([177]), 1809 ([52]), 1810 ([163]).
Bound in full calf, spine missing. One endpaper back; back paste-down loose. Gathered in eights; pp. [161] – [172] a six. Ruled in dry point (with marginal prickings), rectos only; 15–17 lines. Running headings p. [7] – [15], [55], [57] – [78], [85] – [97], [113] – [137], [165] – [206].
Names and jottings. (a) [1] ‘Piarus Grás a gceapeachuidín.’ (b) [163], transversely. ‘Pierse Grace Capahadoin Augst 1st 1810 / Piarus Grás a gCeapeachuidin sealbhuidhe an leabhuir seo.’ (c) Back endpaper, recto. Financial calculation. (d) Back endpaper, verso. Subtraction dates: ‘1946 / 1810 / 136’. Jottings (a) and (b) scribal.
p.
[1]–[4]. Blank, save for signature p. [1].
[5]. Would to Heaven my pride of youth again I knew. 6 lines. Foll. by Iaraim bheith og arís. 2 qq. P. [6] blank.
[7]. ‘Graméir na Gaoidheilge / Aibgitir.’ Alphabet foll. ([15]) by ‘Of The antient Characters called ogham. And of the Abbreviations Called Nodaighe.’ Beg. Before letters were invented, there was formerly in use, an occult manner of writing called ogham by the Irish. Includes ([24]) Beith na haonar dom laimh dheis breaks off with q. 6; ([26]) ‘An ogham Chraobh’; ([28]} ‘An ogham choll’ Coll ar ailm an ogham 3½ qq.; ([29].5) Ogham consoinne; ([30]) ‘The Abbreviations’, ends ([34], ‘Finit’), foll. ([35]) by ‘Clár na Nodaighe’. Ends p. [52]. ‘Peadur Grás A Gceapeachuidín sealbhuídhe an leabhuir seo sgribhtha an dara la do Áugust 1809. Is truagh sin a leabhuir bhig bháin. tiocfaidh an lá ’s beith fíor / dearfaidh neach os ceann do chláir. uch ní mhairion an lámh do sgríobh. .i. Piarus Grás.’
[53]. ‘Sailm Dawson.’ Gabhaig a chlocadh fa coigilt ag commed chriadh. 4stt. Foll. (p. [54]) by ‘Aig seo an feart laoi mar leanus’, So an tarus a bhfuil Dawson faoi leacuib sinte 7 stt. ‘Crioch.’ P. [56] blank.
[57]. ‘Eachtra Dhonchadh Ruadh.’ Do riarfainn sgeol dom chomharsa ar aon rod. Ends p. [78] (‘Crioch ar an gcead rann’ [66]). 340 lines. ‘Crioch le Piarus Gras a gCeapeachuidín.’
[79]. ‘Faosidín Sheaghan d’Hór.’ A mhic Mhuire na ngras cuiredh chúm báis. 12 stt. (3-8 numbered).
[85]. ‘An Sotach sa Mhathair.’ Ghluais chuinn cúpla a dtuis na haoiche. 178 lines (lines 121-4 cancelled). ‘Ar na drochsgriobh le Piarus Gras a gCeapeachuidín.’ Cf. p. [113].
[98]. Achrann tseóir Fódhla Bhanba is Luirc. 18 lines.
[100]. ‘Seamus English ccc.’ A bhrathar na Fodhla a Dhiarmuid. 34 qq. + (‘An Ceangal’) 1 st. ‘Fóircheann le Piarus Grá a gCeapeacuidín / [later addition:] Beannocht na Trionoide ar anam an sgriobnora .i. Piarus Gras.’
[109]. (a) ‘Ceist ort.’ Fear do rugadh roimhe athar. Riddle. (b) A Criosd cár mhiste sin tuitim le cródhacht lamh. 8 lines. ‘Ar na sgriomh le Piarus Gras a gCeapechudín.’
[110], tansversely. ‘An Rábhan the Spade.’ A Sheamuis dein dom arm na bhfód. 3 stt. ‘Ar na dhroch sgriobh le Piarus Grás a Geabeachuidín [sic].’ P. [112] blank.
[113], transversely. ‘An sotach ’sa mhathair.’ Do ghluais chuinn cupla a dtuis na haoiche. 207 lines. ‘Beanocht na Trionoide ar anm an sgriobnora .i. Piarus Grás a gCeapeachuidín.’ Cf. p. [85]. Pp. [138]–[164] blank, save for jottings p. [163].
[165]. ‘An Mála pípe. / Stíbhinn Mac Cuilgín cct. ag breith buídheachius le Uilliam O Cealaigh a Sráid Phóil apstal a gcathair Chorcuídhe do chion mála pípe do dhéanamh dho.’ Fógrum leathim is sgaipim a measg na tíre. 15 + (‘An Ceangol’) 6 stt. ‘Mála na Pípe críochnatha.’
[171]. ‘Moladh an tobac / Fé mur adearfaimís Cáilígheacht an tobac mhaith so .i. Criostóir donn dilisnech . . . is díolan sé argiod tintáin gach lá san mbliadhain.’ Feuch sa a ghiolla an phipín an fíor nó an cóireach. 98 lines. ‘Ar na dhroch sgríobh le Piarus Grás A gCeapeachuidín an naoidhmha lá fithchid dféile na naomh san mbliadhain 1800.’
[178]. ‘Ceisniomh inghine Ghuil.’ Beg. Ríogh fioraonda. foirmdhlightheach . . . do ghabh ceanus et ardthíghearnus ar éirinn . . .et as é dob ainm don árdrighe sin Féidhlim mac Críomhtháin. Ends (p. [206]) et do ghluais féin ar go dearg lomnochta tre Luachair Deaghadh siar agus tre chríochaibh Conal Gabhra. ‘Ní léaghfam ní bhus mó dhe.’
[207]. ‘Faoisidin Sheamuis na Srón.’ A Dhia mhor nach truadh an sgeal dom. 304 lines. Foll. (p. [226]) by ‘Absalóid Phroinseis do Sheamus’. A Heamuis chaidh dorás na bPaorach. 34 lines. Foll. (p. [228]) by ‘Freagra Sheamuis ar Phroinseis’. Do bhreith ni fhoghnan glor gan eifeacht. 81 lines. Foll. (p. [233]) by ‘Freagra Phroinseis ar Sheamus’. Is fuiris aithne an peaca rin Éva. 82 lines. Foll. (p. [237].13) by ‘Bagradh Sheamuis ar Phroinsias’. A Righ Seoirse mo dhianstór fein tu. 44 lines. ‘Fínit.’
[240]. Epigrams. (a) IS Maighistir barc me ar theacht na taóde niar. 1 st. (b) Anseacht mná go brath ná claoidheach do chiall. 1 st. (c) Drong is fearr na mna led linnse riamh. 1 st. Foll. by ‘Freagra eile’. Sagart, braithre papa. naoimh is cliar. 1 st. (d) Cial is míchial ni thig le cheile. 2 lines. ([241]) (e) An iláin Fhinn bi go hoganta. 1 st. (f) Ni chainim duine is ni thugim mo shlán faoi aon. 1 st. Foll. by I censure none let who will censure me. 1 st. (g) A chara mo chleibh do léigheas na seanúghdair. 1 st. (h) A fhir gasda ghil fheil is treathach dedhghmhúinte. 1 st. (i) Ni sparuinn na aocht na deanta seanughdar. 1 st. ([242]) (j) Mo thoilse an toil thug toil mhaith doibh go heug. 1 st. (k) Meisge mhor do nean leann. 1 st.
[243], transversely. Stray lines from epigrammatic stanzas.
[244], transversely. Té thuigfedh a gcóir gach meoinn ar bheartaibh an tsáoighil. 3 stt. ‘Crioch.’
[245], transversely. ‘Uilliam Dall cct. ag tarthail a ghiolla as an dtinnse.’ Tá sgeal beag sultmhar agamsa le sgrúda dhibh . 7½ + (‘Chorus’) 1 stt. ‘Deire’
[248], transversely. (a) ‘Ag dul an aon áit duit abair.’ Athair na gcomhacht sáoir me ó pheisd an uilc.. 1 st. (b) ‘Ag dul a codladh dhuit abair.’ Aingiol an Rígh na shuighe air mo ghúalain deis. 1 st. Foll. (p. [249]) by ‘Arís’. Fád dhíon a Righ do shin do gheaga air chruis. 1 st. (c) ‘Ag eirighe dhuit ar maidin Abair.’ A righ na ngras thug slan me ón oídhche araeir. 1 st.
[250]. Uisgeidh chroidhe na n-Anama. 6 stt. P. [252] blank.
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