Introduction
Pádraig Ó Macháin
As with the Táin manuscript, this manuscript also emanates from the Ó Longáin scribal family of Co. Cork. It is a collaborative endeavour between the brothers Peadar and Seosamh Ó Longáin, with later additions by its former owner Dr Nicholas O’Donnell [1862-1920].
The contents continue the Ó Longáin interest in the Ulster cycle of tales, but also comprise matter from other genres such as the cycle of Fionn mac Cumhaill (Eachtra Lomnachtáin) ff. [54]v-[66]r, as well as the Munster propaganda saga, Caithréim Cheallacháin Chaisil (ff. [68]-[109]r.
Another tale in the manuscript attracted the interest of the scholar (and later first President of Ireland) Douglas Hyde. In an article in the June 1915 number of volume 10 of the Celtic Review, Hyde recorded how the owner of the manuscript, Dr O’Donnell, had furnished him first with a list of contents of the book, and then with a transcript of one of the tales, Eachtra Léithín (ff. [48]-[54]r). (Another copy of this tale, made in 1755 by Seaghán Ua Murchughadh na Ráithíneach, also of Co. Cork, is available on ISOS: National University of Ireland, Maynooth, MS M 95, p. 317.) Hyde proceeded to edit and translate the tale in this publication from O’Donnell’s transcript (which Hyde refers to in the apparatus as ‘my MS’) in consultation with four other copies. He was later (Celtic Review 10 (1914-1916) 286-7) in a position to add readings from a copy of the tale in TCD MS H.4.15, dated 1728. The opening remarks of Dr Hyde’s preface are as follows:
I made acquaintance with the following story, which so far as I know has never been noticed before, in a rather curious way. Dr. Nicholas O'Donnell, of Melbourne, an Australian born and bred, but a good Irish scholar, picked up some years ago a not very aged Irish MS. in Australia, and kindly sent me a list of its contents. Among other pieces which it contained was ‘Eachtra Léithín.’ I told him I had not met this story before, and he then and there very kindly made me a transcript of it. I have carefully compared this Australian text with four other copies of this story preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, but I find no virtual difference between them. The oldest copy of the four is by the well-known southern scribe, Michael Óg O Longan, and was written in 1788. I do not know what MS. he copied from, but in the Australian copy, while the text is practically the same, there is an evident desire on the part of the scribe to keep the story as antique-looking as might be compatible with intelligibility. Hence he appears to prefer to write a long e for ea, as dénamh for déanamh, and nd for nn, as lind for linn, etc. The text of the prose as it now stands has been very much modernised. The story, however, in its main features is of considerable antiquity. It is, so far as I know, unique in that it gives us a peep at a whole cycle of bird and beast lore stories now apparently almost lost, but which must have, I think, at one time existed.
Dr O’Donnell’s transcript (dated May 1904) of Eachtra Léithín survives among the Hyde Manuscripts in National University of Ireland, Galway (Hyde MS 42, pp. 250-75), along with two letters (in Irish) from O’Donnell (Nioclás Ua Domhnaill, 160 Victoria Street, North Melbourne) to Hyde. The first (7 September 1904) describes a third manuscript that he had bought recently, dated 1823. The second (26 January 1914) mentions the recent marriage of his daughter to Proinsias Ó Braonáín M.P. [Francis Brennan, 1873-1950], and refers in particular to enclosed copy [not found] of The Advocate (Melbourne) reporting that O’Donnell is to be the representative for Victoria at the opening of the expected new Irish Parliament in College Green, [Dublin]; the letter closes with his anticipation of his visit to Dublin, and of shaking hands with Hyde, which will be the proudest day of his life.
Description
Pádraig Ó Macháin
19th cent. Paper. 26.5 × 20.5 cm. Ff. 131, foliated in pencil to f. 47, remainder un-numbered. Scribes: (1) ff. 1-66, in the hand of Peadar Ó Longáin. (2) ff. [68]-[109]r, in the hand of Seosamh Ó Longáin. (3) ff. 67v, [109]v-[111r] in the hand of Dr Nicholas O’Donnell.
Bound in half leather; gold tooling on covers and spine, two endpapers front, and one endpaper back; three small labels (with ‘I’, ‘B’ and ‘40’ respectively) pasted to outside front cover; binder’s label inside front cover: ‘Bound by Francis Guy 70, Patrick-St., Cork’. Front endpapers watermarked ‘Weatherley 1866’. Stub between ff. [110] and [111].
Ruled in pencil, 22-4 lines; catchwords. Ornamented initial f. 1r; space left for initial ff. 21v, 48r; initials ff. 33r, [68]r decorated but not coloured. Stamp of Newman college second front endpaper (verso), ff. 1v, 8r, 21v, [67]v, [109]r.
Provenance probably as that of MS Táin Bó Cuailnge.
f.
1.‘Brisleach mor Mhuighe Muirteimhne no oidheadha Chuchuloinn.’ Beg. Feacht náon dá ttangadar uaisle Uladh go hEamhuin Macha go súgach soimheanmnach, agus tainig Cuchulainn mac Siubhaltaig go Dun D’ealgáin. Ends (f. 21r) agus cuireas Leabharcháim fáilte roimh Chonall agus d’innis do sgéala Cuchuloinn mar do marbhadh é le fearaibh Éirionn. uch! uch! air Conall, is guirt doilg liomsa an sgéal san, agus do ghoinedh mo chroídhe am chliabh ris, agus adubhairt. Goirt roim gaoth ghér am ghonadh ard an olc / adhbhail Cú Caomhchulloinn díon ógUladh ni liomsa nách guirt.
21v. ‘Dearg Ruatharr Chonnaill Chearrnaicc, air fhearaibh Éirionn ag díogailt bhais Cuchuloinn orra.’ Beg. [D] ála Chonaill Cearrnnaicc mic Aimhirgin mic Caistrillsig mhic Cais. Ends (f. 30r) gurab amhla sin do dhíogal Connall Ceárrnach bas Cúchulainn air Clainn Cailitín, air Lúighidh mac Connraoi agus air fhearaibh Éirionn.
30v. ‘Laoí na cceann.’ Sgéala Cuchúloinn ós árd. 35 qq. ‘Críoch.’ F. 32 blank.
33r. ‘Scel airr Thadhg mac Céin mhic Oilioll Oluim.’ Beg. Feacht naon dá raibh Tadhg mac Céin mhic Oilioll Oluim for chuing rioghdhamhna an iarthar Muman agus a bhraithre bunaidh mar aon fris. Ends (f. 45v) agus do riacht go hÉirinn iar mbuadh coscair agus cómhaoidhte, agus do chan Tadhg an lai. Mithid duinne triall darr toigh [1 q.]. Ff. 46-7 blank.
[48]r. ‘Eachtra Léithín.’ [N] aomh earlamh uasal oireadha ro bhí a ccrioch n-Éireand feacht naill dárba comhainim Ciarrán Cluana. Ends (f. [54]r) occus inniosas Léithín a imtheachta ó thus go deireadh amhuil adubhramair reómhaind. gona bí sin Eachtra Leithín go nuige sin. Edited from a transcript of this MS by Douglas Hyde, ‘The Adventures of Léithin’, Celtic Review 10 (1914-1916) 116-43 (see above). [Hyde Text] [Hyde Translation]
[54]v. ‘Eachtra Lomnachtáin Sléiphi Riffi.’ [L]a náon dá raibh Fiond fianathasach mac Cumhail agus móruaisle na Féinne mar áon ris ag amharrc agus ag féachuin cuan leathan mórlongach Luimnighe. Ends (f. [66]r) Fáiltígheas an Fhiann riompa agus adúbhradar maith do fíoradh an aisling do chonairc Fionn air an ccuan sin. Gurba í sin Eachtra Lomnachtain Sleiphe Riffi, agus imtheacht an Náonmhuir go nuige sin. Ff. [66]v-[67]r blank.
[67]v Note on following text, headed ‘The bondage of the Gaels under the Danes AD 868’.
[68]r. ‘Do Mhogsuine Gaoidheal fa Lochlonnaibh A.D. 868.’ Beg. Ag so sios go acumair do Mhogsuine Gaoidhiol fa Lochlonnaibh. agus an cíos agus an cáin do bhiodh aco orra.
Ends (f. [71]r) Do ghaibh Donnchadh mac Flainnsionna mac Maoilseachlainn do shiol Eirimhoin rioghacht Eirionn .xx. bliadhan, agus Ceallachán mac Buadhcháin le a raidhter Ceallachán Caisil, ceannus Mumhan gur thucadar Muimhnicc lamh fá na Lochlonnaicc do dhíbhirt as an Mumhain amach.
Followed (f. [71]v) by: ‘Cathughadh Cheallacháin Chaisil re Lochlannaicc.’ Beg. Ann sin d’eirgeadar seacht ttuatha déag Chaisil uim Cheallachán.
Ends (f. [93]r) with poem (beg. f. [92]r) Seacht ccreacha is chúig catha déag 8 qq. Followed (f. [93]r7) by: ‘Toruigheacht na ttaoiseach air
Cheallachán annso.’ Beg. IS ann sin do chinneadar na curradha an sluagh do chóimhthionóil. Ends (f. [109]r)
agus do dheonaidh Dia go bhfuair ionnmholta a cCaisiol reamhráidhte san mbliadhain d’aois Chriost dá bhliadhain déag air naoi ccéad.
‘F.n.n.i.t.’ [sic].
[109]v. ‘Leabar na huidhre / p. 41.b. / Fotha Catha Cnucha’ Beg. Diamboí Cathaír Mór mac Fedelmthi fír urglais maic Cormaic geltai gaith irrigi Temrach. Ends (f. [111]r) with quatrain beg. arsin do ronsatar síd. Text transliterated from William M. Hennessy, ‘The Battle of Cnucha’, Revue Celtique 2 (1873) 86-91.
Remainder of MS blank.