Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in The Royal Irish Academy
142
23 O 19
Foras Feasa ar Eírinn
17th cent. Paper. 9 3/10 × 5⅘. Of the original MS. only 154 pp. now remain, foliated 90-125, 129-169 (but foliation is not always visible). The MS. is thus defective at the beginning, and in addition ff. 126-128 are wanting. Scribe: Iollann mac Tornoe mic Muiris mic Tornce Ui Maolchonoiri (see fo. 169), who wrote the book at Claon Achadh a tTradroighi, finishing it. on April 20, 1643 (loc. cit). For the interest Muirceartach mac Conchobhoir Óig mic Flanncadha took in the work, see fo. 169, infra. The binder has inserted blank leaves to fill the gaps left by loss of original MS. pages, and on these inserted leaves is a watermark “1815.” The MS. itself bears a watermark resembling bunches of grapes. The orig. correct foliation 90-112 has been recently changed to a pencilled pagination, 1-45, but the paginator has gone no further. The foliation is followed in this catalogue. The MS. is in fair condition, except from fo. 152 to the end. Some of the upper margins of pages are frayed or torn with resultant injury to text, see ff. 153, 159, 164, 167. Fo. 167 is coming loose from the binding. Fo. 169 has been mounted on a fresh leaf; two holes had been previously burnt in the ms. folio. Fo. 151 v° is blank. Flowers seem to have been dried between the pages of the MS., leaving a coloured stain (see ff. 103 v°-104 r°). Bd. in calf. Hodges and Smith Collection, 122. Former Academy number, 3/30.
Signatures, 'etc., other than that of the scribe, occurring in the MS. are “Stephen Brennan” (fo. 154 r°, inf. marg.), otherwise “Stiabhnadh Ó Brínán (or Braonán)” of Ballí Cathas[aigh], Ballyc[as]ey (see fo. 161 r°, sup. marg.), whose hand is seen passim in marginal scribblings; “Peter Daly,” “Daniel Corby,” see fo. 169 v° below.
fo.
90 . Keating’s FORAS FEASA AR ÉIRINN. Acephalous and defective. Text corresponds to Dinneen’s ed., lib. ii, 11 1-88; 196-3383; 3478-3647; 3916-4162; 89-186; 4163 ff.; genealogies with exception of Ó Meachair. Ff. 1-89,
126-128 are missing from the MS., with resultant loss of text.
151 y°. blank.
154 r°, inf. marg. (inverted). Document (English) in legal form acknowledging a debt due to Stephen Brennan.
161 r°, inf. marg. Ní cert ná cór do ghlor acht raite gligor, 2 11. In Stephen Brennan’s hand.
169 . Scribal apologia to the reader for his want of practice in the transcribing of historical documents. With prayer for himself and for his companion and helpmate, Muirceartach mac Conchobhoir Óig mic Flanncadha. The page is pasted to a new leaf. On holding the page up to the light a name of a former owner, “Peter Daly” (?), and a letter in English, signed "Daniel Corby,” can be deciphered.