LS 1318 (Leabhar Buí Leacáin)

Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin

H.2.16

LS 1318

THE YELLOW BOOK of LECAN and MISCELLANEA.

(Pending an updated description, we give here the account in T. K. Abbott and E. J. Gwynn, Catalogue of the Irish Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin (Dublin 1921) pp. 94–110, with supplement on pp. 342–8.)

*Description by Gordon Ó Riain of Section 4 col. 128[a] - 216[a] (= Facs. 361–404).

The title, Yellow Book of Lecan, properly belongs only to a portion of this book. See introduction to facsimile. The seal impression in wax on the second leaf is a shield with lion rampant, regardant, being the arms of Lloyd of Keyswin, Merioneth, and Meringdon, Salop. See Berry, Encyclopaedia Heraldica. For some bibliographical notes, see Prof. K. Meyer, Zeits., vol. i, p. 494.

The numbering is by columns of which there are sometimes three in a page. The numbers in brackets represent the pages of the facsimile.

Col. 1 , 2 (436, 437), and 125 - 128 (434,435). Fragment of the Life of St. Fechin of Fore. Edited by Stokes, Rev. Celt. xii. 318.

O’Donovan remarks that Ussher was in error when he stated in his Primordia that the Irish name of Fore was Baile Leabhar, ‘Town of Books,’ The local pronunciation of Baile Fhobhair, he says, sounds to an illiterate Irishman like Bail’ leabhar.

There is annexed a transcript by O’Curry.

Col. 3 - 87 (255, 283). A good copy of Cormac’s Glossary (see No. 1316, p. 91). This is the text called B by Dr. Whitley Stokes.

Col. 88 - 122 (421-431). A perfect copy of the etymological tract mentioned in No. 1317, p. 102.

Col. 123 , 124 (432, 433), one leaf containing the beginning of the romance called Bruidhen Dá Derga, ending with § 8, 1. 2 of Stokes’ edition (see col. 716 infra; but this is in a later hand, and the spelling corrupt).

Section 4 col. 128[a] - 216[a] (= Facs. 361–404).

[ Description by Gordon Ó Riain ]

Summary description

Bardic poetry. 15^th century. Vellum. 23 leaves measuring approximately 26.5 cm in height and 20 cm in width. Text is written in double columns, numbered by Edward Lhuyd from 129 –216 ; columns 128 [a]ab and 216 [a]ab are numbered in pencil on gauze. Main scribe: Seanchán Ó Máeil Chonaire in 1473 (col. 210yz).

Account of manuscript

A collection of 60 poems (excluding col. 128 [a]a–bm and col. 216 [a], on which see below), almost all of which are attributed to members of the Ó hUiginn family. The manuscript has been called ‘[t]he most extensive poet’s duanaire of all’ by Brian Ó Cuív and is further described by that scholar as follows: ‘This is an elaborate manuscript with consistent use of ornamental capital letters for the initial of the first word of each quatrain and larger ornamental capitals for the first letter of each poem. There is liberal use of red colouring to adorn the text further. This scribal care has been lavished on 41 poems by Tadhg Óg Ó hUiginn who died in 1448, 12 poems by a Tuathal, probably Tuathal Ó hUiginn who died in 1450, and 3 poems by a Cormac Ruadh Ó hUiginn. The first page, containing an opening poem by Tadhg Óg, is largely illegible but the heading Duanaire Tuathail ( ) which is barely legible over the first of Tuathal’s poems justifies us in surmising that the scribe brought together these duanaireadha of illustrious poets who had died only a few decades earlier, either for a wealthy patron or for the library of a bardic school. That they are not poem-books compiled in the interests of one ruling family is clear from the fact that they contain poems addressed to members of leading families from Connacht, Ulster and Munster and even one to the Lord of the Isle in Scotland, as well as a large number of religious poems. All in all I am inclined to the view that we have here part of a volume compiled for the Ó hUiginn school of poetry which at various times was headed by Tadhg Óg, his brother Tuathal, and an elder brother Fearghal Ruadh, and which we may assume was still flourishing in the latter half of the fifteenth century’ (The Irish Bardic Duanaire or ‘Poem-book’ (Dublin 1973) 19–20). The poems are arranged according to author in the following order: Tadhg Óg, Tuathal and Cormac Ruadh. The poem by Tuathal Ó hUiginn at col. 212 .33 may be out of sequence as that poet’s compositions otherwise extend from col. 191 .1–207 .36 at which point they are followed by the poems of Cormac Ruadh. The religious poems of each poet are presented first and followed by secular pieces where applicable. Five poems apparently end without metrical closure (dúnadh); see entries on col. 144 .38, 166 .10, 184 .3, 187 .35, 194 .4 below; cf. also entry on col. 214 .27.

The opening leaf, 128 [a], is largely illegible and has been repaired with gauze which obscures a substantial portion of text. It cannot now be determined if the closing leaf, 216 [a], was written on or simply served as a cover. It and a number of other leaves have also been repaired with gauze. Many leaves are faded in places which makes legibility difficult in parts. There are some indications of possible re-inking at a later stage at col. 173 .3 (imradh), 173 .20–8, 177 .30–33, 184 .26–39 in addition to some uncertain cases (where the appearance of writing may be due to the quality of the vellum) at col. 185 .1–17 and parts of 189 and 213 . Text on col. 190 has been erased and partially written over according to the Supplement to T. K. Abbott and E. J. Gwynn, Catalogue of the Irish Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin (Dublin 1921). It may be the case, however, that the relevant text was written in a blank space (see col. 188 .36, 190 .1 below).

All of the poems have been edited, one by Brian Ó Cuív (see 129 .1), the rest by Lambert McKenna in Dán Dé (Dublin [1922]),Aithdioghluim Dána (Dublin 1939–40; ITS Vol. 37, 40) andDioghluim Dána (Dublin 1938), henceforth DDé, AithdD. and DDána respectively. That editor often departs silently, and on many occasions drastically, from the text of the manuscript (e.g. DDé no. 1 q. 5a: Ceannach an nighei-sin ar nimh] MS Cennach in righ is ri ar nim; ibid. no. 3 q. 8baghar i gcronn na gcóig síoth] agat a chroinn na cóig sroth; AithdD. no. 21 q. 42b:ní háil le mac Mairgréag] ni hail le inghin ma<r>greg).

For some discussion of the text of certain poems in this manuscript as compared to copies preserved in the Book of the O’Conor Don, see G. Ó Riain, ‘The textual quality of the Book of the O’Conor Don’ in Pádraig Ó Macháin (ed.), The Book of the O’Conor Don: Essays on an Irish Manuscript (Dublin 2010), 132–65.

Hands

The scribe of columns 129 –210 (and presumably also 128 [a]) was Seanchán son of Máel Muire Ó Máeil Chonaire who wrote in 1473 as indicated at col. 210yz (see notes and marginalia [48] below). Two additional hands are identified in the Supplement to the Catalogue of the Irish manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin (343), the first as writing columns 211 –14.26, the second as writing the poem beginning Anoir gabhus in gaisgedh at col. 214 .27. It seems unlikely, however, that the latter poem is written in a hand different to that which wrote col. 211 –14.26. It may be observed that doubt is expressed as to the identity of the main scribe in the Supplement to the Catalogue (343), based on a note on col. 143 , ‘written in the same hand as the text misi coirbin ocnaill (sic) scribsit’, as follows: ‘Perhaps this is a note by the scribe of the archetype, a supposition which helps to explain the miswriting of O Conaill. Several blanks occur throughout this section, as if the original had been illegible.’ These concerns are, however, dismissed as unwarranted and the note in question described as a ‘scribble’ by Anne O’Sullivan in ‘The Tinnakill duanaire’, Celtica 11 (1976) 218 n. 35. The same author also expresses the opinion that the entire manuscript is in the hand of Seanchán Ó Máeil Chonaire ‘apart from some lines on the last page’.

Additional hands would appear to have supplied, respectively, (i) the poemAndam rí ac roinn tighernais at col. 190 .1 (see Account of manuscript above and col. 188 .36, 190 .1 below); (ii) a portion of lines at col. 131 .1–2; (iii) additions or alterations to the text at col. 194 .16 (subscript ‘na’), 202 .1 (‘dh’ in ‘airdh’), 202 .23 (‘g’ and (?) ‘er ’ in ‘m’fhearg’), 204 .11 (‘dh’ in ‘gradh’), 212 .7 (suprascript ‘in’); (iv) further additions or alterations col. 147 .12 (‘san’) (perhaps written in the same ink as a vertical stroke added in following line); col. 150 .40 (subscript i in ‘Beith’), 193 .13 (‘in taeidhighsi’). It is difficult to establish with any certainty in some of these cases (particularly those listed in iv) that the hand is non-scribal. In addition, strokes have been inserted at col. 147 .13 and 182 .39, the first to mark end of metrical line, the second to mark off the letteri in ‘buachuill’ from the top of a tall e in ‘herin n’ in the line below. A number of other hands have written notes and jottings in the margins, two of which identify themselves ( Notes and marginalia [18] and [39] below).

Holes

Holes which were present before writing are found at col. 129 –30.16–17, 140 –1.29–32, 148 –9.10–11, 151 .11–13, 154 .11–13, 184 –5.z. It may also be noted that the scribe avoided writing over a fold in the MS at 172 .11. It cannot be established whether the small holes which occur at col. 186 .27 (inner margin), 192 .40 (outer margin) came about before or after writing. Other holes and tearing which reflect subsequent damage to the MS are found at col. 129 .39–x, 130 (upper and lower margins), 130 .22–3, 130 .35–6 (missing words have been added in the margin, see Notes and marginalia [1] below), 131 .4, 196 .15 and col. 129 .30–1, 132 (lower margin), 156 (upper margin), 188 –9 (upper margin), 188 –9.44–5, 192 .36 (outer margin) respectively. The margins of the manuscript have been repaired with gauze in places at col. 128 [a]a–b, 133 , 137 –8, 149 –50, 186 , 201 , 214 , 216 [a]a–b.

Rubrication

Ó Cuív’s account of capital letters and rubrication cited above (Account of manuscript) may be supplemented by the following notes. The normal practice in the greater part of this manuscript is that ascriptions are written in red ink. Headings at col. 167 .31, 174 .9, 179 .x, 182 .7 differ in that they are written in black ink and enclosed in rubricated brackets. Initial letters of quatrains are boxed in red ink rather than shaded in that colour at col. 138 .21, 140 .2, 163 .37 (following large letter m is shaded red), 166 .39 (all instances of the letter i); at col. 146 .39 the initial (Tri) is both rubricated and boxed. Rubrication ceases to be employed for any purpose at col. 206 , with the exception of a cenn fo eite at col. 212 .21, two capitals at col. 212 .26 and 27, the initial of a quatrain at col. 209 .14 (q. 1; also shaded in dark ink) and a letter in the explicit at 212 .32. Some capitals are shaded in dark ink, namely the initial of a quatrain at col. 206 .8 (q. 1), 14, 16, 18, 207 .38 (q. 1), the initial of an explicit at col. 209 .12. Some other initials on col. 206 , 208 , 210 .1, 3, 5, 211 .1 (q. 1; also ornately decorated) are possibly lightly shaded but this is difficult to make out. Spaces have been left for the insertion of run-on markers by the rubricator, some of which are lightly traced in black ink at 206 .13 and on col. 211 .

Catalogue

Identification of the subjects of poems below follows the published editions. Angular brackets enclose letters which are difficult to read.

Notes and marginalia:

1. 130 .35–6 (inner margin): Words missing owing to hole in MS have been supplied in inner margin (in uair (?); r... (?)); material, which may be identical to part of the second entry in the inner margin, has also been supplied below the space left by the hole (...ai...e).

2. 136 (upper margin) very faint: tad<.> ta ... (?)

3. See 136 .27 below.

4. 139 (upper margin) very faint: tuath ...l (?)

5. 142 .35: See 142 .17 below.

6. 143 .11: misi Coirbin ocnaill [sic; may be length mark on o ] scribsit

7. 146 .16: uchán uch im luaithi ina gáeth tar sruth (compare similar lines in Archiv für celtische Lexicographie 3, 233 q. 6ab: Uchán, uch! / am lúaithe ná crand fri sruth).

8. 151 .z: mor in dermatsa shuas ( faded; -sa and sh- unclear)

9. 152 (lower margin) transversely in later hand: feccuin gles ...

10. 153 .7: See entry at 152 .10 below.

11. 153 z: See entry at 153 .8 below.

12. 158 (lower margin): illegible

13. 159 –60 (upper margin): illegible; possibly merely a mark

14. 161 –2 (lower margin) in later hand: Biod<h> ar manum da gcasuid o thuaidh anois. gu rab e [written gur abe] is beth a daib cartlann is fuarusgi. sama bog l ethan s a tharruing o b<r>uach an tuir. is gurab ar a<n> tsemair bios l ethtrom ar mbuannacht a. Rachumne cois (suprascr.) in (n expunged) ban na fa lan dfanum is duaisli mir. s fuicfem Saxana agaibsi (?) a mbruach <...id (?)..> min nach niethan ach sescna a gcruas an chnuic (?). s gurab ar na cerc aibh bios bios [sic] lethime [sic] ar mbuannachta

15. 163 –4 (lower margin) apparently non-scribal: in Dei nomine ar ar (?) amen ( n-stroke elaborately drawn, ending in curled loop) in De nomine amen D meth (?)

16. 165 (lower margin) apparently two non-scribal hands: (i) M uire (?) ..cc so bis; (ii) <a Muire (?) is olcc ...>

17. 169 .9 (inner margin): Iesus

18. 171 .1 (outer margin): Iesus

19. 171 (lower margin): scribblings

20. 171 –2 (lower margin) in a later hand: <s?>em<u?>s mac <ma... (?)> <d>o sgriob so

21. 172 z in red ink: an ar (?) sin a Thomais

22. 173 –4 (lower margin) in a later hand: ... <me?> fein cibe me

23. 174 (lower margin) in a later hand: ni be<g> (?) si<.> de ... go<foi>l (?) cred sin doni t<.> ...

24. 175 –6 (lower margin) largely erased: <Acc (?) fa ... tidis (?) ... lthigh. (?) ... agus t... <gu>... a r ...

25. 176 (lower margin): <gag?> ... ginn ( possibly belongs with previous entry, although written in larger script )

26. 179 w: See entry at 178 .42 below.

27. 181 .12, 18 (inner margin) enclosed in rubricated boxes: Iesus

28. 183 .18: léig as a Maire

29. 183 (lower margin): in Dei nomine ame...

30. 183 –4 (lower margin) inverted and in later hand: f... f... <fuar> anocht ... can luit ... taisi ... ni (?) leagsa nosa mons noc (?) ... sr ... od (?) a chui<.>d (?)

31. 188 (lower margin): illegible

32. 190 .29 in a different hand: ... <deis (?) doni ri (?) can...ad ..ab. da> ... ...ar... <t?>o<s?>...th ... <rem... duine?> ...

33. 190xyz and lower margin: Indecipherable notes.

34. 191 (upper margin): D<ua>na<i>re T<h>uathail <h?>i <ui?...> ... ( followed by additional illegible letters possibly in a different hand and a stroke in red ink ) (Note comments on this item in (i) the Catalogue (97) and (ii) its Supplement (343): (i) ‘“O’Reilly ascribes this to Tuathal O’Higgin,” O’D. The column is, in fact, headed (in a later hand) : Duanaire Tuathail mac (an bhaird)’; (ii) ‘The heading is very faint, but I think should be read Duanaire Tuathail [uí] uigin. I can see no trace of mac an Bhaird. At col. 212 the name of Tuathal O Higgin is written in full.’)

35. 192 (lower margin) in later hand: sin mur sin ... <g (?) > laclainn ...

36. 194 .4: See entry below on ascription and 195 .35, 209 .14 and 211 .1.

37. 194 z written in red ink: olc sin a Shadhb agus ni hintaeba thu

38. 194 (lower margin): illegible

39. 195 m Assorted scribblings in different styles filling blank space : (i) the letters of the alphabet from a to u, ending: u *7 ui [= y] x et per se (on ui for y, see Brian Ó Cuív, Aibidil Gaoidheilge & Caiticiosma (Dublin 1994), 161 : 6.15ff. n.); (ii) <misi> Túathal Óg Mac in Bai rd do sgriobh an abidel so shúas; (iii) other short jottings illegible.

40. 195 .35: See entry below on ascription and 194 .4, 209 .14 and 211 .1.

41. 197 (upper margin): Illegible, possible connected to next entry.

42. 198 (upper margin) written in different hand: (i) ... <lachain> ... agille. tig ... ig [sic] eite luid na lachan. beite suil re slanachadh (= q. 26 of the poem beginning Olc chuimhnighim mo chumann, ed. Irish Texts II no. 17, on the same subject as poems beginning at col. 153 .8, 197 .40 and 199 .25 respectively), namely Niall Garbh Ó Domhnaill who died in 1439); (ii) written above last line of (i) in different (?) hand, apparently repeat of line : b<eth.e> ... re sl ... ag ...

43. 202 (lower margin) in different hand: ... deratu ... <deratum (?)> ... <mir (?)> ...

44. 204 (upper margin): illegible

45. 206 (lower margin) in later hand: Buan b...

46. 209 .12: mor na dermait-sin

47. 209 .14: See entry below on ascription and 194 .4, 195 .35 and 211 .1.

48. 210 yz: Senchan mac Mael Muire hI Mael Chonai re do scrib in duanair<e-si> <.>um Anno domini .m.cccc.lx.xiii.’

49. 211 .1: See entry below on ascription and 194 .4, 195 .35 and 209 .14.

50. 215 (upper margin) First line of poem at 215 .1 written again: ... <mnaib> caid Ca<ilech (?)> De.

51. 216 (upper margin): Illegible

52. 216 m Jottings in assorted hands filling blank space: (i) ...fiara ... ar (?) ...; (ii) bendacht an ... <aig (?)> ...; (iii) As é ...<g> ... monairt ... <ni> maith doni tu ... <bud (?)> ...; (iv) fecchuin glesa pinn so; (v) ar dia ...; (vi) ag so leabar (?) a l... <be?>g sin; (vii) ...g sin mo le... (viii) other items illegible.

Notes [5], [6], [7],[8], [10], [21], [28], [37], [46], and [48] are scribal. [17] and [27] may also be scribal.

128a–b Folio illegible; in addition, part of upper margin and lower half of second column is covered by gauze

129 .1. [Tugadh mo choimhéad do chóigear] Beg. at col. 128b m, where only a large initial T is visible as the column is covered in gauze, from 129 .1 there are 21 qq. beginning at q. 5 of the edition. Difficult to read or illegible in places; text at bottom of col. 129 damaged owing to tearing. Ed. from other manuscripts by Brian Ó Cuív, ‘An invocation of Saints Peter and Paul’, Éigse 13/1 (1969) 52–8.

130 .1. Atait tr[í comhruig] am cinn. 31 qq. Heading illegible. Parts of col. 130 .1–6 (qq. 1–3) stained and difficult to read. Ed. from other copies by Láimhbheartach Mac Cionnaith, DDána, no. 5 and by same, with translation, from a single copy in Irish Monthly 57 (1929) 661–4. On the three enemies of the soul.

131 .18. ‘Tadg Og cecinit’Aithin me dhot oide a Eoin. 19 qq. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 1. Appeal to St John the Evangelist.

132 .13. ‘In Tadhg cedna cecinit’ Aidhi misi ac mathair De. 30 qq. Up to half of col. 132 .36–z illegible (qq. 10–15). Ed. from this MS and collated with another copy in DDé no. 2. On the Virgin Mary.

133 .31. ‘In Tadhg cedna cecinit’ Cairt a sithchana ac sil Adhaim. 32 qq. Parts of col. 133 .37–z, 134 .22, 25–32 illegible (qq. 3–5, 16, 18–21). Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 3. On the charter of Christ, cf. Andrew Breeze, ‘The charter of Christ in medieval English, Welsh and Irish’, Celtica 19 (1987) 111–20.

135 .12. Heading very faint, possibly erased <ta...>. Cia gabhus m’anmain ré ais. 28 qq. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 4. On Saint Dominic.

136 .27. Heading erased (?). Beag nach tainic mo therma. 47 qq. Parts of col. 136 .27–z faded, 137 .29–31 (qq. 1–8, 22–4). Ed. from this and other MSS in DDé no. 5 (with additional quatrain, q. 48). On old age and preparing for death. [Notes: An additional quatrain (partly faded) is written in the upper margin of columns 137 and 138 ; this corresponds to a quatrain which occurs at a point corresponding to that between qq. 10 and 11 of the edition in a copy of the poem in Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique, Brussels 20978–9, 67r. Qq. 27 and 29 (partly faded) are written in the lower margin of columns 137 –38, pace McKenna, DDé, p. 133 ; a rubricated mark at col. 137 .34 may indicate the insertion point of these quatrains. Q. 33 (partly faded) is written in the upper margin of column 138 with insertion marks indicating that it should be placed after q. 34; the order of quatrains in the edition should accordingly be inverted. Largely illegible material written transversely in margin between columns 137 and 138 at qq. 36–9 (C u d ... (?)) and in the outer margin of col. 137 .34 at q. 26c (...<thi. (?)>).]

138 .29. ‘In Tadhg cedna cecinit’ Imdha rod direch co Dia. 41 qq. Parts of col. 138 .36–z, 139 .39–z, 140 .1–26 (qq. 4–7, 25–9, 29–41) faded. Ed. from this and another MS in DDé no. 6 (with extra quatrain, q. 1a). On the paths to God.

140 .27. ‘In fer cedna cecinit’ Mairg danab soirb in saeghal. 36 qq. Parts of col. 140 .27–z (qq. 1–7) illegible. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 7. On the futility of this world and the importance of leading a pious life.

142 .17. ‘In Tadhg cédna cecinit’Atá sind ar sligidh. 21 qq. Ed. from this and another MS in DDé no. 8. On the inevitability of death and hope in Christ’s salvation. [Note: righthigh written in inner margin of col. 142 .35 in what appears to be another hand; this common pseudo-etymological spelling corresponds to the reading ‘richidh’ of the main text at q. 10d and is employed in the spelling of the main text elsewhere (col. 136 .12, 138 .4).]

143 .11. ‘Tadg cedna cecinit’ Ag so braighi dheit a Dhe. 34 qq. Col. 143 .22–5, z, 144 .1–2, 24–34 (qq. 6–7, 16, 17, 28–33) partly faded. Ed. from this and another MS in DDé no. 9. Appeal to God for assistance against the five senses which prevent the poet from preparing for judgement.

144 .38. ‘Tadg cecinit’ Denudh Crisd comairli a mathur. 30½ qq. Parts of col. 144xy, 145 .18 (qq. 2–3, 12) illegible. A space has been left for a couplet to be inserted at col. 145 .32 (q. 18cd). Ed. from this MS inDDé no. 10. Apparently ends without metrical closure (dúnadh) (see Cáit Ní Dhomhnaill, ‘Closure in bardic poetry’, Celtica 14 (1981) 60 §10.1), unless the penultimate quatrain is regarded as providing a closure (ends Dia) in accordance with Ní Dhomhnaill, 54 §3.70 (i). If this suggestion is accepted, the order of the final quatrains might be inverted or the final quatrain of the text as it stands regarded as supplementary with additional quatrains of this kind missing; see also entry on col. 166 .10 below. On the poet’s hope that the Virgin Mary will act to appease Christ’s wrath.

146 .16. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Gab m’egnach a Eoin Baisdi. 31 qq. Parts of col. 146 .24–z (qq. 4–14) faded. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 11. Appeal to John the Bapist.

147 .34. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Fearg in choimdhedh re cloinn Adhaim. 27 qq. Parts of col. 147 .37–z (qq. 1–5) faded. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 12. On God’s wrath. [Note printed text (dál) at q. 22a is mistaken; the missing word (trath) is supplied in red ink in the margin at col. 148 . 33 with insertion marks].

149 .1. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Atu a cogad rem chairdibh . 10 qq. Ed. in DDé no. 13. (The source(s) used for the edition are not identified, ibid. p. 134, but it was presumably edited from this MS. No other copies of the piece are known to the present cataloguer.) On the abandonment of the poet by his intercessors.

149 .22. ‘Tadh [sic] cecinit’ Techtaire dilis ac Dia. 26 qq. Col. 149 .31–2 (q. 5) stained, col. 150 .1–3, 20–8 (qq. 12–13, 22–6), faded. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 14. On Saint Michael.

150 .29. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Tagair ret mac a Muire. 35 qq. Col. 151 .13–15 (q. 14–15) stained. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 15. Appeal to Mary to intercede with her son. [McKenna missed subscript ‘a’ at col. 151 .35 (q. 26c).]

152 .10. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Beag nar dermaideas mo dhuthaigh. 25 qq. Ends Finit amen at 153 .7. Ed. from this and other MSS in DDé no. 16. On Heaven as poet’s true country.

153 .8. ‘Tadhg cecinit’Foillsigh do mirbuile a Muire. 15 qq. Ends Finit at 153z. Ed. (1) from this MS only in AithdD. no. 22 without reference to previous edition in (2); (2) from Rawl. B 514 with variants from this MS in Irish Texts II no. 16. A prayer for the release from prison of Niall Garbh Ó Domhnaill (d. 1439) composed between 1434 and 1439. [A note written in red ink in the inner margin at col. 153 .13 (q. 2) reads ‘thuas tig’ indicating that qq. 2 and 3 have been inverted in the manuscript; this is also indicated by the letters b and a which have been placed before the relevant quatrains.] [A space of three lines has been left after the poem at the bottom of col. 153 . This may be simply to allow for the next poem to begin in a new column. It is, however, conceivable that the space indicates a break between the religious and secular poems as the current poem, although concerned with a secular subject, is addressed to Mary and could thus be classified with the religious poems.]

154 .1. ‘Tadhg cecinit’La a Temraigh ac Toirrdelbhach. 31 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 20. To Toirdhealbhach Ó Domhnaill (d. 1422).

155 .19. ‘Tadhg cecinit’Cia do-ghébhainn co Grainne. 24 qq. Part of col. 155 .37 (q. 10 cd) illegible. Ed. from this and other copies in DDána no. 76 and AithdD. no. 13 (with extra quatrain, q. 6). To Gráinne, daughter of Ó Ceallaigh, on the death of her son Ruaidhrí Ó Conchobhair in 1424. See discussion by Katharine Simms, ‘Bardic poems of consolation to bereaved Irish ladies’ in C. Kostick (ed.), Medieval Italy, Medieval and Early Modern Women (2010), 224–6.

156 .24. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Mor mo chuid do chumhaidh Taidhg. 51 qq. Parts of col. 156 .28–33, 157 .1–2, 7–16, 27–36 (qq. 2–4, 10, 13–17, 23–7) faded. Ed. from this and other copies in AithdD. no. 6. Elegy of Tadhg Ó Conchobhair (d. 1403/4).

159 .1. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Anois do tuigfidhe Tadhg. 40 qq. Col. 159 .21–8, 41–z, 160 .1–31 (qq. 11–14, 21–3, 24–39) faded in parts. Ed. from this and other MSS in AithdD. no. 10. Commemoration of the death of Tadhg Ó Ceallaigh (d. 1410) composed in 1412.

160 .34. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Fuilgnidh bur len a leth Cuinn. 44 qq. Ed. from this and other MSS in AithdD. no. 39. Elegy of Uilleog a Búrc d. 1424 with supplementary quatrains on Tadhg Ó Ceallaigh (d. 1410) and a daughter of Ó Briain.

162 .30. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Fada in raithisi romum. 41 qq. Parts of col. 163 .8–18 (qq. 36–7, 41–4) faded. Ed. from this and other MSS in AithdD. no. 40 (with three extra quatrains, qq. 38–40). To Uilleog Ruadh a Búrc (d. 1485), according to McKenna. Dated to between 1424 and 1430 in M. Pía Coira, ‘Law and the rhetoric of sovereignty in the poetry of Tadhg Óg Ó hUiginn’, Éigse 36 (2008), 198 (with reference to discussion in that author’s unpublished PhD thesis which it has not been possible to consult).

164 .19. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Fada o Ulltaib a n-oidhre. 43 qq. Col. 164 .25–35 (qq. 4–9) faded. Ed. from this and other MSS in AithdD. no. 8. To Conchobhor Ó Conchobhair Ciarraighe (d. 1445).

166 .10. ‘Tadhg cecinit’Aeidhe a nEirinn in t-iarla. 33 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 36. To Séamus Buitilléar (d. 1452). [Note: Qq. 11 and 12 were inverted during transcription as indicated by the letters b and a placed before the relevant quatrains at col. 166 .31, 33.] Ends without metrical closure (dúnadh) unless the penultimate quatrain is regarded as providing a closure (ends d’impidhe). If this suggestion is accepted, the order of the final quatrains might be inverted or the final quatrain of the text as it stands regarded as supplementary with additional quatrains of this kind missing; see entry on col. 144 .38 above.

167 .31. ‘Tadhg cecinit’Denaidh comaenta a chlann Eimir. 34 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 26. To Máel Ruanaidh Ó Cearbhaill (d. 1443).

169 .11. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Anocht sgaeilid na sgola . 29 qq. Parts of qq. 4–20 faded. Ed. from this and other MSS in O. Bergin, Irish bardic poetry, no. 38 (with extra quatrain, q. 29). Elegy of Fearghal Ruadh Ó hUiginn.

170 .24. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ On aird tuaidh tig in cobhair. 38 qq. Ed. from this and other MSS in AithdD. no. 15. To Niall Óg Ó Néill (d. 1402/3). [Note: McKenna p. 55 says text is Y supplemented by Book of O’Conor Don and RIA 23 F 16 ‘when Y is illegible’. Y is, however, only slightly faded in a small number of places and only a single word is partly illegible at col. 171 .1 (q. 11d) where the MS is stained.]. [Note: q. 6a is written in the lower margin of col. 170 ; ‘thuas’ is written in red ink after it and the letter a is written before it, corresponding to the letter b alongside q. 7 at col. 170 .38]

172 .8. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Toghaidh Dia nech na naeidhin. 46½ qq. A space has been left for a couplet to be inserted at col. 173 .29 (q. 34cd). Parts of col. 172 .16, 28–34, 173 .1 (qq. 5, 10–14, 29–43) badly faded and illegible in places. Ed. from this MS and another MS in AithdD. no. 37. To Uáitéar a Búrc, Mac Uilliam Íochtair (d. 1440).

174 .9. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Beag aithnim ( suprascr.) dom aes cumtha. 28 qq. Col. 174 .38–9 (q. 15) is stained and partially illegible. A space of almost two full lines has been left at col. 175 .16–17 between qq. 27 and 28. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 12. Elegy of Órlaidh, daughter of Muircheartach Ó Ceallaigh.

175 .18. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Do meall in sochur sil Colla. 39 qq. Parts of col. 176 .21–31 (qq. 24–28) faded and illegible in places. Ed. from this MS in (1) AithdD. no. 28 and (2) Irish Syllabic Poetry 47–8 (qq. 21–8 only). To Tomás Mág Uidhir (d. 1480). See James Carney, ‘Miscellanea’, Celtica 1 (1950) 302 for notice of a previously overlooked copy in NLS Adv. 72.1.30 and a reading of a line (q. 25ab) which is illegible in the present MS.

177 .9. ‘Tadhg cecinit’Dilis breath do breith le seilb. 39 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 17. To Éinrí Ó Néill (d. 1489).

178 .42. ‘TaTadhg [sic] cecinit’Mairg dhan comursa a chara. 23 qq. Ends Finit don oirbiri at 179 w. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 48. A poem of complaint on a wrong done to the poet with supplementary quatrains on the sons of Tomás Mac Uilliam (according to McKenna), Niall Garbh (presumably Ó Domhnaill), Séamas Mac Gearailt (d. 1463), Ó Briain (or a descendant of Brian Bóramha), a daughter of Sláine [sic leg. = MS], dead associates including Uilleag a Búrc and Tadhg Ó Ceallaigh (d. 1410).

179 x. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Do brisidh riaghail righ Saxan. 48 qq. Parts of col. 180 .24, 29–31, 181 .28–40 (qq. 14–18, 29–31, 37–41) faded and illegible in places; parts of qq. 38–41 stained. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 38. To Éamonn a Búrc, Mac Uilliam Íochtair (d. 1458) with supplementary quatrains addressed to Fionnghuala (see below 183 .19) and Ó Flaithbheartaigh (or a descendant of Flaithbheartach).

182 .7. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Fuarus aiscidh gan iarraidh. 30 qq. First word of col. 182 .42 (q. 19) stained and partially illegible. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 29. To Alastrann Mac Domhnaill (d. 1449).

183 .19. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ As cumain lim in la ane. 14 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 47. A poem complaining of an insult suffered by the poet with supplementary quatrains on a descendant of Brians (ua na mBrian) named Fionnghuala (possibly the same as that addressed in poems beginning at col. 179 x and 199 .25), Éamann a Búrc, Uilleag [a Búrc] and Tadhg [Ó Ceallaigh] both deceased, the unnamed person who insulted the poet, the Earl of Munster (identified by McKenna as the Earl of Desmond).

184 .3. ‘Tadhg cecinit’Aisig imshlan do-uair Tadhg. 23 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 5. To Tadhg Ó Conchobhair (d. 1403/4). Ends without metrical closure (dúnadh).

185 .1. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Da braighid uaim a nInis. 28 qq. Col. 185 .1–13 (qq. 1–6) faded and illegible in places. Ed. from this and other MSS in AithdD. no. 14. Elegy of Tadhg Ó Briain (d. 1444) and his wife Gráinne, daughter of Maol Seachlainn Ó Ceallaigh (d. 1440).

186 .12. ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Duthaigh deorudh Magh Maine. 34½ qq. A space has been left for the remainder of a couplet at 187 .22 (q. 28cd), of which only the first word (disyllabic) is written. Col. 186 .28–9 (qq. 8–9) is partly faded. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 11. To Órlaidh, daughter of Muircheartach Ó Ceallaigh.

187 .35. ‘Tadhg cecinit’Mairg do-ni uabhur thar méis. 23 qq. Ed. from this MS inAithdD. no. 33. To Tadhg Mac Diarmada or Tadhg grandson (mac meic) of Diarmaid. Ends without metrical closure ( dúnadh).

188 .36 ‘Tadhg cecinit’ Facus a namaid do Neachthain [sic]. Col. 188 .36ff. and 189 contain 27 qq. of this poem. It may have continued at least to col. 190 .28, but the text on col. 190 has, according to the Supplement to the Catalogue , been deliberately erased and another poem, for which see next entry, has been written over the erasure. As noted above, however, the column may have been originally left blank. After this point the folio was apparently left blank, perhaps because the poems of Tadhg Óg come to an end here. Col. 189 (qq. 6–27) is faded and illegible in places. Ed. AithdD. no. 24. To Neachtain Ó Domhnaill (d. 1452).

190 .1. Andam rí ac roinn tighernais. 7 qq. Parts of col. 190 .1–15 (qq. 1–7) are faded. The following text to l. 28 (c. 7 qq.), although almost entirely illegible, may belong to this poem. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 83 with extensive emendations. On Christ’s salvation of man and the poet’s shortcomings in accepting it. [McKenna, AithdD. I p. 313, states that the poem is ‘not noticed in TCD catalogue’, indicating that he did not consult the Supplement to that Catalogue.]

191 .1. Tromm in suansa ar sil Adhaim. 37 qq. Parts of col. 191 .6, 9, 17–34, x–z, 192 .1–26 (qq. 3, 5, 9–18, 24–37) are faded. Ed. from this and another MS in DDé no. 17 where it is erroneously included among the works of Tadhg Óg Ó hUiginn; see also ibid. p. vii. On the rejection of salvation by mankind with supplementary quatrains on Mary. For the heading to this section of the manuscript, see notes and marginalia [34] above.

192 .27. ‘Tuathal cecinit’ A dhuine chaithis corp De. 33 qq. Parts of col. 192 .28–z (qq. 1–9) faded and illegible. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 18. On the Eucharist.

194 .4. ‘Tuathal cecinit’ ‘cnoc an bilair cecinit’ (in black ink and in different hand) Denam cintughad na colla. 25 qq. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 19. On the evils of the body. Followed by a blank space of 24 lines. The Supplement (343) suggests that ‘[t]his poem is incomplete’.

195 .35 ‘Tuathal cecinit’ ‘Tuathal ccnet (?)’ (second ascriptionwritten in black ink and apparently in a different hand) Mor gradh De do na daeinib. 47 qq. Four words at col. 197 .7–8 (qq. 31d and 32b) are badly faded and barely legible; they appear to have been written in red ink and were thus presumably entered later to supply omissions. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 20. On God’s love for man with supplementary quatrains on Mary.

197 .40. ‘Tuathal cecinit’Ni deorad misi a Manainn. 37 qq. Ed. (1) from this MS in AithdD. no. 23 (without reference to 2) and (2) from Rawlinson B 514 in Irish Texts II no. 20. Elegy of Niall Garbh Ó Domhnaill (d. 1439).

199 .25. ‘Tuathal cecinit’ Ni a naiscidh frith flaithius Néill. 42 qq. A stain has obliterated some words in col. 200 .6–7 (qq. 13–14). Col. 200 .1 (q. 11) is faded. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 21. To Niall Garbh Ó Domhnaill (d. 1439) with two quatrains on Fionnghuala, daughter of Mairgréag (reading hinghin [sic MS] for mac in q. 42b), pace McKenna AithdD. I p. 82; she may be identified as the daughter of Ó Cearbhaill and wife of Niall Garbh who died in 1447 (cf. Paul Walsh, ‘The O’Donnell genealogies’,Analecta Hibernica 8 (1938), 380 §43 and Séamus Pender, Analecta Hibernica 18 (1951), 8 §95).

201 .20. ‘Tuathal cecinit’ Uasal in t-ainm ollam righ. 28 qq. Col. 201 .24–z (qq. 2–13) is faded in places. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 32. To Tomaltach Mac Diarmada (d. 1458).

202 .30. ‘Tuathal cecinit’Da mac rugadh do righ Connacht. 40 qq. A word at col. 203 .1 (q. 31 a) is stained and illegible; col. 203 .10 is faded (q. 35). Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 31. To Tomhaltach Mac Diarmada (d. 1458) with supplementary quatrains on Éadaoin, daughter of Domhnall, and her husband.

204 .22. ‘Tuathal cecinit’Icc sa mbóraimhe ag cloinn Chuinn. 37 qq. Ed. from this MS inAithdD. no. 18. Words at col. 204 .32, 205 .28 (qq. 5d, 26 b) are stained and partially illegible; col. 204 .x–z is faded (qq. 11–12). Some letters at col. 208 .27–8 (q. 18) are slightly faded as a result of staining. On the marriage of Aodh Buidhe Ó Néill (d. 1444). Qq. 32–7 are also found in RIA MS 24 P 33 (no. 1076), 124 and edited by Tadhg Ó Donnchadha in Leabhar Cloinne Aodha Buidhe no. 3 (where the poem to which that fragment belongs is not identified).

206 .7. ‘Tuathal cecinit’Do roinneadh righi Connacht. 37 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 30. To Eoghan Ó Raghallaigh (d. 1449).

207 .37. ‘Cormac Ruadh O hUiginn cecinit’ Cara na heigni Issa. 32 qq. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 21. On Christ. There follows a scribal note, see notes and marginalia [46] above (col. 209 .12).

209 .14. ‘An fedlim cedna cecinit ( later hand)’ Ata in saeghal ag senmoir. 38 qq. Col. 209 .31–4 (qq. 9–11) is faded. Ed. from this and other MSS in DDé no. 22. On the inevitability of death and necessity of making preparations. Supplementary quatrains addressed to Mary are appended.

211 .1. ‘Cormac Ruadh cecinit ( in different hand (?)) Imdha teachtaire a tigh Dé. 40 qq. Parts of col. 211 .17–24, 212 .21–32 (qq. 9–13, 34–40) are faded. Ed. from this MS in DDé no. 23. On guardian angels with supplementary quatrains on Mary.

212 .33. ‘Tuathal O hUiginn cecinit’Rugadh teine a teach Medhba. 42 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 7. To Brian Ballach Ó Conchobhair (d. 1418) with supplementary quatrains, at least one of which can be identified as treating of the daughter of Mág Raghnaill. A space has been left at col. 214 .24 (q. 41cd) for the insertion of a missing portion of the couplet. Parts of col. 212 .yz, 213 .13–214 .2 (qq. 6, 1230, 41) are faded and illegible in places.

214 .27. Anoir gabhus in gaisgedh. 9 qq. Heading appears to have been erased. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 2. To Toirdhealbhach Ó Conchobhair. McKenna claims that ‘[t]he last stanza does not seem to give a proper Dúnadh, so that probably the poem is incomplete.’ Thedúnadh is, however, in accordance with a rule given in Bardic Syntactical Tracts (Dublin 1944) 236.15–7 and 22a.1–5. It may be noted that the dúnadh is not marked in the MS, but it may be covered by a piece of gauze which covers part of the outer margin.

215 .1. <Ben os m>naib caidh Caillech De. 34 qq. Ed. from this MS in AithdD. no. 1. To Cailleach Dé, daughter of Ó Mannacháin. Parts of col. 215 .1–5, 216 .1 are faded, while col. 216 .16–20 is stained affecting legibility in places (qq. 1–2, 24, 31–3). Four words which were omitted in the course of transcription are written in the upper margin of col. 215 . They are accompanied by construe marks which correspond to identical marks at the appropriate points of insertion (qq. 1b, 5d, 8d, 10b). All but the first of these were missed by McKenna who silently supplies text at 5d and emends at 8 d (correctly, but stating that the word is absent from the MS) and at 10b (erroneously, stating incorrectly that the line is illegible). See discussion of poem by Katharine Simms, ‘A poem to a 13th century Irish lady - Cailleach Dé’ in Folke Josephson (ed.), Celtic Language Law and Letters: Proceedings of the Tenth Symposium of Societas Celtologica Nordica (2010) 191 –200 .

*End of additional material.

Col. 217 (405). Cain Domnaig. On the observance of Sunday and other festivals (see another copy, infra, col. 957 ). There is also a copy in the Leabhar Breac. See Ériu, ii. 189.

Col. 221 (407). Incipit Regula Mochuta Raithin; in metre. Edited (from the Leabhar Breac), Gaelic Journal, v. 187 ; Archiv, iii. 312.

Col. 224. On the Celi Dé. Publ. by Reeves, Trans. R.I.A., vol. xxiv., p. 200, with trans. by O’Donovan.

Col. 227 , 1. 8 (410). Rhapsody of the Irish prophet Bee Mac Dé.

Col. 228b, 1. 17 (410). Apgitir crabuid, Fursa cecinit. Publ. from a Harl. MS. by Prof. K. Meyer, Zeits. iii. 447.

Col. 229a , 1. 42 (411). The wise sayings of Flann Fina or Alfred, son of Oswy, king of Northumbria. See K. Meyer, Pref. to “ Tecosca Cormaic,” Todd Lecture Series ; and Anecdota, iii.

Col. 233 (413). Poem of 96 lines by Flann Fina, describing things that he saw in Ireland. Translated by O’Donovan in the ‘Dublin Penny Journal,’ vol. i., p. 94. It begins : Rodead a n-inis find Fáil.

Col. 234 , 1. 3 (413). Testamentary precepts of Morann Mac Maoin, chief Brehon of Ireland, to his monarch, Feradach the Just.

Col. 236 (414). The Triads; enumerating the three most remarkable fairs, lakes, mountains, etc., in Ireland. Publ. by Prof. K. Meyer, Todd Lecture Series, vol. xiii : cf. 1289, 947 ; 1295, 136.

Col. 244 (418). Description of the Banqueting Hall of Tara, with a plan and a list of the persons who sat at the feast, and the parts of each beast allotted to the different classes. See col. 810. Published with translation in the ‘Transactions’ of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. xviii., 1839, in a Memoir on the History and Antiquities of Tara Hill by Dr. Geo. Petrie, p. 197.

Col. 245 (419). A poem on the same subject.

Col. 247 (420). Short account of the births, deaths, personal appearance, etc., of the twelve Apostles.

Col. 248 (420). Poem ascribed to Cormac Mac Cuileannain, bishop of Cashel, giving a number of proverbs ; beginning : Eochair céille coisteacht, publ. by Prof. K. Meyer, Zeits., vol. v.; see No. 1337, P. 37, followed by a series of descriptions of objectionable characters, and next by an account of an alder planted on Inis Cealtra by this Cormac, on which apples miraculously grew, still to be seen in the time of the writer, but not in O’Donovan’s time. Pub. by Prof. K. Meyer, ' Folklore,’ vol. v., p. 309. The date of this gathering is A.D. 1465.

Col. 249 (284). Sketch of the history of the Jews from Abraham to David.

Col. 281. ‘Account of the battles and death of Congal, king of Ulster.’ O’Donovan copied this title from O’Reilly. In fact cols. 281 to 310 (mid.) contain the history of the battle of Magh Rath, which was published by O’Donovan from this MS. (two years after he had written this part of his catalogue), for the Irish Archaeological Society (1842). He omits the four quatrains appended to the tale in the MS. Hence his remark that ‘‘in the MS. no notice is given that the story ends here”; since the quatrains precede the Finit. Cols. 281 , 282 are now almost wholly illegible. The first few verses are, however, plain enough.

Cols. 310 - 320 (313-318). Tale entitled, ‘The tragical fate of Muircheartach mac Erca.’ See also No. 1298, p. 248. Publ. Rev. Celt., xxiii. 395. Of this some account is given in the paper on the Hill of Tara above referred to. It is “valuable for the light it throws on the superstitions of the ancient Irish before the Anglo-Norman invasion.” Part of cols. 317, 318 is blank. From a memorandum of the scribe at the end it appears that it was written by Morogh O’Cuindilis, ‘ the second year after the coming of the king of the Saxons (Richard II.) to Ireland, who left it without coming to terms of peace.’ He notes that there was a great plague on men and cattle in the same year.

Col. 320 , 1. 14 (318). Poem ascribed to Columcille, beginning: M’oenaran dam isin sliabh. Written when he was on a journey alone, and it is recommended to be repeated by one setting out on a journey. Published in the Miscellany of the Irish Archaeological Society, vol. i., with trans. by O’Donovan, and in Zeitsch., vii. 302.

Col. 321 (319). Historical tale entitled, Fledh dhúin na n-gédh agus cath Muighe Rátha, i.e., the Banquet of Dun na ngedh and Battle of Moira (Magh Rath) (fought A.D. 634). Published by O’Donovan for the Irish Archaeological Society. See infra, col. 945.

Col. 332 , 1. 45 (324). The first rann composed by Mac Liag, bard of Brian Boru.

Col. 333 (325). Names of the officers of the Fianna Eireann, under Finn Mac Cumhaill.

Col. 335 (326). Short account of St. Cuman Fota, followed by a metrical dialogue between him and St. Comgan, known as MacDáCherda, "the son of Two Arts," (viz., folly and wisdom), about sin, churchgoing, alms, marriage, etc. Published, with trans., by J. G. O’Keeffe, Ériu, v., p. 18. On Mac Dá Cherda, see O’Curry, 'Manners,’ ii. 204.

Col. 336 , 1. 6 (326). Metrical prayer by St. Mael Isa O’Brallaghan (fl. s. xi.). Edited (from an Oxford MS.) in the Oxford ed. of the Battle of Ventry. Also with trans. in Gaelic Journal iv., p. 56.

Ibid., 1. 17. Litany called "Scúap Chrábaid," or "Besom of Devotion," attributed to Colga, or Colcu maccu Duinechda, Lector of Clonmacnoise, ob. 789. Beginning : Ateoch frit a lsu noibh. Translated by O’Curry in the 'Irish Ecclesiastical Record,' vol. i., p. 4 sqq. Also published in part by Dr. Mac Carthy in Trans. R.I.A., vol. xxvii., pp. 178-181. Edited, in full, with trans., by Prof. K. Meyer in "Otia Merseiana," ii., p. 92.

Between 336 and 337 is a small scrap of vellum containing inter alia the statement that ‘this year a swarm of butterflies came into Iar Connacht, so that they left not a leaf on any oak tree in O’Flaherty’s country.’

Col. 338 , 1. 4(327). Another very ancient litany addressed to the Holy Trinity, beginning : O Deus Pater omnipotens, Deus exercituum, miserere nobis.’ The rest is Irish. There is a copy of this in the Bodleian Library.

Ibid. b, 1. 4. List of Archbishops of Armagh from St. Patrick to Giolla Mac Liag, or Gelasius.

Ibid. b, 69. Short genealogical account of the Clann Breasail.

Col. 339 (328). Account of the rights and privileges of the chieftains of Muscraighe.

Col. 340. A prophecy fathered on St. Moling, headed Baile Moling, beginning : atberim libh a Laighniu.

Col. 341 (329). Account of the journey of Eogan Mór Taidhlech to Spain, and his marriage of Momera, the king’s daughter, called "Tochmarcc Momera," and the birth of Oilill Olum. Publ. by O’Curry, with the Battle of Magh Lena, Celtic Soc., 1855.

Col. 343 , 1. 31(330). Various extracts. 1. Of the peace made by Finn Mac Cumhaill between Glangressach, chief ollamh of the Meic Miled and Sodelb da. of Cormac. 2. How Fergus went to Connaught after his murder of the children of Usnech, and of his death. 3. Of Silvius, grandson of Ascanius, coming to Britain.

Col. 344 , 1. 31 (330). Account of celebrated trees of Ireland prostrated by a storm in the year 665.

Ibid., 1. 54. Account of St. Béc Mac Dé.

Col. 345 , ff. 6 (331). Fragment of the Tale of Táin Bó Fliadhais. (In O’Donovan’s time one leaf of this was in No. 1317). There is another copy in No. 1287, p. 347. This is different from the tale pub. by Windisch.

Cols. 365 , 366. A short account of the mother and five sisters of St. Patrick.

Cols. 367 , 368 are illegible.

After col. 368 is inserted a letter (in English) written by Thaddaeus Roddy of Crossfield, Co. Leitrim, in the year 1700, about Irish Antiquities, Books, etc. (chart, ff. 9). Published in the 'Miscellany’ of the Irish Archaeological Society. On the last page is a criticism by Chas. O’Conor of Belanagare.

Col. 370 (1) begins a fragment consisting of 8 ff. In a note at the foot of 380, 381 we read : . . . . buidhe Leacain ainm an leabhair so. Meisi Cirruaid mac Taidhg ruaidh, i.e. ‘ The Yellow [Book] of Lecan is the name of this book. I [am] Cirroe, the son of Teige Roe.’ Some words seem to have preceded buidhe, but only two or three letters are traceable.

Col. 370 (1). A. Romance headed : Incipit do lmram churaigh Maelduin, i.e. ‘Of the navigation of the coracle of Muldoon.’ See W. Stokes, Rev. Celt., ix., p. 447, and R. I. Best, in ‘ Anecdota from Irish MSS.,' No. 1. There is a MS. transl. in No. 1135.

Col. 391 , 1. 16 (11). A Romance entitled: lmram Snédhghusa agus mic Riaghla.’ (Ibid., p. 14.)

Col. 395 , 1. 37 (13). A Romance entitled : lmram Bruin mic Febuil (published by Prof. K. Meyer, Grimm library, No. 4).

Col. 397 , 1. 8 from foot, begins an old Irish homily : At lochomar buidi do Dia. Pub. by Prof. Strachan (who discovered this copy): Ériu, vol. iii. Previously published from an inferior MS. in R. I. A., by Prof. K. Meyer : Zeits., iv. 241.

Col. 400 , I.26 (16). Eachtra Chondla ruaidh mhic Cuind Chetchathaigh : ‘The Adventures of Conla Roe, son of Conn of the Hundred Battles’ ; published by Windisch in his Grammar. Ends imperfect on col. 400, after which several lines have been erased. At the bottom is the memorandum : ‘Iste liber in se continet centu lxv^a folia.’

Col. 401 (438-455) begins a fragment consisting of 9 ff., and containing that part of the Dinnseanchus which relates to the hill of Tara and Aicill and all down to Sliabh Mairge. See Petrie, I.c. There are also three small slips of vellum inserted.

Col. 437 a (341-366). A fragment consisting of 10 ff. of a Medical Treatise dealing with Wounds and Ulcers; Diseases of the Nose; of the Teeth and Mouth; of Hernia, etc. As far as 450 this is the same as the second fragment in No. 1321. Col. 463 , "Capitulum de corocione extima et puta combustione" ; 465, "quartus liber erit brevis de primo omisis morbis qui sunt particulars" ; 466, litairgia. Ends after the beginning of the sedis ‘de iter agentibus.’ Atkinson says : Cf. Gordonio (Bernardus de) Lilium Medicinae, and see J. Gaddesden: Rosa Anglica[na].

Cols. 477 - 486 (454-457). Fragment of a medical treatise on the four elements; de semine animalium; de viribus animalium.

Cols. 487 - 499 (456-462). Commentary on the seventh book of the Aphorisms of Hippocrates, 2-59. The penultimate page gives the name of the scribe ‘Gillapatrick Albanach.’ and the date A.D. 1413. These ff. (cols. 477 —499 ) were formerly inverted by mistake of the binder, and the numbering of the cols. was perverted accordingly.

Col. 500 (217) begins the Leabhar Ollamhan, which comprises the Uraicept; an account of the Ogams, etc. (ff. 18½), written in 1408. The scribe has written (in Irish) several curious notes at the bottom of some of the pages, e.g. col. 508 : ‘ Methinks, O school, it is well I have gotten the candle from you by scheming.’ Cols. 518 , 519 : ‘This is a page I wrote on St. Nicholas’ night, and all the school idle except myself, and may God forgive this to me and to the woman that gave me light, i.e. Sheela.’ Cols. 520 , 521 : ‘This is a bad page, the worst of all, and bad luck to the woman who is in fault who set my mind from one land to another.’

Col. 549 (241) begins a beautiful copy of the Dialogue of the Two Sages, with a copious interlinear gloss. See, for other references, No. 1308. Edited, Stokes, R.C. xxvi. 4.

Cols. 570 - 572 (252) contain a catechism, beginning with the maxims of St. Fursa: see col. 228.

Cols. 573 - 958 (17-215) is probably a part of the Yellow Book of Lecan (ff. 99). It contains the following tracts :—

Col. 573 (17). The Tain bó Cuailgne, beginning imperfect, with Conroisc obair, fer fene. Ends imperfect at the bottom of col. 619. This text is published by O’Keeffe and Strachan as a supplement to Ériu, 1904, 1905, 1907. Compare Windisch’s edition in ‘Irische Texte’ (from LU. and other MSS.). See Index for another copy.

Col. 620 (41). Account of the heroes who flourished under Oilioll and Meadhb, king and queen of Connaught, and their battles and cattle-spoils. See Irische Texte, ii. 2, pp. 189, 225, 241.

Col. 644 (53). Táin bó Dartada. 646. Táin bó Regomon. 648. Táin bó Regamna. These published by Windisch, Irische Texte, ii. 2. 649. Táin bó Fráich, published by Prof. K. Meyer, Zeits. iv. 32, and (from the Book of Leinster) by O’Beirne Crowe, Proc. R. I. A., Irish MSS. Series, i. I, p. 134.

Col. 658 (60). Táin bó Aingen. The same as Echtra Nerai of Egerton, 1782. Publ. Rev. Celt., x., p. 212, from both MSS.

Copies of some of these tales have already been mentioned under No. 1287, but the present MS. is a superior copy.

Col. 662 (62), 1. 13. Account of the Patriarchs, from the Old Testament.

Col. 680 (71) begins the Amhra Coluimcille, written by Dalian Forgaill, containing also a long preface and a copious interlinear gloss. See No. 1288, f. 54. Publ. in Atkinson and Bernard’s Liber Hymnorum. On col. 690 (facs. 74 a 31) is the story of Labraidh Lore, who had the ears of a horse, and how the fact became known by means of a harp made from the wood of a willow, to which the secret had been whispered. See Keating’s History, under A.M. 3648.

Col. 700 (81), s. f, The homily called In Teanga Bithnua. See Nos. 1287. 89, and 1413, 1414. On the MSS. of this, see R.C. xi. 241, 394; xv. 88.

After 705 four cols., containing the continuation of the homily, are left unnumbered.

Col. 707 (86) (as numbered), 1. 29, Eachtra clerech Choluimcille, ‘The Adventures of Columcille’s clerics.' Publ. by Stokes, R.C. xxvi. 130. Based on the same event as the Voyage of Snedgus and Mac Riagla, col. 391 supra.

Col. 716 (91). The historical tale, usually entitled, Toghail Bruidhne Dá Dhearga, ‘Destruction of Bruidhean Dá Derga,’ which was the palace of king Conary I., who was burned in it by a band of invaders headed by three native desperadoes (A.D. 60). Published by Stokes, Rev. Celt., vol. xxii; also separately, Paris, 1902. See col. 123 , and No. 1319, p. 477. This copy omits many of the descriptions.

Between 731 and 732 there were in O’Donoyan’s time four paper leaves, now transferred to the end of the book, one of which contains an account of Brian Boru, of the forts, monasteries, round towers, etc. The others are almost unintelligible.

Col. 740 (105). Incipit do Suidhiughudh Tellaich Temra, said to have been recited at Tara in the days of Dermot mac Fergusa Cerbhaill by the mythical Fintan, who lived from before the deluge to the sixth century. Published by R. I. Best, Ériu iv. See another copy, No. 1336, 711.

Col. 749 , 1. 20 (109). Story headed Loingeas Mac n-Uis- leand, but in the first line the name is ‘mc n-Uisnich,’ ‘The expulsion of the sons of Uisnech.’ This is the most ancient form yet discovered of the Tale of Deirdre. Published from this MS., with a more modern version, for which see No. 1280, 51, by Theophilus O’Flanagan in the ‘Transactions’ of the Gaelic Society, 1808. Also by O’Curry, in the Atlantis, iii., p. 377 ; by Windisch, Irische Texte; and by Stokes, Irische Texte, Leipz. 1887.

Col. 754 (112) begins an account of the plundering of the Lagenian palace of Dinn Righ (Orgain Dinn-Righ) (A.M. 3682 according to O’Flaherty). See LL., p. 269. Publ. by Stokes, Zeits., vol. iii, 1899. The site of this palace of Dinree is still to be seen near the river Barrow, not far from Old Leighlin, where it is shown on Mercator’s Map of the Barony of Idrone.

Col. 756 , 1.47 (113). Story entitled, Essnadh thigi Buichead, 'Songs of the House of Buichead.’ Buichead is said to have flourished in the second century. Also in Book of Leinster, 270a, in No. 1319, 463, and Rawl. 502. See d’Arbois de Jubainville, Catalogue, p. 127. Publ. by Stokes, Rev. Celt., xxv. 18, 225. Versified by Sir S. Ferguson in ‘Lays of the Western Gael.’

Col. 759 , 1. 5 (114). Historical tale entitled, Fledh Bricrend 7 loinges mac n-Duilndermait, 'The Banquet of Bricriu and the banishment of the sons of Duildermot.’ This is quite different from the Fled Bricrend as contained in the Leabhar na hUidhri, published by Windisch, Irische Texte, ser. i. See that volume, p. 236.

Col. 765 , s. f. (117). Story entitled, Tochmasc bec Fola, ‘The courtship of Bec Fola,’ a beauty who flourished in the middle of the seventh century. See O’Grady’s ‘Silva Gadelica,’ vol. i, p. 85.

Col. 768 , 1. 36 (119). List of the chiefs of the Fiana Eireann, or Irish Militia, under Finn MacCumhaill.

Col. 770 b, 1. 24 (120). Account of the taking up of Enoch and Elijah into heaven (the two sorrows of the Kingdom of Heaven). See Rev. Celt., xi. 394.

Col. 772 , 1. 40 (121). Stories from the life of David, king of Israel.

Col. 776 , I.47 (123). Account of the deaths of Curói Mac Daire, of Caherconry, and of Blathnaid. For the tale, see Keating’s History, O’Mahony’s ed., p. ,282 ; Halliday, p. 398. Also see de Jubainville, p. 18 ; and Ériu, ii. 18.

Col. 780 , 1. 27 (125). Poem of seventy-eight ranns by Flanacan, son of Ceallach, king of Bregia, beginning : lnnid scel scailter nairich. It tells the days of the week on which many catastrophes happened in Ireland. See O’Curry, 'Manners,’ ii. 96.

Col. 781 , 1. 43 (125). Short account of the battle feats of Cuchulainn.

Col. 782 (126). Short account of the Assembly of Druim Ceat. For a full account see No. 1288, f. 54. See de Jubainville, p. 30.

Col. 783 , 1. 44 (126). Account of the death of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Published from a Bodleian MS., with translation, by Prof. K. Meyer, Otia Merseiana, ii. 84.

Col. 785 , 1. 21 (127). Elegy, consisting of fifteen ranns, on the death of Niall, by his foster-father Torna Eigeas and his foster-brother, beginning : In tan do theighmís do’n dáil. Publ. by Prof. K. Meyer in 'Festschrift fur Whitley Stokes’; also with translation in Gaelic Journal, x. 578.

Col. 786 (128). Of the birth of Brandub and of Aedán, twin sons of Eochu, and of Gabran’s daughter on the same night. See Prof. K. Meyer, Zeits. ii., p. 134, where the same story is told (from an Oxford MS.) in different words.

Col. 786 , 1. 46. A historical tale entitled, ‘ The story of Cano, son of Gartnan and of Credh, the daughter of Guairé.’ Publ. ‘ Anecdota from Irish MSS.,’ i. I. See O’Curry, ‘Manners,’ etc., iii., p. 164.

Col. 795 , Part of the story of the Battle of Carn Conall, the whole of which is in LU. See Stokes, Zeits. iii., p. 203.

Col. 795 , 1. 21 (132). A story about Guairé Aidhne, king of Connaught in the seventh century, and the saints Cuimin Fota and Caimin, in which each states what he most desires. See also No. 1382, p. 85 ; and for other copies, see Stokes, Lismore Lives, p. xvi.

Col. 796 (133). Story about St. Colman Mac Duach (patron saint of Kilmacduagh) and king Guairé. This is the story which accounts for the origin of Bothar na Mias, near Glencolumbkille, Co. Clare. For this tale, see also No. 1382, p. 82, where the saint is called Mochua. See Ériu, i. 43.

Col. 797 , 1. 12 (133). Story about king Guairé, Mac Dá Cherda and Cuimin, Fota. Published, with translation, by J. G. O’Keeffe, Ériu, v. p. 26. Cf. col. 335.

Col. 798 (134), s. f. Story about Mac Dá Cherda, son of Mael Ochtrach. Beginning: In Mac Da Cherda imraitear sund, mac side Maile-ochtraigh mc Dineartaich .1. rí nandeisi/maigi/ Feinin o Dunlectrach for siun adhbhar rig, . . . Publ. with transl. by J. G. O’Keeffe, Ériu v., p. 34, cf. col. 335. See O’Curry, ‘Manners,’ ii. 204.

Col. 800 , 1. 34 (135). Story about Eochaid Righ-Eigeas, chief poet of Ireland, and Fiachna, son of Boetan, king of Ulster.

Col. 802 (136). Stories about Bec Mac Dé (saint and reputed prophet). See 'Silva Gadelica,’ 75, 1. 12. And 1. 38, about Dermot Mac Cearbhaill, king of Ireland, in the sixth century. See ‘Silva Gadelica,’ 74, 1. 24.

Col. 803 , 1. 22 (136). Account of the conversion of Constantine, and the finding of the Cross.

Col. 805 , 1. 13 (137). Account of the first satire composed in Ireland by Cairbre for Breas Mac Ealadan.

Col. 806 , l. 7 (138). Story about Salemon, king of Greece (on the question, What power is strongest?) Publ. with transl. in Gaelic Journal, ii., p. 216, from the Book of Leinster.

Col. 807 , 1. 8 (138). Account of the beheading of John the Baptist, followed by a short, poem on the four Herods, by a poet named Bran. See Ériu, iv.

Col. 808 , 1. 9 (139). Account of the three persons in Ireland who spoke immediately after their birth.

Col. 810 , 1. 40 (140). Description of the Banqueting Hall at Tara. See col. 244.

Col. 811 , 1. 23 (140). Poem on the sons of king Cormac : a Chormaic coisc do mhaicne.

Ibid ., s. f. A short note on the dates of St. Patrick’s birth, arrival in Ireland, and death.

Col. 812 (141). Account of the Passion of our Lord. This is the Passio in Atkinson’s "Passions and Homilies," p. 113. It ends in the middle of col. 823 , and then the text runs on into the Gospel of Nicodemus.

Col. 839 , 1. 19 (154). Homily on the Blessed Virgin. (Imperfect.)

Col. 844 (157). Account of the fall of the Angels and the expulsion of Adam from Eden.

Col. 849 (159). Account of the death of John the Baptist, and of the miracles wrought by his head, "Passions and Homilies," p. 64. On col. 851 is a request to the reader to pray for the scribe Mac Firbis.

Cols. 852 - 857 (161-163). A tract entitled, ‘Dialogue of the soul and body.’ "Passions and Homilies," p. 266. For other copies, see Rev. Celt, xi., p. 392, 399 ; also xxiii. I.

Col. 857 fin. (163), the scribe has recorded his name and the date of his writing,’ ' A prayer for Gilla Iosa, son of Donogh More Mac Firbis, who wrote this book in the year 1380 A.D.’ Lecan was the seat of the Mac Firbises who were hereditary bards to the O’Dowds, but whether this is a part of the particular book called the Leabhar Buidhe, or Yellow Book, cannot be certainly proved. The handwriting is not the same as that of the fragment earlier in this volume.

Col. 858 (164). A short story of St. Columcille and of Aidan, son of Gabhran, king of Scotland. Publ. by Stokes in Amra C.C., Goidelica, p. 156.

Ibid., 1. 23, begins a tract entitled, ‘Precepts of Gregory of Rome.’ Also in No. 1319, 423a.

Col. 860 (165). Account of the life of the same Pope.

Col. 863 , 1. 38 (166). ‘Instructions of king Solomon.’ Col. 869, 1. 9 (169). Homily on Michael the Archangel. "Passions and Homilies," p. 240. The two following pages are not numbered.

Col. 869 b (169) contains a poem of 15 ranns and the 17 wonders which appeared on the night of Christ’s birth. At the bottom of this page is a memorandum by a later Mac Firbis comparing his own writing with that of the scribe of the MS. This is followed by a note written by Charles O’Conor, A.D. 1770, at Dublin.

On the same page, col. 2 (left blank by the original scribe), is a notice in English by Edmund Burke : ‘These last words written when the manuscript was sent to Ireland in 1776, E. Burke.’

This 1776 is obviously an error for 1770.

On the next unnumbered page begins an account of the death of Dermot, son of Fergus Cearbhaill, in prose and verse. See O’Grady’s Silva Gadelica, p. 72.

Col. 875 , 1. 28 (174). Account of the migration of the tribe called Ciarraighe into Connaught.

Col. 876 , 1. 6 (175). Tale entitled: Tochmarc Étáíne. The Courtship of Étáin. See 'Irische Texte,' i. 1 ; Thurneysen, Sagen aus der alten Irland, and Stern in Zeits., v. 522. See also O’Curry, 'Manners,' ii, 192-194; 190. He says there is another copy in H. 1. 13 (MS. Mat. 585). This is probably an error for H 1. 14. See No. 1288. 26.

Col. 877 , 1. 28 (175). A historical story entitled, Fotha catha Cnucha 7 geineamhain Fhind mhic Cumhaill, ‘Cause of the battle of Cnucha and the birth of Finn mac Cumhaill.’ Ed. in Windisch’s Grammar, and Rev. Celt., ii. 86. For the battle of Cnuca, see Hennessy, R.C. ii. 86 (from LU.).

Col. 878 , 1. 47 (176). A legend about the Dagda and others of the Tuatha Dé Danann, told by Hugh, abbot of Assroe, near Ballyshannon.

Col. 880 (177). Tale entitled: Tochmarc Luaine ⁊ aidheadh Athairne, 'Courtship of Luan and death of Athairne' (in the time of Conchobar) Cf. B.B. 237a4 and No. 1319,466. Ed. Stokes, R.C. xxiv. 270.

Col. 885 , 1. 26 (179). On the birth of Conchobar. See Rev. Celt., vi. 173.

Col. 886 , 1. 48 (180). An ancient story entitled, 'The birth of Cormac O’Cuinn.’

Col. 889 , 1. 26 (181). Legend entitled, Echtpa Chormaic 1 Tír Tairrnghiri 7 ceart claidim Cormaic, 'Adventures of Cormac in the Land of Promise, and the right of the sword of Cormac.’ See Irische Texte, iii. I, p. 185.

Col. 898 , 1. 10 (186). Historical Tale entitled, 'The Death of Crimthann, son of Fidach, and of the three sons of Eochaidh Muighmhedhon.’ See Stokes, Rev. Celt., xxiv. 174.

Col. 902 , 1. 41 (188). Historical Tale entitled, Adventures of the sons of Muighmhedhon, viz., Brian, Ailill, and Fiacha. Publ. by Stokes, R.C. xxiv. 190.

Col. 906 , 1. 9 (190). Legend about the Irish Druid Mogh Ruith, said to have assisted Simon Magus in opposing the Apostle Peter. See Ériu, iv. 173.

Col. 907 (190). Account of the cities in the North of Europe in which the Tuatha Dé Danann taught magic and other matters before they came to Ireland, and of some remarkable monuments which they brought with them. Followed by a poem on the same subject, beginning: Tuath Dé Danann na sét soim ; a copy of which is published in Haliiday’s edition of Keating’s 'History of Ireland,' vol. i., p. 202.

Col. 907. The scribe gives his name : Giolla Isa Mac Firbis.

Col. 908 (191). Short account of Finnachta, king of Connaught, who abdicated, and embraced a monastic life, followed by a poem called his baile or prophetic rhapsody, beginning: Ticfa din in donn derg.

Col. 909 , 1. 12 (191), Account of Cruachan, the royal palace and pagan cemetery of the kings of Connaught. O’Donovan states that on visiting the locality of Croghan, in 1837, he was able to identify at once the grave of Dathi, last pagan monarch of Ireland, by means of the description here given.

Col. 910 , I. 4 (192). Poem by Torna Eigeas, the tutor of Niall of the Nine Hostages, on the names of the pagan kings of Ireland buried on Croghan, beginning : Atá fúdsa ri find Fáil. See 1295, 397. This is followed by an account of the pagan burial-places atTailtean (Teltown), in Meath ; of Brugh na Bóinne, near Slane, in the same county, and of the pagan cemeteries of Munster. Cf. Petrie, ‘Eccles. Architecture, p. 97.

Col. 911 , s. f. (192). Story entitled, Compert Mongain, ‘The birth of Mongan’; followed on col. 912 , 1. 30, by another story in which Mongan is stated to be (by metempsychosis) Finn mac Cumhaill. Cf. No. 1363, 437. Publ. by Prof. K. Meyer in Appendix to "Voyage of Bran son of Febal to the Land of the Living," 1895.

Col. 913 , 1. 42 (193). Another story of Mongan. See O’Curry, iii. 174, and cf. No. 1363, p. 41, and Meyer, I.c.

Col. 914 , 1. 24 (194). Mongan’s Baile. Also in No. 1363, p. 41.

Ibid., 1. 49. A tale entitled, ‘Adventures of Connla, son of Conn of the Hundred Battles.’ See Windisch, Grammar.

Col. 916 (195). Story of Mac Liag, chief poet of Brian Boru. Valuable as explaining the ancient topography of the mountainous district called Sliabh Echtghi, lying between Loughrea in Galway and Feakle in Clare. 1. 30 begins a poem by Flann Mac Lonain on the scenery of the district, beginning : Aibind aibind Echtgi árd. This is ed. by E. J. Gwynn in ‘Metrical Dindsenchus,’ Todd Lecture Ser., vol. x.

Col. 917 , s.f. (195). Story about the poet Flann Mac Lonain. Publ. ‘Anecdota,’ i. 45.

Col. 919 , 1. 31 (196). Poem beginning : Coneigius dúibh gesi ulchai (anon.) (imperfect). Edited by Mr. O’Looney, Proc. R.I.A. Irish MSS. Ser., vol. i., pt. i., p. 190.

Col. 920 (197). Copy (imperfect at the beginning) of the tract treating of the seven orders of Bards, with a copious interlinear gloss.

Col. 938 , 1, 11 (205) begins a short historical tale entitled, 'The death of Mac Conn' (monarch of Ireland in the third century).

Col. 939 , 1. 8 (206). The battle of Almhain (now Allen, Co. Kildare), where king Ferghal was killed, A.D. 718. Publ. by Stokes, Rev. Celt., xxiv. 41.

Col. 942 , 1. 8 (207). The battle of Bealach Duin Bolc (Dunbolg, Co. Wicklow), A.D. 594. A marginal note by Charles O’Conor of Belanagare gives the date of this battle as 599.

Col. 945 , s. f. (209). The battle of Magh Rath (Moira, Co. Down), A.D. 634. This is a shorter version of the tale than that which begins col. 321, and derived, partly at least, from different sources. See Ériu, v., pp. 226-227, where Professor Marstrander gives text and translation, with introduction.

Col. 949 , 1. 40 (211). Story entitled, In ceas naighean Uladh, etc. (called by O’Curry, 'MS. Materials,' p. 37, ‘the childbirth debility,' but in ‘Manners,’ ii. 319, ‘enchanted sleep.’ Ed. by Windisch in ‘Sitzungsberichte d. K. Sachs. Akad.’ 1884. Cf. No. 1412.)

Col. 951 , 1.8 (212). A story of Finn mac Cumhaill, entitled, Bruighean athas. Publ. by Prof. K. Meyer from a Stowe MS., in Rev. Celt., xiv., pp. 241-249 ; and col. 952 , 1. 34, another anecdote of the same.

Col. 951 , 1. 34 (212). How Fiachna mac Baedáin obtained the Kingdom of Scotland. Publ., with translation, by Prof. Marstrander, Ériu, v, p. 115.

Col. 953 , 1. 38 (213). Historical tale entitled, ‘Death of Fothad Airgtheach.’ He was killed by Caoilte in the battle of Ollarba.

Col. 955 (214). Historical tale entitled, ‘Death of the only son of Aife.’ This was Connlaech, son of Cuchullin, who was killed unwittingly by his own father. Publ. by Prof. K. Meyer, Ériu, i., p. 113. A more modern account of this occurrence was published by Miss Brooke in her 'Reliques of Irish Poetry.’

Col. 957 , 1. 12 (214). Cáin Domnaig : ‘Regulations for keeping Sunday,’ said to have been brought from Rome by Conall, son of Caelmaine. Publ., Ériu.

On this MS., see O’Curry’s ‘Lectures on the MS. Materials of Ancient Irish History,’ pp. 190, 191.

The whole volume has been reproduced in facsimile by the Royal Irish Academy and Trinity College, under the editorship of Professor Robert Atkinson.

1318

Supplement

This volume contains in all seventeen separate sections of various length, viz.: (1) pp. 1, 2 and col. 125-128 (2 ff.); (2) col. 3-122 (20 ff.); (3) pp. 123-4 (1 f.); (4) col. 129-216 (23 ff.); (5) col. 217-280 (16 ff.); (6) col. 281-344 (16 ff.) ; (7) col. 345-364 (6 ff.); (8) col. 365-368 (1 f.) ; (9) 369 (Roddy’s letter); (10) col. 370-400 (8 ff.); (11) col. 401-436 (9 ff.); (12) col. 437-476 (10 ff.); (13) col. 477-486 (3 ff.); (14) col. 487-499 (4 ff.) ; (15) col. 500-572 (18½ ff.) ; (16) col. 573-958 (99 ff.); (17) at end, 4 ff. paper.

Each section is written by one separate hand, except in the cases noted below.

Throughout sections 11 and 16 the text has undergone frequent corrections and erasures by a late hand, perhaps Charles O’Conor’s.

pp. 1-2 contain two columns each : the numbering by columns begins with 3.

col. 3-87 are, according to O’Curry, the work of Iolland and Tornae O’Mulconry, with perhaps a third scribe, unnamed : see Stokes’ Three Glossaries, p. vii. The etymological tract in col. 88-122 was also written by the same hands. It is known as "O’Mulconry’s Glossary," but Stokes in giving it that name forgot that O’Curry regarded O’Mulconry, or rather the O’Mulconrys, as scribes, not as compilers: see Archiv, i. 232. They copied it in the year 1572, as appears from a note written at the foot of col. 98. Of this note the first four lines have been deliberately erased, except the initial IS : then we have . . . [Eoghan] mc Fergussa mc Domnuill ruaid mc an baird ⁊ Muiris mc Concoigrighe mc Diarmada hi Cleiridh ⁊ mc í Moirin. ⁊ ni ro linni re radh nach tainic a commaith do lucht a n-aisi re n-a ceird fein .i. fer aca ar forbadh a saothair commaith re ban .i. eoghan ⁊ an fer oile ina adhbhar dobudh ferr d’ adhbharaibh . . . : here five lines have again been. carefully erased. These three men were hanged in the year 1572 by the Earl of Thomond : see F.M.v, p. 1657.

col. 129-210 seem to be all written by one scribe, but if so it is doubtful whether he is the Seanchan O Mulconry who signs on col. 210, or another man. For on p. 143 at the head of the poem Ag so braighi there is written in the same hand as the text misi coirbin ocnaill (sic) scribsit. Perhaps this is a note by the scribe of the archetype, a supposition which helps to explain the miswriting of O Conaill. Several blanks occur throughout this section, as if the original had been illegible.

132 : for "3" read "30."

149. The poem is headed Tadg cc. Read "Atu," and in line 22 "techtaire" (26 stanzas).

150 : for "17" read "35" ; 152 : read "dhearmaideas";

153 : for "19" read "15" ; 155 : for "23" read "24" ; 159 : read “Tadg,” 40 st.; 172 : for "46" read "47."

174 : read Beag aithnim dom aes cumtha," 28 st., a blank space being left between st. 27 and st. 28.

185 : for "23" read "28."

188. There are 27 stanzas of the poem Facus a námhaid down to the end of col. 189. The end of it on p. 190 seems to have been deliberately obliterated, and another poem, Andam rí ac roinn tighernais (7 st.), written over the erasure.

The Duanaire of Tadg óg O Higgin ends here.

191 : for "36" read "37." The heading is very faint, but I think should be read tDuanaire Tuathail [uí] uigin. I can see no trace of mac an Bhaird. At col. 212 the name of Tuathal O Higgin is written in full.

194. This poem is incomplete: there is a blank space on col. 195.

201 : for “27” read “28.”

204 : for "Roe" read "buide."

207 : read “Cormac ruadh O Higgin” (distinct from Cormac mac Gilla-Coluim O’Higgin, as to whom see O’Grady, B.M. Cat. 447).

212. Margaret (Mairgreg) is the name of Brian O’Conor’s mother, not his wife, who is called in the last stanza ingen meg Raghuill (sic, for meic Raghnaill?). For “teinne” read “teine.”

211-214 are in a different hand from the rest of this section. The poem Anoir ghabhus (incomplete) is in yet another hand.

215 contained a poem in 34 st. in praise of a nun, which probably began Bean ós mnáibh . . caillech Dé.

217-248, and also 263-280, are written by one hand ; 249-262 by another.

On 248 there is a note in faded red ink which gives us the name of the first scribe and his date. I give this in full, enclosing in brackets such words as I cannot read with certainty. Atkinson, Contents of Facs., p. 2b, gives the name as O Duirnin, but I have no doubt that O Duinnin is the true reading. I think Atkinson has read the date correctly, but it is almost indecipherable. Donnchad mc Gillananaem hi Duinnin dosgrib an bairc so dFingin hua Mathghamna ina caislen fein a Ros Broin agus casc anocht ⁊ mili bliadna 7 .cccc. ⁊ .u. bliadna. [lx. aos Críst] an bliadain sin ⁊ co tuca Críst cumachtach. . . [grása] ⁊ trocaire d’anmain an Fingin so 7 d[om anmain féin.] Ros Broin is now “Rossbrinn Castle in Skull parish, Cork,” and was " O Mahony’s abode,” Onom.

221. The Regula comprises nine poems, eight of which are printed in Archiv iii 312-320, and one in ZCP xiii 27.

223-4, m. inf. A note in a hand of the 15th century, other than that of the text : Misi Sigraid ic promad peind ap margan liubair .h. mathghamhna ina thigh feisin i mbel na Duiblinne. Cf. above, on 248.

227 : for “rhapsody” read “sayings,” and see ZCP ix 169.

229. As to Roscada Flainn Fina, see Thurneysen in Gotting. Abhandl. N.F. xiv. 2, p. 21.

232. Two poems, Diamba treabhthach ba trebhar, 5 st. (see Eriu ii 172), and A fhir feil dena trocaire co léir, 5 st.

234. See Thurneysen’s ed. of Audacht Moraind, ZCP xi 80.

244. In this copy of Suidigud Tige Midchuarta is interpolated a short account of Solomon’s House, for which see Todd Lect. viii 73.

247. Cf. Rev. Celt viii 362.

248. The “objectionable characters” are described in a poem of 4 stanzas, beginning Dia feasaid lim nodasfuil. After the note on Cormac’s alder comes a poem in 3 stanzas beginning Eolus lium fri nech atgén, ending “etc.,” as if incomplete.

249. This is the same as the biblical history in L. Breac 113 seq.

281-344. This section was written by Murchadh O Cuindlis. He names himself in a note in the lower margin of col. 332 ; and at col. 320 in a long colophon appended to the Aided Muirchertaig he again gives his name with the date 1401, and goes on to recount the portents of the times, as, the dethrone­ment of Richard II, an inundation in Flanders, the drowning of the Earl of Desmond in the Suir (cf. FM iv. 761), the sack of Galway by Ulick Burke, a shower of blood at Cnoc Rafann (near Cahir, Co. Tipperary), and above all a ship that was burned at sea and could not be saved either by fresh or salt water. At col. 306, m. inf. he notes a Muscraigi Trethirne doscribus in mbec sa, and at col. 313, m. inf. he writes : Atamaid indiu ag triall dul tar Sliab Cua ⁊ rop soraid ar sed cipe tan tías ann. Both these places are in south-east Tipperary. If it were not for these indications of place, the similarity of his penmanship to that of Gilla-Isa M‘Firbis, who wrote the last section of the MS., would lead one to believe that his work formed part of the original Leabhar buidhe. He shows an interest in the affairs of Connaught, noting at col. 305, m. sup., the death of Walter son of David a Burc, and referring to Ulick a Burc’s sack of Galway both in the colophon already quoted and in a note at col. 316, m. inf. In several notes he mentions the plague that was raging (col. 299, 308, 320).

289-290, m. inf. Three quatrains, written by scribe of text: (1) Nocha chuala riam éc neich triana gáis . . . (2) Cumain .cc. M’egnac ... (3) Mor do chathaib gaelustar (.1. brisestar). The slip between 292 and 293 contains on the recto a complaint about a stolen hare : ls doilig lind in mil muighi dogabad in ar paindter do gaid dona daeitib drochenig, etc., with a few other trifling notes; on the verso, a poem attributed to S. Cairnech: Fer cen arm ni dlighthir tuillium dó, 5 st., and the pedigree of O Neinne.

293-4, m.inf: Stanza: IN ba maiden in ba fuin.

After col. 304 a leaf is wanting, = Cath Muighe Rátha, ed. O’Donovan, pp. 254, 10, to 270, 11. (Note that pp. 272, 1 to 292, 6 of O’D.’s text are wanting in the YBL copy, though there is here no hiatus in the ms.)

305-6, m. inf. A poem in 9 st. : Sen dollotar Ulaid bi(hi ?) cath Dromma Criaig, continued in the lower margin of the following pages. On 305-6, m. inf., there is also a note half obliterated, which apparently explained the occasion of the poem : [Cathb]ad drúi ise . .. rochan in laid sea for cath Findcorad, &c. Cf. Laud 610, 110 v°. m. inf.

322, m. inf (red ink), Fir breic-geala ar mo belaib. a n-eiteada ag uirscelaib.

332. After Mac Liag’s rann comes a note on the hair of Christ and the Apostles : cf. Rev. Celt viii. 362. Then the genealogy of Nin son of Bel.

333-4, m. sup. A stanza attributed to Colum Cille.

333. “Fianruth Fiand” : see ZCP i. 471.

338b. After the Armagh list (as to which see Proc. R.I.A., Dec., 1919) a poem on the Jewish cities of refuge : Se cathracha co cruth coem (4 st.), followed by a note on the tribe of Dan, and a pedigree of Mílid Espaine, and a note on Clann Bresail and Colla Fochrith. In the lower margin a stanza, Ceasach donind ar mo chrod.

339. This column deals first with the rights of the race of Fergus Scannal over Dál Caladbuig, and then with Frithfolaith Caisil for tuatha Muman.

340-1, m. inf. Stanza : Fithil mac Factna ba flaith.

341-2, m. inf. Stanza : As mairg chuinges ní er charaid.

343. After the second entry there is a note on the nickname “Fen dar crinach” : cf. Br. Dá Derga, §41. The entry about Silvius is on 344. The leaf between 344 and 345 formerly belonged to No. 1317, and is numbered 227, 228 (two pages).

345. See Celtic Review, vols. i et seq. : Eriu viii. 133.

Ibid ., m. inf. Stanza: Foglonnaid cach cin ollacht.

Cirruaid’s note at 380-1, m. inf., is written in faint ink, and is much later than the text. Another note at foot of 384-5 in similar ink is perhaps also his ; it runs : A Muire a Seamais co dti tu slan mar tanac o Baile an Muta anoir (Ballymote, about 25 miles from Lecan or Lackan). It is worth noting that Cirruaid (recte Cithruadh) was a name in use in the Mac Firbis family : see O’Donovan’s Hy Fiachrach, pref. vi. In the margin of col. 375 a hand other than that of the text wrote Bennachtuin for anti doscriubh misi Brian o Ruairc dofegh.

400. A poem in 3 st., Ailgim bairc, ascribed to Cairpri mac Etaine, Eatan ban-file and Oi mac Olluman. Then another poem, Tucc dam a Dé moir, 5 st.

There is a slip (unnumbered) between 424 and 425, containing the dindsenchas of Ceilbe : this is in a different hand from the rest.

437-476. Comparison with No. 1321, 49 seq. shows that there is a considerable hiatus after col. 448. Col. 449, 23 = No. 1321, 69b 1.

Col. 477 contains the end of a treatise on urine. That on the four elements begins with 478 and ends on 485. It is followed by a separate treatise “de viribus animalium.”

498. Gillapatrick’s note gives the place of writing as Loch Tethead, which, says O’Donovan, is now Lough O Gara, near Boyle, Co. Roscommon.

499 is a page in two columns ; on the verso, unnumbered (facs. 463), is a Latin prayer : see Atkinson, Contents.

500-572 are apparently the work of two (or more) scribes, whose work is not easy to distinguish. At 511, m. inf., there is a note : Sin duit a Firfesa o Dúid ⁊ ata Maghnus aga padh nach duit acht do tethra letha Mogha tre digrais dile ⁊ tsuirghe buaid fein. 1408: “This for you, Ferfesa, from David, and Magnus says that it is not for you but for the Raven of Leth Mogha, through ardent affection and omen of success (?).” So O’Donovan, who is unable to explain the cryptic reference to the Raven (or rather scaldcrow) of Leth Mogha. On 524, m. sup., there is another note, which escaped O’Donovan’s notice: lSim tuirseach tar eis in baill sin do gribfne duit a Firfesa . misi Aodh o Duibh Dabuiran. (The change of hands from David to Aedh seems to occur at 516, 7 lines from foot ) At 534, m. inf, we have another note, apparently addressed to the same Ferfesa: (not noticed by O’D.) [Sin] a Firfesa gin gurub inmuite . misi erlamh Cille Muine . ailim troccaire duinn uile ⁊ gu gcoisg ... do Maolmuire: “There, Ferfesa! though it is nothing to boast of. I am the erlamh of Cell Muine,” etc. This is evidently a little jest of the first scribe (David). Cell Muine = Menevia, of which St. David was patron. At 542-3, m. inf., a long note ends with the words ⁊ a bfarrad Cairpri dam arin Pairc. This place, says O’Donovan (who translates the whole), was “a castle belonging to MacEgan, in Corcamoe, Galway, about eight miles from Tuam.” Other mss. written by the MacEgans’ school have notes dated from this place: cf. No. 1337, 443, 445, 450, 452, 454. At 548-9, m. inf, at the beginning of the Auraicept there is a long note, written at the same place, and ending with the words : meiri is forus mac Firfasoig.

The last section, 573-958, seems to be all by one hand, though there are changes which suggest that different parts were written at intervals of time. The only exceptions are a few passages from a second hand, which supplied part of 618 and part of 619 (the rest of this column and the next are blank), the end of 714 and all 715, 739 and the unnumbered slip that follows, also the note at foot of 953-4, and the end of 958.

620. This is the end of the Táin (Strachan-O’Keeffe’s ed., 2746-end).

712, m. inf.: a note which seems to have run: “Oráid do mac Firbisig do scríb in lebarso dó féin ⁊ da mac”: cf. notes at 851 and 907.

759. This tale is published in Ir. Text, ii. 1. 173.

768. “Fiandsroth Fian Find u Baiscne” : cf. ZCP i. 471.

795. Dr. Abbott’s two entries relate to the same story.

8oo. This tale is published in Eriu viii. 155.

808. See ZCP xii. 271.

844. The account of Adam’s expulsion ends on col. 846, and is followed by a piece entitled Pendaid Adaim, published in Rev. Celt, xxxiv. 243.

857 : for “1380” read “1391."

856-7, m. inf.: Stanza, Dentar calma acaind bhos.

863. For Tegasg Solman v. Pass, and Horn. 151. At end of preceding piece there is another note by the scribe McFirbis, quoted by Atkinson, Contents.

867. z. Suigigad Iarussalem. Another copy in L. Flav. Fergusiorum, ii. 40.

869b. Edmund Burke’s words refer to C. O’Conor’s note in the previous column.

886. Geneamain Chormaic : see Silv. Gad. i. 253.

906, 907. This is Imthechta Moga Ruith, as in BB 266.

908. See ZCP xiii. 25.

909, 910. This is Aided Dathi, as in BB 248.

920. See Laws v. 50 to 114.

938. The incidents of this tale are related also in the Battle of Mag Mucrime, §§ 63-75 (Rev. Celt. xiii. 461).

951 and 952, 3 (not 34). Both anecdotes of Finn are published in Rev. Celt xiv. 241, seq.

951, 34 should be 952, 34.

The paper pages at the end (formerly placed after 731) contain :

1,2, end of a panegyric on Brian bóroimhe, in a hand of the seventeenth century, followed by a eulogy on a certain Cúchonnacht mac Firbisigh ;

3, 4, fragment of a poem on the duties and privileges of poets;

5, 6, a fragmentary list of Kings of Ireland, dated A.D. 1620.

7, 8, eight lines of a song, ISí Sile na n-orfholt rioghan as corta, with another fragment; on the back some English writing.