Ruairí Ó hUiginn ([email protected]) 23N10: the Book of Ballycummin Written 1575 in the house of Seaán Ó Maoil Chonaire, Baile in Chuimine (Ballycummin, 14 vellum folios + 132 pages (paper) Scribes: Aodh, Dubthach; Tórna Ó Maoil Chonaire C.80 texts, prose & verse ‘uncouth’ orthography (S. Hayes O’Grady) Texts A concentration of very early texts, e.g. Audacht Morainn, Verba Scáthaige, Apgitir Chrábaid, Immram Brain, Echtra Chonnla Chaím, Baile Chuind Chétchathaig, Bríathra Flainn Fína, etc. Several associated with Cín Dromma Snechtai Other Old and Middle-Irish compositions Many of these texts are found in other MSS (15th & 16th cent.) but not in the same concentration ‘Connacht Group’ (Ó Con Cheanainn, 1988) Exemplar Copied from a single exemplar (?) Context ? Scholar’s book (?) : Source/archival MS of a learned family (?) 23N10: Ulster Cycle Texts Tochmarc Emire (Rec. 2, containing Verba Scáthaige 2) (pp. 11–12, 21–24, 113–17, 119–24, 25–6, 125–28) Dindshenchas of Emain Macha (p.68) Verba Scáthaige Rec. 1 (p.68) Forfess Fer Fálgae (p.70) Compert Con Culainn (p. 62) Aided Chonchubair (p.16) Provenance and transmission of these texts? Ulster Cycle of Tales 1 C.80 sagas, poems & shorter prose compositions Composed and redacted over many centuries Served different functions: ‘historical’ narratives, exemplary myths, vehicles for moral and societal precepts, heroic ideals, legal precepts, political propaganda, genealogy, dindshenchas, caricature & burlesque, entertainment. Ulster Cycle of Tales 2 Origins obscure but to be sought among the Ulaid whose ancestors the tales celebrate East Ulster home to many important ecclesiastical foundations, e.g. Bangor, Dún Dá Lethglais (Downpatrick), Movilla, Nendrum, Cín Dromma Snechtai (Bangor?) Ulster Cycle of Tales 3 Compositions belonging to the Ulster Cycle found in the oldest stratum of narrative literature Ulster traditions became embedded in a ‘national’ historical narrative associated with the origins of peoples in different parts of Ireland: cf the prominence of Fergus mac Roích & Conall Cernach in the genealogies Armagh Patrician legend Senchas Már Revision of annals Reshaping of genealogies Written register of Old Irish 23N10: Ulster Cycle Tochmarc Emire (Rec. 2, containing Verba Scáthaige 2 and the Dindshenchas of Emain Macha) Verba Scáthaige 1 (CDS) Forfess Fer Fálgae (CDS) Compert Con Culainn (CDS) Aided Chonchubair (CDS) Transmission of Ulster Cycle Tochmarc Emire ‘The wooing of Emer’ Verba Scáthaige ‘Scáthach’s prophecy’ Táin Bó Cúailnge (Rec. 1) ‘The cattle-raid of Cooley’ Tochmarc Emire 2 Recensions (Toner) Recension 1: 8th century. (Rawlinson B512) (incomplete) Recension 2: 11th century (LU, BL Harley 5280, BL Egerton 92, Book of Fermoy, RIA D iv 2, RIA 23 N 10) Verba Scáthaige 2 Recensions Rec. A. 32 lines (Rawlinson B512; BL Egerton 1782; BL Egerton 88; RIA 23N10) Not embedded in Tochmarc Emire Rec. B: 81 lines. Embedded in Tochmarc Emire 2 Táin Bó Cúailnge Rec. 1 LU, YBL, Egerton 1782, Maynooth O’Curry 1 Multi-layered text Old Irish core Episodes subsequently added Association with Louth toponyms (e.g. Comrac Fir Diad 7 Con Culainn) Verba Scáthaige: Táin Bó Cúailnge Prophecy in VS 1 relates to early version of TBC Prophecy in VS 2 relates to expanded version of TBC Lebor na hUidre (c.1100 AD Clonmacnoise) Earliest MS witness for Táin Bó Cúailnge, Tochmarc Emire (TE2 & VS2) Earliest witness for texts associated with Cín Dromma Snechtai Some texts in LU copied from MSS associated with Armagh and Monasterboice Lebor na hUidre & ‘Connacht Group’ LU not the direct source of CDS and other early texts found in MSS of Connacht Group Many texts found in common between LU and Connacht Group go back to shared exemplar(s) found in Clonmacnoise 11th century but now lost Exemplar(s) or copies thereof entered Connacht literary tradition afterwards How? Connacht Group MSS of 15th & 16th centuries MS of Giolla Comáin Ua Conghaláin (= Giolla Comáin Ua Conghalaigh , fer légind of Ros Comáin, †1135) mentioned as source by O’Davoren, scribe of Egerton 88 Uí Mhaoil Chonaire 1 Connacht Group associations with Uí Mhaoil Chonaire BL Egerton 1782 (1517–18: sons of Seaán mac Tórna Ó Maoil Chonaire) Oxford Bodleian Rawlinson B512 (15th-16th cent. Maeleachlainn, Seaán, Conchubhar Ó Maoil Chonaire) BL Harley 5280 (1506: An Giolla Riabhach Ó Cléirigh @ Corrlios Conaill, Co. Roscommon) Uí Mhaoil Chonaire 2 Long-established family of historians (Walsh) Historians of Síol Muireadhaigh (the O’Connors) Establishment of Cluain Bolcáin 1232 Associations with LU (and Clonmacnoise?) Clonmacnoise exemplars entered possession of Uí Mhaoil Chonaire late 12th or 13th century? Uí Mhaoil Chonaire library/archive forms the basis of the Connacht Group Transmission (?) 1. East Ulster 2. Armagh (Louth, Monasterboice) 3. Clonmacnoise 4. Uí Mhaoil Chonaire 5. Late Medieval Connacht Group (23N10) Cf. transmission of Irish Annals Go raibh maith agaibh Thank You! Ruairí Ó hUiginn ([email protected]) 23N10: the Book of Ballycummin Written 1575 in the house of Seaán Ó Maoil Chonaire, Baile in Chuimine (Ballycummin, 14 vellum folios + 132 pages (paper) Scribes: Aodh, Dubthach; Tórna Ó Maoil Chonaire C.80 texts, prose & verse ‘uncouth’ orthography (S. Hayes O’Grady) Texts A concentration of very early texts, e.g. Audacht Morainn, Verba Scáthaige, Apgitir Chrábaid, Immram Brain, Echtra Chonnla Chaím, Baile Chuind Chétchathaig, Bríathra Flainn Fína, etc. Several associated with Cín Dromma Snechtai Other Old and Middle-Irish compositions Many of these texts are found in other MSS (15th & 16th cent.) but not in the same concentration ‘Connacht Group’ (Ó Con Cheanainn, 1988) Exemplar Copied from a single exemplar (?) Context ? Scholar’s book (?) : Source/archival MS of a learned family (?) 23N10: Ulster Cycle Texts Tochmarc Emire (Rec. 2, containing Verba Scáthaige 2) (pp. 11–12, 21–24, 113–17, 119–24, 25–6, 125–28) Dindshenchas of Emain Macha (p.68) Verba Scáthaige Rec. 1 (p.68) Forfess Fer Fálgae (p.70) Compert Con Culainn (p. 62) Aided Chonchubair (p.16) Provenance and transmission of these texts? Ulster Cycle of Tales 1 C.80 sagas, poems & shorter prose compositions Composed and redacted over many centuries Served different functions: ‘historical’ narratives, exemplary myths, vehicles for moral and societal precepts, heroic ideals, legal precepts, political propaganda, genealogy, dindshenchas, caricature & burlesque, entertainment. Ulster Cycle of Tales 2 Origins obscure but to be sought among the Ulaid whose ancestors the tales celebrate East Ulster home to many important ecclesiastical foundations, e.g. Bangor, Dún Dá Lethglais (Downpatrick), Movilla, Nendrum, Cín Dromma Snechtai (Bangor?) Ulster Cycle of Tales 3 Compositions belonging to the Ulster Cycle found in the oldest stratum of narrative literature Ulster traditions became embedded in a ‘national’ historical narrative associated with the origins of peoples in different parts of Ireland: cf the prominence of Fergus mac Roích & Conall Cernach in the genealogies Armagh Patrician legend Senchas Már Revision of annals Reshaping of genealogies Written register of Old Irish 23N10: Ulster Cycle Tochmarc Emire (Rec. 2, containing Verba Scáthaige 2 and the Dindshenchas of Emain Macha) Verba Scáthaige 1 (CDS) Forfess Fer Fálgae (CDS) Compert Con Culainn (CDS) Aided Chonchubair (CDS) Transmission of Ulster Cycle Tochmarc Emire ‘The wooing of Emer’ Verba Scáthaige ‘Scáthach’s prophecy’ Táin Bó Cúailnge (Rec. 1) ‘The cattle-raid of Cooley’ Tochmarc Emire 2 Recensions (Toner) Recension 1: 8th century. (Rawlinson B512) (incomplete) Recension 2: 11th century (LU, BL Harley 5280, BL Egerton 92, Book of Fermoy, RIA D iv 2, RIA 23 N 10) Verba Scáthaige 2 Recensions Rec. A. 32 lines (Rawlinson B512; BL Egerton 1782; BL Egerton 88; RIA 23N10) Not embedded in Tochmarc Emire Rec. B: 81 lines. Embedded in Tochmarc Emire 2 Táin Bó Cúailnge Rec. 1 LU, YBL, Egerton 1782, Maynooth O’Curry 1 Multi-layered text Old Irish core Episodes subsequently added Association with Louth toponyms (e.g. Comrac Fir Diad 7 Con Culainn) Verba Scáthaige: Táin Bó Cúailnge Prophecy in VS 1 relates to early version of TBC Prophecy in VS 2 relates to expanded version of TBC Lebor na hUidre (c.1100 AD Clonmacnoise) Earliest MS witness for Táin Bó Cúailnge, Tochmarc Emire (TE2 & VS2) Earliest witness for texts associated with Cín Dromma Snechtai Some texts in LU copied from MSS associated with Armagh and Monasterboice Lebor na hUidre & ‘Connacht Group’ LU not the direct source of CDS and other early texts found in MSS of Connacht Group Many texts found in common between LU and Connacht Group go back to shared exemplar(s) found in Clonmacnoise 11th century but now lost Exemplar(s) or copies thereof entered Connacht literary tradition afterwards How? Connacht Group MSS of 15th & 16th centuries MS of Giolla Comáin Ua Conghaláin (= Giolla Comáin Ua Conghalaigh , fer légind of Ros Comáin, †1135) mentioned as source by O’Davoren, scribe of Egerton 88 Uí Mhaoil Chonaire 1 Connacht Group associations with Uí Mhaoil Chonaire BL Egerton 1782 (1517–18: sons of Seaán mac Tórna Ó Maoil Chonaire) Oxford Bodleian Rawlinson B512 (15th-16th cent. Maeleachlainn, Seaán, Conchubhar Ó Maoil Chonaire) BL Harley 5280 (1506: An Giolla Riabhach Ó Cléirigh @ Corrlios Conaill, Co. Roscommon) Uí Mhaoil Chonaire 2 Long-established family of historians (Walsh) Historians of Síol Muireadhaigh (the