Catalogue of Gaelic Manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland
© Ronald Black, 2011
Adv. MS 72.1.16
(Gaelic MS.XVI). DINDSHENCHAS.
Mackinnon, p.134; Mackechnie, p.157.
?15th cent. Vellum. 6 ff. Folio, approx. 31 × 22 cms. and under. Written in two columns.
Hands:
1. Text, f. 1. Large, with tall loop on “g”. Fine ornamental initials, decoration in red.
2. f. 1, lower margin. Large.
3. Text, ff. 2–5. Large, many oblique strokes. A bold clear hand. Ornamental initials, decoration in red.
4. Text, f. 6. Large but crude, written between rather than on the lines and therefore irregular in appearance.
In addition there are marginalia on every page by at least a dozen later hands, many of them semi-illegible jottings or rough pen-tests. The chief of these hands may be found as follows.
5. Ff. 1v, 3rv, 4v, 5v, 6v. Addresses Eoin, f. 1v. A tall, showy hand.
6. Ff. 2r, 4r.
7. f. 2r. F---------.
8. Ff. 2v, 3v (mentions the house of Mac Aodhagáin, and signs as Tomas). A small, neat hand.
9. f. 3r.
Not numbered by Major MacLachlan, and not listed in Mackintosh’s catalogue. Numbered 12 by Hugh Kerr, whose name or initials appear on every leaf. Consists of a gathering of three bifolia bound by thongs; judging from lacunae in the text there were originally five bifolia, of which the innermost and the second from the outside are missing. Condition poor, but the only losses of text are on the first and last leaves, the outsides of which are particularly badly rubbed and stained. There is a small tear at f. 2, held by thread, and a much larger one, unrepaired, across f. 1. Foliation modern.
Versions of the text of ff. 1–4r.a were edited by Stokes from other manuscripts in “The Bodleian Dinnshenchas”, Folklore 3 (1892), pp.469–516. He then edited the text of ff. 4r.a-5 in “The Edinburgh Dinnshenchas”, Folklore 4 (1893), pp.471–97. In both cases he omitted poems of more than one quatrain, and these were edited by Gwynn (with variant readings from this manuscript) in The Metrical Dindshenchas (RIA Todd Lecture Series, vols.8–12, 1903–35).
CHIEF MARGINALIA
No. of hands given in brackets.
f.
1v Lor i amain dar mbreathniugadh, 2 lines; “sin mur sin duit, a Eoin” (5).
2r “A Choimhgi do crut nemtarba mor” (U.V.); “Atamuid mar ata tusa. o táinic la Lungnusa” (hand 6). “Bendacht de F……d’fir sgriob…..an liubair …….” (7).
3r Da mbeith sil Adhaim uili, 1 q. (5). Temair Breadh a mbiod Feilim, 2 lines (9).
3v “Seachdmain oniudh bias an leabarsa i tigh Mhic Aedugain ‘ga sgrudadh aguib. Tomas sgribsit” (8).
6v “Da mbeith siol Adaim” (5).
TEXT
1r.a1 Introduction to DINDSHENCHAS. Beg.(Seanchas) dinn Erean…so da rigne Amalg… mac Amhalghadha… file duna Desibh .i. fili Diarmada mheic (Cer)bhaill. Substantially illegible. Cf. Folklore 3, p.469.
1r.a23 (Teamhair, Tailte, tír n-aenaig), 20 qq. Beginning and much of qq. 1–15 illegible. Gwynn, op. cit. 8, p.38.
1v.a18 On Tara. Beg. Teamhair .i. Mur The ingheine Laeighdheach. Ends with In chedbhean da luidh a n-uir, 1 q. Cf. Folklore 3, p.470.
1v.a x “Mag mBreagh can ro hainmnigheadh?” Beg. Magh mBreagh dano .i. Breagha ainm daimh Dhile. Ends with Mag mBreoghain mbuaidh ar mbunad, 1 q. Cf. ibid.
1v.b18 On Leinster. Beg. Laighean dano .i. ona laighnibh leath-anghlasaib dabeartsat na Dubhghaill dar muir anall. Cf. ibid., p.471.
1v.b29 Finn mac Rossa. Mae dhaen . oban aedh, etc. Rhetoric, with glosses. Cf. ibid., p.472. Breaks off “cota learga . iat” due to missing leaf. Across lower margin hand 2 writes (?)Uaiir Teamhair Taillti Tlachtgha, ?6 lines.
2r.a1 Last 9 qq. of poem on Loch Garman, Rí na loch in loch-sa thess, here beg. acephalousAcephalous ceast adconnairc. Gwynn, op. cit. 10, pp.178–82, 11. 148–88.
2r.a27 On Fid nGaible. Beg. Fid nGhaible .i. mac Eochadain maic Egis tall grindhi nAine. Ends with Is inmain in Gobal-sa, 6 lines. Cf. Folklore 3, p.474.
2r.b1 On Midhe. Beg. Midhe mac Side Bratha maic Deata. Cf. ibid., p.475. Ends with Mide mac Side Bratha, 1 q.
2r.b17 “Ethne, cid dia ta? Ni ansa”. Beg. Ethne ingen Echach Feidligh mathair Furbaidhe maic Conchobair. Cf. ibid., p.476. Ends with Ata sund carn ua Cathbadh, 14 qq. Gwynn, op. cit. 11, p.30.
2v.a21 “Bri Leth, cid dia ta? Ni ansa”. Beg. Liath mac Celtair Cualann, mac flatha as caimi bai sith nErinn. Ends with Liat mac Celtchair Chualand coir, 1 q. Cf. Folklore 3, p.477.
2v.a36 “Tond Chlidhna, can ro hainmnigheadh? Ni hanso son.” Beg. Clidhna ingen Genaind maic Thriuin do dhechaidh a Tulaigh da Rath. Cf. ibid., p.478. Ends with Clidna cendfhind, buan in bed, 10 qq. Gwynn, op. cit. 10, p.206.
2v.a40 “Sliab Bladma, can ro hainmnigheadh?” Beg. Bladma nó Blod mac Con maic Cais Cloithmhin romarb buachaill Bregmhail. Ends with Blod mac Con maic Cais Cloithmhin, 1 q. Cf. Folklore 3, p.479.
3r.a6 “Mag Roighne, cid dia tha? Ni ansa.” Beg. Roigne Romanach do dechaid a tiribh Roman, ⁊ ruam ⁊ bac fria ais. Ends with Ise ronselaich in magh, 1 q. Cf. ibid., p.480.
3r.a17 “Tebtha, cid dia ta? Ni ansa. Nó Tebtha inghen Ughaine.” Beg. Tebhtha inghen Echach Oiremhan roscar ma c Nechtain Findgualai o Loch Len. Naise dano a ainm. Ends with Tebftha toga ban go mblaidh, 6 lines. Cf. ibid.
3r.a36 “Loch nAinnind, cidh dia ta? Ni ansa.” Beg. Aindind ⁊ Uar ⁊ Cime Cethircenn, tri meic Gumhoir do Feraib Bolg. Ends with Triar brathar ba buan a treoir, 1 q. Cf. ibid., p.482.
3r.b9 “Berbha, cid dia ta? Ni ansa”. Beg. Berba dona is inte rolaite na tri nathracha bhadar i cridhi Mece mai c na Morighna. Ends with Cride Mechi, cruaidh an chneadh, 1 q. Cf. ibid., p.483.
3r.b25 “Magh Femhin dano, cidh o n-aimnighthear? Ni ansa.” Beg. Femhen ⁊ Fera, da derbhrathair. Ends with Feimin, Fera, fir fathga, 1 q. Cf. ibid.
3r.b39 On Sliabh Mis. Beg. Mis ingen Mairedha siur Echach maic Maireda imirge doluig la Condanchnes mac nDedaidh. Ends with Anais Mis go mbruachaib bla, 1 q. Cf. ibid., p.484.
3r.b x “Loch Len, cid dia ta? Ni ansa.” Beg. Len Linfhiaclach mac Bain Bolgaich mai c Bannaigh, cerd siden Sidha Buidb. Ends with Len Linfiaclach mac buain Bain, 1 q. Cf. ibid., p.485.
3v.a12 “Slib Cua, cid dia ta? Ni ansa.” Beg. Cua Cendmor mac Bruic allaid Cringluinigh, dalta Boidle maic Boirche. No verse. Cf. ibid., p.486.
3v.a21 “Luimnech, cid dia ta?” Beg. Luimnech gid dano is de asberar di rofas imarbhaigh eta r na dha fennid robadar ig rig Muman ⁊ ig rig Ollnegmhacht. Ends with Dia ta Luimnech, lus na long, 1 q. Cf. ibid.
3v.a x “Sliab nEch[gha], can as ro hainmniged? Ni ansa.” Beg. Eachtga Uathach ingen Urrsgathaich mai c Tinnde Truim do T.D.Donann. Ends with Echtga Uathach os gach blaid, 1 q. Cf. ibid., p.488.
3v.b20 Mag nAighni, can as ro hainmnighead”? Beg. Ni ansa .i. Aidhni mac Algubha maic Eithriul, ise cetfer nofadadh tenidh ar tus do gres ria macaibh Mileadh Esbann. Ends with Mac Allguba, bai da brig, 1 q. Cf. ibid., p.489.
3v.b34 “Port Lairgi, cid dia ta? Ni ansa.” Beg. Fechtas doluid Roth mac Cithaing maic rig Indse Aine a tiribh iath Fomorach . No verse. Cf. ibid. 2 ff. missing.
4r.a1 Doluid Fer Fiughail fuachdha, 1 q. On Tuagh Inbhir. Cf. ibid., p.510.
4r.a5 Tuagh Inbir alaind gaethglas, 14 qq. Gwynn, op. cit. 11, p.58. Cf. Adv.MS.72.1.5, f. 10r.b2.
4r.a x “Beand Bogaine, cid dia ta?” Beg. Beand Bogaine .i. bo di bhuaib Flidaisi mna Oilella Find adrullai ind. Ends with Beand Boghuine is de dotha, 1 q. Folklore 4, p.473.
4r.b16 “Mag Coraind, cid dia ta? Ni ansa.” Beg. Corand, cruitire sidhe. Ends with Corand, cruitire creachach, 1 q. Ibid.
4r.b27 “Loch [Rí] ⁊ Loch nEachach, can as ro hainmnigheadh?” Beg. Ri mac Maireada ⁊ Echo ma c Maireadha. Ends with Baidhis Aengus Eocho uais, 1 q. Ibid., p.474.
4v.a9 Loch nEirne. Beg. Eirne ingen Buirg Buireadhaigh. Ends with Eirne go n-uaill, comoll nglain, 1 q. Ibid., p.476. For a different legend see Adv.MS.72.1.5, f. 8v.b11.
4v.a29 Sliabh Beatha. Beg. Bith mac Nai maic Lamhiach. Ends with Rofhuair Bit bas forsin tleib, 1 q. Ibid., p.477.
4v.b4 Coire mBrecan. Beg. Brecan mac Parrtholoin. Ends with Mac Parrtholoin, gnim gen gloir, 1 q. Ibid., p.478.
4v.b17 Beann Foibhne. Beg. Foibne feinnidh, ise rombai illaim Lamh maic Doithre. Ends with Foibhne feinnidh, fuachdha in fear, 1 q. Ibid., p.479.
4v.b29 Ard Fothaigh. Beg. Fothadh gonatuil ann. Ends with Fothad Airgeach, glan a gluais, 1 q. Ibid.
4v.b36 Ard Macha. Beg. Macha ben Nemidh maic Agnomain atbath ann. Ends with Atchonnairc Macha marglic, 1 q. Ibid., p.480.
5r.a21 Mag Coba. Beg. Mag Coba cuthchaire. Ends with Cobha cuthcaire go ngloir, 1 q. Ibid., p.482.
5r.a31 Sliab Kallann. Beg. Callann conbhuachaill Buidhe maic Bain Blaith. Ends with Calland conbhuachaill crethaigh, 1 q. Ibid.
5r.a41 Sliab Fuait. Beg. Fuad mac Bile maic Breoghain. Ends with Fuat mac Bile chaeimh cruaghaigh, 1 q. Ibid., p.483.
5r.b21 Lia Lindghadain. Beg. Liagh Erenn i flaith Find maic Findtain. Ends with Linga labor, fear go mbhlaid, 1 q. Ibid., p.484.
5r.b33 Magh Mughna. Beg. Maighnia nó Mairgnia .i. morgnimh. Feadha daurbhile mhora ro-asai ann. Ends with Mughna durbhile gan on, 1 q. Ibid., p.485.
5v.a1 Findloch Cera. Beg. Enlaith Tiri Tairngiri dodheachadar and. Ends with Doluidhset tar muir alle, 1 q. Ibid., p.486.
5v.a9 Mag Tailden. Beg. Tailltiu ingen Maghmhoir rig Espaine. Ends with Tailltiu ingen Magmhoir mhoill, 1 q. Ibid.
5v.a23 Beand Bairchi. Beg. Bairche boaire Rosa Ruaidhbuidhi. Ends with Bairchi boaire gu mblaidh, 1 q. Ibid., p.487.
5v.a33 Traig Tuirbe. Beg. Turbe Tragmhar, athair Gobain Sair. Ends with Tuirbe Tradmar ba fear feimh, 1 q. Ibid., p.488.
5v.a x Lusmag. Beg. Is as tug Dian Cecht gach lus n-ice. Ends with Dian Cecht dorat leis alle, 1 q. Ibid., p.489.
5v.b4 Beand Codhail. Beg. Codhol Coirrchicheach, ise rob aide do Eirind dia ta inis Erenn. Ends with Codhal Coirrchicheach go n-aibh, 1 q. Ibid., p.490.
5v.b19 Tlachtgha. Beg. Tlachtgha, ingean Moda Roith. Ends with Tlachtga, inghen Modha moir, 1 q. Ibid.
5v.b38 Inber Cichmaine. Beg. Ciachmhaine Adnai, mac Ailella 7 Meadhbha. Breaks off at “fuaradar araile iasgaire ic telach” due to missing leaf. Ibid., p.491.
6r.a1 Aileach Frighreand, faicthi na rig, 37 qq. Q. 19 is in upper margin with heading “a n-ainm an athair ⁊ a mic ⁊ in sbirad (na)em so sis”. Apparently complete, as there is a dúnadh. Ed. Gwynn, op. cit. 11, pp.106–14.
6v Text illegible through rubbing.