The CathachAn CathachTextMS 12 R 33LS 12 R 33laLatinLaidin650600-69958 ff.58 fóilió10.6" x 7.5"Religious TractTráchtas CráifeachThe Cathach (battler), also known as The Psalter of St Columba (Colum Cille), is one of the oldest surviving manuscripts from Ireland, and although badly damaged, enjoys a unique status. According to a sixteenth-century legend it was furtively copied by Colum Cille, the founder of Iona (d. 597), from a valuable exemplar in the possession of St Finnian of Movilla. This brought about the question of copyright. When the King of Tara ruled in favour of St Finnian: 'To every cow her calf, so to every book its copy' , the Battle of Cúl-Dremne, Co. Sligo took place with was won, according to the early eight-century Iona annals through the prayers of Colum Cille. As a result of the large numbers of men killed in the battle St. Molaisse exiled Colum Cille to Scotland where he founded the monastery of Iona. While the historicity of this account remains a matter of debate, what is known for sure is that in the later eleventh century the Cathach was enclosed in a cumdach (shrine) commissioned by the O'Donnell family, who by then had become the dominant branch of the Cenél Conaill. In the later Middle Ages the cumdach (and contents) was employed by this family as a talisman in battle, hence its Irish name Cathach. Taken to the Continent after the Williamite wars it remained there for about a century, before being brought back in 1802 to Ireland, where it is now lodged in the keeping of the Royal Irish Academy.Ceann dena lámhscríbhinní Éireannacha is ársa a mhaireann í An Cathach (battler), The Psalter of Columba (Colum Cille) , cé go bhfuil sí millte go maith, tá stádus ar leith aici. De réir seanscéil ón 16ú haois rinne Naomh Cholum Cille, sinsear Mainistreach Í (Obit. 597) cóip di go fáilí ó eiseamláir mhórluachach a bhí i seilbh Finnian Naofa, Movilla, Co. Dhún na nGall. De bharr sin tháinig ceist an chóipchirt ar an bhfód. Nuair a thug Diarmait mac Cearbaill, Rí naTeamhrach breith i leith Finnian Naofa 'le gach boin a boinin' .i. a laogh 7 'le gach lebhur a leabhrán' tharla Cath Cúl-Dremne, Co. Sligeach a bhí bainte amach, dar le hAnnála Í ó thús an 8ú haois, trí phaidreacha Choilm Cille. De dheasca an slua mór fear a bhí caillte sa Chath réitigh Naomh Molasse Naomh Colum Cille a chur ar deoraíocht go hAlbain, áit inar bhunaigh sé Mainistir Í. Cé go bhfuil barántúil na Staire sa scéal seo i gceist, níL aon amhras go guireadh i gCumdach í ag deireadh an 11ú haois mar údarú ag Clann UÍ Dhomhnaill, an té a tháinig i gceannais ar an gCenél Conaill in Dún na nGall ag an am sin. Bhain Clann Ui Dhomhnailll úsáid as an gCumdach (agus a bhí ann) mar ortha agus iad ag dul i gcath ag deireadh na Meánaoise, sin an fáth a bhfuair sé a ainm Gaelach. Tugadh don Mór-Roinn é tar éis Cogaí Rí Liam, bhí sé ann ar feadh na céadta blianta sular tugadh ar ais go hEireann é sa bhliain 1802 agus cuireadh i dtaisce é ag Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann.BelgiumDonegalRoyal Irish Academy, DublinDún na nGallAcadamh Ríoga na hÉireann, Baile Átha CliathAn BheilgVellumMeamramBound in English Oak Boards with the spine covered in white alum tawed pig-skin. The containing case keeps the manuscript under slight pressure.Ceangailte in adhmaid darach sasanach agus an ndroim clúdaithe i mucseithe le salann agus alúm.Colum CilleO'Donnells, Cenél ConaillRoyal Irish Academy, Dublin, 1802.ColmcilleColum CilleAcadamh Ríoga na hÉireann, Baile Átha Cliath, 1802.Ó Domhnaill, Cenél ConaillThe Cathach is the earliest known Irish copy of the Gallicanum Psalter in a very pure form, and its accompanying rubrics (known as the St Columba series) are the first witness of such headings in western Europe. Its script is a smaller version of the Insular Half-uncial which became the formal standard in copying Irish manuscripts over the next four centuries, while its scribal techniques would remain staples of Irish calligraphy, notably the diminuendo decoration of initials and the cenn fo eite (a symbol used to mark an overflow of text to available space in the line above it).The manuscript was written on vellum, ruled in dry-point (clearly visible, for example, on fol. 39v) for 25 lines per page, though imperfectly executed. In its present state it consists of 58 continuous folios (of an estimated 110). Originally, they were bound as quires of five sheets folded once to give ten folios, a common Irish practice modelled on Late Antique models.The text (including the rubrics) was copied by a single, competent scribe who self-corrected; however, judging by fairly numerous omissions, he did not collate the finished product with his exemplar. A second hand is evident in the frequent addition of two symbols, an obelus-like ÷ which marks the end of certain verses (e.g. fol. 23r, lines 6, 8, 10, and 13) as well as clauses within a single line (e.g. fol. 56r, lines 4 and 7), and an oculus ⨀ which is consistently entered above the initial letter of each psalm (e.g. fol. 19r above the initial 'D' of 'Deus' [ps. 52]).S'é An Cathach ná an cóip is sine i nGaeilge den Gallicanum Psalter a bhfuil deilbh glan uirthi, agus na rúibricí léí (sratha Naomh Columba a tugtar orthu) atá ina gcéadta samplaí den teidil sin in iarthar na hEorpa. Is leagan níos bige den scríbhneoireacht leath-uingeach inseach a tháinig isteach mar chaighdeán foirmiúil chun na lámhscríbhinní Éireannanacha a chóipeáil le linn na ceithre céad aoiseanna ina dhiaidh sin, agus d'fhanfadh na teicníochtaí peannaireachta mar phríomhtháirgí den pheannaireacht Ghaeilge, go háirithe an maisiú 'diminuendo' dena túslitreacha agus an Cenn fo Eite (a úsaidtear chun marc a chur ar téacs atá sa bhreis go spás atá ar fáil sa líne thuas de). Scríofa ar mheamram, línithe i dturbhior (tá sé an-soiléir, mar shampla, féach ar f. 39v) 25 líne do gach leathanach, ach níl sé déanta go maith. Ta 58 duilleog leanúnach ann anois ( ó 110 a shíltear a bhí inti ó bhunús). Bhí siad ceangailte le chéile ó thús mar cheathrú páipéir de chúig bhileog, fillte aon uair amháin agus deich bhfóilió déanta de, cleachtas coitianta a bhí múnlaithe ar chleachtais ón seansaol déanach. Rinne scríobhaí inniúil amháin cóip den téacs (na rúibricí san áireamh), rinne sé ceartúcháin é féin, ach de réir na n-easnamh go cothrom iomadúlacht atá san obair ní dhearna sé comparáid idir an Chóip agus a eiseamlár. Ta lámh eile ann freisin feicthe sna leasuithe cotianta de dhá chomhartha, ceann acu cosúil le hoibilisc ÷ a rinne marc ar chríoch véarsaí áirithe ( mar shampla f. 23r, línte 6, 8, 10, agus 13) chomh maith le cláisil le haon líne amháin (mar shampla f. 56r, línte 4 agus 7), agus 'oculus' (súil) ⨀ atá curtha go leanúnach thar an túslitir de gach salm (mar shampla f. 19r thar an túslitir 'D' de 'Deus' [sal. 52]).Copyright Royal Irish AcademyCopyright image source Irish Script on Screen, School of Celtic Studies, DIAS.Cóipcheart ag Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireannIomhá Foinse ag Meamram Páipéar Ríomhaire, Scoil an Léinn Cheiltigh, Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath.RIA MS 12 R 33 is a Gaelic manuscript from the 7th century. Written on vellum in Latin supposedly furtively copied by St. Colum Cille from an valuable exemplar in the possession of St. Finnian of Movilla, Co. Donegal about 650 AD, it contains the earliest known Irish copy of the Gallicanum Psalter in a very pure form. In the later eleventh century it was enclosed in a cumdach (shrine) commissioned by the O'Donnell family, who by then had become the dominant branch of the Cenél Conaill, Donegal. In the later Middle Ages the cumdach (and contents) was employed by this family as a talisman in battle, hence its Irish name Cathach. Taken to the Continent after the Williamite wars it remained there for about a century, before being brought back in 1802 to Ireland, where it is now lodged in the keeping of the Royal Irish Academy.Is lámhscríbhinn Gaelach í OMN LS 12 R 33 ón 7ú haois. Scríofa ar mheamram sa Laidin tá an cóip is sine i nGaeilge den Gallicanum Psalter a bhfuil deilbh glan uirthi iniata, deirtear go ndearna Naomh Cholum Cille an chóip sin i ngan fhios d' Fhinnian Naofa, Movilla, Co. Dhún na nGall ó eiseamláir mhórluachach a bhí aige thart ar 650 AD, Cuireadh i gCumdach í ag deireadh an 11ú haois mar údarú ag Clann UÍ Dhomhnaill, an té a tháinig i gceannais ar an gCenél Conaill in Dún na nGall ag an am sin. Bhain Clann Ui Dhomhnailll úsáid as an gCumdach (agus a bhí ann) mar ortha agus iad ag dul i gcath ag deireadh na Meánaoise, sin an fáth a bhfuair sé a ainm Gaelach. Tugadh don Mór-Roinn é tar éis Cogaí Rí Liam, bhí sé ann ar feadh na céadta blianta sular tugadh ar ais go hEireann é sa bhliain 1802 agus cuireadh i dtaisce é ag Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann.2. An Cathach.Ryan (Kathleen): Holes and flaws in medieval Irish manuscripts in Peritia 6–7 (1987–1988), pp. 243–26,. [5.] Examination of parchment [examines flaws in five RIA MSS: Cathach of St. Columba, Lebor na hUidre, Leabhar Breac, Book of Lecan and Book of Fermoy. Herity (Michael): The return of the Cathach to Ireland: conflicting accounts of the repatriation of the Cathach from the continent in Seanchas [Fs. Byrne] (2000), pp. 454–464. Ó Cróinín (Dáibhí): The Cathach and Domnach airgid in Treasures of the Royal Irish Academy Library (2009), pp. 1–8. Breen (Aidan), Herity (Michael): The Cathach of Colum Cille: an introduction / by Michael Herity and Aidan Breen. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, 2002. vii + 75 pp. illus. + 1 CD-ROM. Reviewed by Eric Graff and Mark Stansbury, in Peritia 17-18 (2003), pp. 521-524. Gilbert Márkus, in IR 55/1 (Spring, 2004), pp. 93-95. Ó hAnnracháin (Eoghan): Columbán: deoraí Éireannach san Eoraipin IMN (2010), pp. 8–4 iin Aguisín: 1. Homaile Cambrai [incl. MS photographs]Ryan (Kathleen): Holes and flaws in medieval Irish manuscripts in Peritia 6–7 (1987–1988), lgh. 243–26,. [5.] Examination of parchment [scrúdú ar fhabhtanna í gcúig lámscríbhinn ón ARÉ: Cathach de Naomh Columba, Lebor na hUidre, Leabhar Breac, Leabhar Mór Leacáin agus Leabhar Fhear Maighe. Herity (Michael): The return of the Cathach to Ireland: cuntais atá ag teacht salach ar a chéile ar athdhúichiú an Cathach ón Mór-Roinn in Seanchas [Fs. Byrne] (2000), lgh. 454–464. Ó Cróinín (Dáibhí): The Cathach and Domnach airgid in Treasures of the Royal Irish Academy Library (2009), lgh. 1–8. Breen (Aidan), Herity (Michael): The Cathach of Colum Cille: an introduction / by Michael Herity and Aidan Breen. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, 2002. vii + 75 lgh. learáidí + 1 CD-ROM. Athbbhreithnithe ag Eric Graff agus Mark Stansbury, in Peritia 17-18 (2003), lgh. 521-524 agus Gilbert Márkus in IR 55/1 (Spring, 2004), lgh. 93-95. Ó hAnnracháin (Eoghan): Columbán: deoraí Éireannach san Eoraipin IMN (2010), lgh. 8–4 in Aguisín: 1. Homaile Cambrai [griangraif san áireamh]Dublin, IrelandBaile Átha Cliath, ÉireRoyal Irish AcademyAcadamh Ríoga na hÉireann