BOOK OF LISMORE ALPHABET & ANNALS OF INISFALLEN

MS 1731
MS Short Title BOOK OF LISMORE ALPHABET & ANNALS OF INISFALLEN
Text
  1. IRISH ALPHABET OF ILLUMINATED INITIALS, COPIED FROM THE BOOK OF LISMORE
  2. DUBLIN ANNALS OF INISFALLEN, COVERING THE HISTORY OF IRELAND, WITH A SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MUNSTER, THOMOND AND THE O'BRIEN FAMILY FROM 250 - 1320
Description MS in Irish Gaelic (texts 1-2) and English (text 2, 2 pp. translation) on paper, Ireland, 1836, 62 ff. (complete), 22x18 cm, single column, (19x14 cm) 26 lines in a fine Irish minuscule, 1 4-line initial with knotwork decorations in green, orange and black, signed by Peadar O'Longain (text 2), 18 initials, mostly ca. 5x4 cm, with knotwork decorations in green, orange, blue, yellow, lillac and black, signed by Pol O'Longain (text 1).
Binding Cork, Ireland, ca. 1836, half calf gilt on marbled boards, sewn on 3 cords, by Barry Drew.
Context MSS 1731 - 1734 are all written by Peadar and/or Pol O'Longain, and have the same provenance.
Provenance 1. Library of the Christian Brothers, Marino, Dublin (-1990); 2. Hamilton, Osborne & King sale 1.5.1990:141; 3. G. MacAmhlaigh (1990-1993); 4. Eamonn De Búrca, Dublin.
Commentary

Text 1: Colophon: "From an ancient vellum book (Book of Lismore), written about the year 1139 by Aongus O'Cealla for Fineen McCarthy, and which was found in the castle of Lismore in the year 1816. Pol O'Longain copied these letters".

Text 2: Mainly unpublished, only a few extracts have been printed. The original compilation of the text was made in Paris in 1765 by John O'Brien, Bishop of Cloyne and Rev. John O'Mulconry and is now Oxford, Bodleian Rawl. B.503. The O'Longain family were the chief representatives of the scribal tradition in the 18th and 19th c. Ireland. About 60 MSS each are attributed to the twins Peadar and Pol, and they collaborated on at least 40 more.

Published
Exhibited
Mentioned
Boxing
See also
Place of origin Ireland
Dates 1836 AD