Book of Fermoy

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Book of Fermoy
Royal Irish Academy
Also known asLeabhar Fhear Maí, Book of Roche
Date14th–16th century
Place of originIreland
Language(s) Middle Irish, Early Modern Irish
Scribe(s)Domhnall Ó Leighin, Uilliam Ó hIcedha, Dáibith Ó Duib, Torna Uí Mhaoil Chonaire
Material Vellum
Size34.5cm x 26cm
Format Folio
Scriptcoarse bookhand (pp 1-16)
small neat upright hand (pp 147-51)
cursive hand (pp 217-24)

The Book of Fermoy (Irish : Leabhar Fhear Maí, aka RIA MS 23 E 29 or the Book of Roche, leabhar de Róiste) is a medieval Irish text dated to the 14th to 16th century AD. [1] The majority of the book consists of a compendium of poems, historical tracts and genealogies related to the medieval Roche family compiled in the 1450s and 1460s. [2]

Contents

History

The book was written in the Irish language in the fifteenth century by several scribes. The 238 pages contain numerous tales, histories, and biographies. [2] James Henthorn Todd acquired the work in 1858 - he suggested the title "Book of Roche" would be equally applicable to the work on account of the large quantity of content relating to the history of the Roche Family of Fermoy; one "David [Mór] son of Maurice son of John Roche" is mentioned in the text as a patron of one set of scribes. [2]

Contents

Summary based on Todd (1868). [3] Folio numbering follows Eugene O'Curry's added pagination as in Todd. (a/b refer to each side of the page)
FolioTitle or incipitContent notes
1-8 Leabhar Gabhála Part of the Leabhar Gabhála including the biblical beginnings to the history of Partholon and Nemed
9-23"Book of Fermoy"

(according to Todd 1868)

Numbered from p. 22, suggesting loss of earlier content.

Contents include "Legend of Mór Mumham", including "Elopement of Ruithcearna with Cuana mac Cailcin"

24Bai Fingen mac Lucta aidchi Samna i nDruim FinginStory of fifty wonders witnessed when Conn of the Hundred Battles was born, as related to Fingen mac Luchta King of Munster
25Cia so agras coir um CruachainPoem on the right of sovereignty of Connaught
26Mor loites lucht an indluigPoem "Much do slandering people destroy"
27Baile suthach Sith Emhna"The fairy hill of Sith Emhna", written in praise of Raghnall mac Gofraidh, King of the Isles
28Gerr o dob inghill mna MumhanThought to be an elegy to Siubhan daughter of Cormac Mac Carthy
29-31Incipit Cath Crinda"Here begins the battle of Criman" - relating to the rise of Cormac mac Airt as a king of Ireland
32Bruíden Meic dareo annso sísana"The court of the son of Daire" Rebellion of the Athech-Tuatha against the Milesians
33aAní diaroibe in Ces for Ultaibh só sisAccount of the origin of the debility of the Ultonians
33bCinaeth O'Hartigan cecinitPoem describing the death and burials of the seven sons of Aedh Slaine
33bFothad na Canoine cecinitPoem to Aedh Oirnighe on becoming King of Ireland 793
34bIndarba Mochuda ar RaithinAccount of the banishment of St. Mochuda from Raithin
38-42Betha Sain SeoirsíLife of Saint George
42b-43Scēl Saltrach na MuiceStory of the Pigs
44-48Destruction of Jerusalem under Vespasian and Titus
48bIndescipherable poem
49-50Tochmarc TreblainneThe courtship of Treblainn, daughter of Cairbre Niafar, King of Leinster, by Froech, son of Fidach, of the Firbolgs
51Tale of Cairbre Crom, King of Hy Maine, Connaught, his murder, and restoration by St. Ciaran of Clonnmacnois
51b-55Biography of Conn of the Hundred Battles
56Eulogy poem to David Mac Muiris Roche, Lord of Fermoy
57aAroile duine truagh bochtTale of a poor man and King David
57aCeitre hairdi an domain ; toir , tiar , ter , tuaighAccount of four people (corresponding to the points of a compass) who lived through the deluge
57aDá mac amhra..Legend relating to King David
57a-58a Bo bí aroile urraíghiLife and Martyrdom of St. Juliana
58aTuaruscbail Iudáis ScairiothAccount of Judas Iscariot; relating to a legend of St. Brendan
58bMearugud Clereach ColuimcilleAccount of the journeys of two of St. Columcille's clerics
59bBeatha Bairre Corcaídhe annso sís"The Life of Barre of Cork"
60a-61bBeata MolagaLife of St. Molaga
61bEctra Cormaic macAirtAdventures of Cormaic macAirt
62bAcso ant adhbhar fanabar Domnach Crom DubhTale on origin of the name Crom Dubh Sunday
63-72aAccount of the life of Christ, and acts of successive Roman emperors to the destruction of the Temple under Titus
72aAroile oglach do bí in abdaine DrumanaighFool story
72b-73aDa bron flatha nime..Story of the biblical Elias and Enoch
73aExtracts from the life of St. Ambrose
73bblank
74-74bGabum dechmadh ar ndana13th C.religious poem by Donnchadh Mór O'Daly, abbot of Boyle (incomplete)
75aGarb eirge idhna bhrathaJudgement day poem by Donnchadh Mór O'Daly
75aO Mhuire, a mathair ar natharPoem to the Virgin Mary
76bMianna Cormaic mic AirtPoem "The Desires of Cormac Mac Airt"
76bGearoid Iarla dochum na Fuatha bega sosiisPoem attributed to Gerald, fourth Earl of Desmond (d.1397)
77aO mnaib ainmnighther Eri"From women Eri is named" Pangyric to the wife of David son of Morris Roche, daughter of O'Brien
77bEogan mac Conchobair hi Dalaighe"Rogan, son of Conchobhair O'Dalaighe" Pangyric to the wife of David son of Morris Roche, daughter of O'Brien
78Cerball mac Conchobhair i Dhalaige"Cearbhall, son of Conchobhair, mac conchobair" Elegy to the wife of David son of Morris Roche, daughter of O'Brien
79aA tegh beg tiaghar a tegh mór"From a small house people go to a big house". Pangyric on Diarmait O'Brien
79bCath almhaine so"The battle of Almhain here" (prose)
80bLongarad Coisfhind amuig Tuatha..Legend of Longarad of Disert-Longarad
Some missing leaves
85a-88bFeacht naen dandeachadh Fiachna Find mac Baedain meic Murcertaigh meic MuredhaighLife of the 6th C. Mongan, son of Fiachna, King of Ulidia. Version of the Echtrae Mongain maic Fiachna
89a-Feacht naen da roidhe conn .c. cathach mac Feidhlimigh rectmair mic Tuathail techtmair mic Feradaigh find fechtnaig..Tale of Conn of the Hundred Battles, his grief on death of Eithne Taebhfada, and the visitation of Becuma Cneisgel of the Tuatha de Danann (Version of Echtra Airt meic Cuind)
92bMaelmuire magrath .cc..Poem, panygric to Emma daughter of the Earl of Desmond (14th. C)
93a-96Poems, Pangyrics on David Roche of Fermoy
96List of land of the estate of the Roches of Fermoy (partly illegible)

Schedule of rents

97missing
98Account of early colonists of Ireland, and of Tuan mac Cairrill
98b Bliadain don cuaille co certVerses on the lifespans of men and animals, and on durations of tillage in fields
99a(Loss of pages) Last page of the Tale of Lady Eithne
99bFintan and the Hawk of Achill
100aEnd of (incomplete) poem. Characters include Cormac and Diarmid mag Carthaigh
100a-103a18 short poems. Possible school lessons or practice
103aMuircheartach O Floinn .cc.Poem in praise of Mór and Johanna. daughters of Owen Mac Carthy
103bEogan mac Aenguis dalaighPoem in praise of Johanna wife of David Roche of Fermoy
104More poems similar to those on folios 100-103
105a-Imrumh churaigh ua corraVersion of The Voyage of the Uí Chorra
109Righal nell noigiallaigh os clann Ethach, anso"Inauguration of Niall of the Nine Hostages over the clann Eochaidh"
110Cesta grega andso"Greek questions here"
111-116Legend of Eithne, daughter of Dichu. The poems Dena damh a cana pen, Denum impodh inisnimhuch, Goirid mhe a muintir nimhe, and Cluittir libh fert fiail Ethne are inserted in the latter part of the tale
166bEoghan mor u daligh .cc.Poem beginning "Teach me, O' Mary", partly illegible
117aPoem on the crucifixion and passion of Christ
117b-119aBrian o huiginnPoem. Pangyric on David son of Maurice Roche, contains a list of places he had plundered in Munster
119a-120aSeaan og mac rait .cc.Poem in praise of the territory held by David son of Morris Roche, of Fermoy
120aOMaothagan .cc.Poem in praise of Cathilin mother of David son of Morris Roche
121aCormac mac Eoghain u DalaigPoem in praise of Cathilin, daughter of Tadgh Mac Carthy, mother of David son of Morris Roche
121bUa Maethagan .cc.Poem in praise of Morris, son of Morris Roche
121bNote (in English) stating "The former pages of this Book, from the beginning to this page, was 288"
122Formerly black, now scribbled. Including notes by latter editors including William O'Hara (1805), and Eugene O'Curry (1858)
123aPoem in praise of Cathilin, daughter of Tadhg Mac Carthy
123bMaithiar mór o cillin .cc.Poem. Difficult to read
124-126Tochmare EimireFragments of the "Courtship of Eimire"
127Page apparently not numbered by mistake by O'Curry
128-129Druighean da DeargaVersion of the tale "Palace of Da-Dearga", concerning the death of Connaire Mór
RemainderThe remainder of the work contains medical tracts, which ( Todd 1868 ) did not consider formed part of the "Book of Fermoy". A final fragment has the conclusion of a religious tract

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References

  1. ↑ Welch, Robert (2000). The Concise Oxford Companion to Irish Literature . Oxford University Press. pp. 33–34. ISBN   9780192800800.
  2. 1 2 3 Royal Irish Academy.
  3. ↑ ( Todd 1868 )

Sources

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