Lebor na hUidre (Middle Irish:[ˈl͈ʲevornˠəˈhuiðʲrʲə], LU) or the Book of the Dun Cow (MS 23 E 25) is an Irish vellummanuscript dating to the 12th century. It is the oldest extant manuscript in Irish. It is held in the Royal Irish Academy and is badly damaged: only 67 leaves remain and many of the texts are incomplete. It is named after an anachronistic legend that it was made from the hide of a dun cow by Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise.
History
The manuscript is thought to be the work of three scribes, whose handwriting was distinguished by Richard Irvine Best in 1912 and identified with the letters A, M and H.[1] A and M are believed to be contemporary. A began the manuscript and wrote the opening pages of several of the texts, which were continued by M, who Best identified as Máel Muire mac Céilechair meic Cuinn na mBocht, based on matching the handwriting with two marginal probationes pennae or pen tests, in which the scribe wrote his name. A much later note elsewhere in the manuscript names Máel Muire as the person who "wrote and compiled this book from divers[e] books". His murder by Vikings at Clonmacnoise is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters in 1106,[2] giving us a latest possible date and location for the main body of the manuscript. Some time later, H (named for his addition of two homilies) added a number of new texts and passages, sometimes over erased portions of the original, sometimes on new leaves. Based on orthography and an English loanword, Gearóid Mac Eoin concludes that H wrote in the late 12th or early 13th century.[3]
After the monastery of Clonmacnoise was broken up, the manuscript came into the possession of the O'Donnell dynasty of Donegal who held it until 1359, when it and the lost Leabhar Gearr were used to ransom members of the clan who had been taken prisoner by Cathal Óg Ó Conchobhair Sligigh (d. 3 November 1362). Áed Ruad O'Donnell recovered the manuscript in 1470, and it remained in Donegal at least until 1631, when the compilation of the Annals of the Four Masters was completed. Its location is unknown until 1837, when it was part of a collection owned by Messrs. Hodges & Smith of College Green, Dublin, and was cited by George Petrie in an essay on the History and Antiquities of Tara Hill. The Hodges & Smith collection, 227 manuscripts in all, was purchased by the Royal Irish Academy in 1844.[4]
Scél Tuain meic Cairill do Finnen Maige Bile ["The Story Tuan mac Cairill told to Finnian of Moville"], in which the history of the invasions of Ireland is related by a survivor of the first invasion (Tuan mac Cairill) to Finnian of Moville, incomplete
Dá brón flatha nime ["The Two Sorrows of the Kingdom of Heaven"], incomplete
Mesca Ulad ["The Intoxication of the Ulstermen"], incomplete
Táin bó Dartada ["The Driving of Dartaid's Cattle"], opening four lines only
Táin Bó Flidhais ["The Driving of Fliodhais' Cattle"], incomplete
Táin Bó Cúailnge ["The Cattle Raid of Cooley"], the oldest version of the central epic of the Ulster Cycle, incomplete, contains passages interpolated by H
Togail bruidne Dá Derga ["The Destruction of Dá Derga's Hostel"], a tale of the 1st-century king Conaire Mór, incomplete, contains passages interpolated by H
Fled Bricrenn ["Bricriu's Feast"], incomplete, contains passages interpolated by H
Siaburchapat Con Culaind ["Cúchulainn's Phantom Chariot"], a tale of Saint Patrick, who raises Cúchulainn from hell to convince king Lóegaire mac Néill to convert to Christianity, contains passages interpolated by H
Fástini Airt meic Cuind ocus a chretem ["The prophesy of Art mac Cuinn and his faith]", in which the 2nd-century king Art mac Cuinn is said to have foreseen the coming of Christianity
Compert Mongáin ["The conception of Mongán"], a tale of a legendary prince, incomplete
Scel asa mberar combad hé Find mac Cumaill Mongáin ocus aní día fil aided Fothaid Airgdig ["The story by which it is inferred that Mongán was Fionn mac Cumhaill, and the reason for the death of Fothad Airgthech"]
Scél Mongáin ["The story of Mongán"]
Tucait baile Mongáin ["The Cause of the Vision of Mongán"]
Inna hinada hi filet cind erred Ulad ["The places where the heads of the heroes of Ulster are"], a poem
Texts added by scribe H
Scéla laí brátha ["Tidings of the Day of Judgement"]
Scéla na esergi ["Tidings of the Resurrection"]
Aided Nath Í ocus a adnacol ["The Death of Nath Í and his burial"], a tale of the 5th-century king, Nath Í mac Fiachrach
Aided Echach meic Maíreda ["The Death of Eochaid mac Maíreda"], a mythological tale of the origin of Lough Neagh
Serglige Con Culainn ["The Wasting Sickness of Cúchulainn"], copied from the lost Yellow Book of Slane
Senchas na relec ["The History of the Burial Places"], an account of the resting places of a number of Irish kings
Genemain Áeda Sláne ["The Birth of Áed Sláine"]: a tale of the 6th-century king, Áed Sláine
De genelogia Con Culaind ["The Genealogy of Cúchulainn"]
Cath Cairnd Chonaill ria Diarmait mac Aeda Sláni for Guari Adni ["The Battle of Carn Conaill between Diarmait son of Áed Sláine and Guaire Aidne]", a tale from the Cycle of the Kings
Comthoth Lóegairi co cretim ocus a aided ["The conversion of Lóegaire to the faith and his death"], a tale of Saint Patrick
References
^R. I. Best, "Notes on the Script of Lebor na hUidre", Ériu 6, 1912, pp. 161–174
^Gearóid Mac Eoin, "The Interpolator H in Lebor na hUidre", Ulidia, December Publications, 1994, pp. 39–46.
^R. I Best and Osborn Bergin (eds.), Lebor na hUidre, Royal Irish Academy, 1929, p. ix; Lebor na hUidreArchived 19 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Royal Irish Academy Library and Catalogue
