Great Book of Lecan
Encyclopedia
The Book of Lecan (Irish: Leabhar (Mór) Leacain) (RIA
, MS 23 P 2) is a medieval Irish
manuscript
written between 1397
and 1418
. It is in the possession of the Royal Irish Academy
.
Leabhar Mór Leacain is written in Middle Irish
and was created by Ádhamh Ó Cuirnín
for Giolla Íosa Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh. The material within was transcribed from the Book of Leinster
, latter copies of the Book of Invasions, the dinsenchas, the banshenchas
and the Book of Rights
.
At one stage it was owned by James Ussher
. James II of England
then deposited it at the Irish College, Paris. In 1787, the Chevalier O'Reilly returned it to Ireland; where it was at one stage in the possession of Charles Vallancey
. He passed it on to the Royal Irish Academy
.
There were originally 30 folios; the first nine were apparently lost in 1724. Unfortunately these contained a large section devoted to the pedigrees and history of the Norse
and Norse-Gaelic families of Ireland, which are nowhere else preserved.
The pages are unfortunately covered in a greasy substance which makes them transparent and reduces their legibility.
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
, MS 23 P 2) is a medieval Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
written between 1397
1397 in Ireland
-Events:* The Great Book of Lecan was started at Enniscrone. ....
and 1418
1418 in Ireland
-Events:* The Great Book of Lecan was completed at Enniscrone. ....
. It is in the possession of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
.
Leabhar Mór Leacain is written in Middle Irish
Middle Irish language
Middle Irish is the name given by historical philologists to the Goidelic language spoken in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man from the 10th to 12th centuries; it is therefore a contemporary of late Old English and early Middle English...
and was created by Ádhamh Ó Cuirnín
Ádhamh Ó Cuirnín
Ádhamh Ó Cuirnín was an Irish medieval scribe from a north Connacht bardic family. His place in history remains as that of the copier, in 1418, of Lebor Gabála Érenn [The Book of the Taking of Ireland], an important historic record of the land's folkloric history, compiled and edited by an...
for Giolla Íosa Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh. The material within was transcribed from the Book of Leinster
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster , is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled ca. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18...
, latter copies of the Book of Invasions, the dinsenchas, the banshenchas
Banshenchas
An Banshenchas is a medieval text which collects brief descriptions of prominent women in Irish legend into a poetic narrative....
and the Book of Rights
Lebor na gCeart
Lebor na gCeart, the "Book of Rights", details the rents and taxes paid by the King of Cashel to various others in Ireland. The Great Book of Lecan and the Book of Ballymote contain copies.- References :...
.
At one stage it was owned by James Ussher
James Ussher
James Ussher was Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–56...
. James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
then deposited it at the Irish College, Paris. In 1787, the Chevalier O'Reilly returned it to Ireland; where it was at one stage in the possession of Charles Vallancey
Charles Vallancey
General Charles Vallancey FRS was a British military surveyor sent to Ireland. He remained there and became an authority on Irish antiquities, though his theories were later judged to be fanciful and groundless.-Early life:...
. He passed it on to the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
.
There were originally 30 folios; the first nine were apparently lost in 1724. Unfortunately these contained a large section devoted to the pedigrees and history of the Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
and Norse-Gaelic families of Ireland, which are nowhere else preserved.
The pages are unfortunately covered in a greasy substance which makes them transparent and reduces their legibility.
External links
- Irish Script on Screen has a facsimile