Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in Houghton Library, Harvard University

Cornelius G. Buttimer

• Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN:
  9780268201012
• eBook ISBN:
  9780268201005
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: English Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

The first full account of North America's largest collection of traditional Irish-language manuscripts.

Harvard University has the largest collection of Irish-language codices in North America, held in Houghton Library, its rare book repository. The manuscripts are a part of the age-old heritage of Irish book production, dating to the early Middle Ages. Handwritten works in Houghton contain versions of medieval poetry and sagas, recopied in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, to which period most of the library's documents belong. Contemporary writings from that time, as well as ones by the post-Famine Irish immigrant community in the United States, are included. This catalogue describes the collection in full for the first time and will be an invaluable aid to research on Irish and Irish American cultural and literary output. The author's introduction examines how the collection was formed. This untold story is an important chapter in America's intellectual history, reflecting a phase of unprecedented expansion in Harvard University's scholarship and teaching during the early twentieth century when the institution's program of studies began to accommodate an increasing range of European languages and literatures and their sources. This indispensable guide to a major repository's records of the Irish past, and of America's Irish diaspora, will interest specialists in early and post-medieval codices. It should prove of relevance as well to scholars and students of comparative literature, cultural studies, and Irish and Irish American history.

General Index

Acephalous items are marked with an asterisk.

a. See Mac.

Abbot, Samuel A. B., Boston Public Library trustee. Mentioned, n. 154.

Abbreviations, scribal. See Contractions.

Abghitir na Gaoidheilge. 11 (a), [1].

Abhainn Mhór, Munster, river. Name occurs, 13, 35 and [404].

‘Abhrán ceangail(se), An t.’ 17, 411; 40, [171] b. See also ‘Conclusion’.

‘Abhrán nua ar sheanfhonn aerach.’ 28, [103].

A. C. Initials of former owner, 45, inside front cover. See C[larke], (Dr.) A[dam].

Accounts, arithmetic, and calculations. 4 (b), f. [1] v.; 5, inside front cover, first front fly-leaf, r.–v., (a), 21, (b), [32] (8), [33] (9), [34] (10), [35] (11).13; 7 (a), [49], (c), [194] (iv); 9 (a), [16], mid-inner margin; 12, [i]; 16, [47], inner margin, [95], lower outer margin; 21, 54; 23, [61^a], upper margin; 28, [283], inside back cover; 38, [89], upper margin; 42 (a), [70], back cover, (b), v.; 43, f. [20] v.; 45 (a), inside front cover, upper inner margin, paper label, 18–19, enclosed letter, v.

See also Law, legal documentation, and paralegal matters; Transactions.

A chraobha cumainn na nGaoidheal gcumais (Tomás Ó Míocháin). Mentioned, n. 219.

Acrostics. 1, 2 (Piaras Mac Gearailt) (with transl.), 3 (Pierce FitzGerald) (transl.); 13, [163] (Beannacht Phóil Uí Bhriain ua a chroí go Coimhthionól Gaeilge a cCorcaigh).

Adéarfaidh Dia. 5 (b), [73] (49). See also Last Judgement.

Ádhamh (al. ms. Adam), Old Testament figure. Name occurs, 13, [198], [291]; 28, [93]; 40, [201].

‘Admháil’. See ‘Aithrighe et admháil’.

Admiralty, London, British government department. Mentioned, p. 16.

Adventures of the Sons of Uishneach, The. 14, f. [74] r. (transl.). See Fall of the Children of Uisneach (?); Oidheadh Chlainne Uisneach.

Advertisement. For publications, 4 (a), f. [57] r.

‘Advice.’ 13, [314].

[Africa], continent. Country in, see Egypt.

Ag fiodhair an tairbh duibh (al. Black Bull ?), Dublin city, inn. Mentioned, n. 87. See also Nicholas Street; Thomas Street.

‘Ag seo caoine an chapaill mar leanas.’ 40, [65]. See also ‘Eachtra chapaill Éamainn Uí Líghe.’

‘Ag so do shuidhiughadh an tsuaineimh ar suaitheantas Chlainne Israel.’ 6, f. 105 r.

‘Agaisín.’ 41, 120.

‘Agal(l)a(i)mh Oisín et (al. agus) Phádraig (et cætera ).’ 10 (a), inside front cover; 22 I (b), [9] (1); 42 (a), [1], [2]. Mentioned, 22 II, [297]. See also ‘Agal(l)amh Phádraig’; ‘Laoi na Mná Móire’.

‘Agallamh idir mhainistir bhocht Átha Dara et spioraid an bhráthar boicht, .i., Uilliam Ó hÍceadha, marbhadh le heiricidígh aintréana, .i., Murchadh an Tóiteáin.’ 11 (b), [115].

Agallamh na Seanóireadha. 16, [119].

‘Agal(l)amh Phádraig et (al. is) Oisín (sonn) (al. ‘The Dialogue of St. Patrick and Ossian’) .’ 3 (a), 1; 5 (b), [77] (53); 40, [67]. See also ‘Agal(l)a(i)mh Oisín’; n. 280.

‘Agallamh [Sheáin Uí Mhurchadha na Ráithíneach] agus polla na cleithe Bealtaine Sheáin Uí Bhriain, Lá Bealtaine.’ 13, [178].

Agli, Stephen, Harvard Celticist. Advisor on acquisition of, 35. Collaborator in proposed census of Irish mss in North America. Mentioned, p. 45 and nn. 257 and 282.

Agnes, saint. See Beatha Naomh Agnes.

Aicme Iúdaíoch. Name occurs, 38, [3]. See also Beatha S^t. Marghréad; Jewish people.

Aighlinn (ms. Áeilion), Co. Cork, river. Reference to, 40, [201] b.

Áille [Shnuadhgheal], Ossianic character. Name occurs, 22 I (b), [193] (134).

‘Ainm na laochra do t(h)uit san gcath.’ 22 I (b), [119] (89).

Airecc menman Uraird meic Coise. Saga mentioned, 4 (a), f. [20] v.

Aireamhach, An t (ms. An Tórúmhach). Poem attributed to, 28, [125].

Airgidín, An, Co. Cork, river. Poem concerning, 40, [239] a.

A(i)rm (Implement, Weapons). Word occurs, 13, [145]; 40, [231].

Airs, of songs. See Tunes.

‘Aisling Bhaothghalaigh mac Feidhlime Uí Sheachnasaigh ar Sheán Dall Ua Súilliobháin.’ 38, [93]. See also M(h)ac Gearailt, P(h)iaras.

‘Aisling Pheadair Uí Chuill.’ Copy of, in untraced ms., mentioned, n. 240.

‘Aiste agus dán in onóir Shamhairle Mhag Domhnaill agus a mhná, Isibéal, inghean Chríostóra Uí Bhriain.’ 28, [257].

‘Aiste Chearbhaill.’ Tune (?), 19, [2]. See also (Siabhr)adh Síthe agus Inné(i)r(igh) (Mhic na Míochomhairle).

Aiste chumha. Poetic type (?), 13, [165]. See also Poetry.

‘Aiste na nIarthar.’ 13, [107].

‘Aiste Sheáin Uí Chonaill.’ 5 (b), [139] ([115]). See also ‘Duain’; ‘Tuireamh na hÉireann’; ‘Tuireamh Sheáin Uí Chonaill’.

Aithrighe, Incipit don. 47, 289.

‘Aithrighe et admháil Sheáin Uí Chonaill—1803.’ 38, [65].

‘Aithrighe (ms. Arthídhe) Oisín.’ 42 (a), [350].

‘(A)ithrighe Phádraig Uí Iarlaithe.’ 5 (b), [102] (78); 38, [78].

‘Aithrighe (al. ms. Aithríogh) Sheáin do Hóra.’ 11 (b), [111]; 23, 175.

Aithridheach Rīoga, An t. 31 (photostat).

Alba. See Scotland.

‘Albanach.’ Tune, 28, [55].

Alberta, Canada, province. Roman Catholic missionary activity in, n. 60.

Album. Descriptor of untraced ms., referred to, n. 241.

Aldershot [County of Hampshire, England], town. Name occurs, 5 (b), [170] (142) and 5, back binder’s leaf, r. Facility in. See South Camp.

Allen, H[.] B[.], staff member, Harvard University Library. Name occurs, 32, enclosure (ii). Mentioned, n. 223.

Allmhuraigh (al. Allmhurachaibh) (Foreigners). Terms occur, 12, [ix]; 40, [235] b. See also Deoraithe; English people.

Almhain [Co. Kildare]. Narrative placename, 22 I (b), [160] (115).

Alphabet. Gaelic, 12, [i]; English (partial), 28, inside front cover. See also Abghitir na Gaoidheilge; English language; Irish language; Ogham.

Alphabeta P...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Abbreviations
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Notes to Introduction
• Bibliography
• CATALOGUE
• Index to First Lines of Verse
• General Index