Can a mbunadus na nGáedel

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Initial words ‘Can a mbunadus na nGáedel?’ » (Whence the origin of the Gaels (Goídil)?)

Ascribed to Máel Muru of Othan (d. 887)

Manuscripts
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1339 (H 2. 18) = Book of Leinster [s. xii²], ff. 133b—135a.
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1319 (H 2. 17) [various], p. 177a line 8 ff. The relevant section of this manuscript is a fragment from the Book of Lecan.^[1]
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1289 (H 1. 15) = The Psalter of Tara [1745], p. 28 ff. In the hand of Tadhg Ó Neachtain, possibly copied by him from the Book of Leinster, as Todd suggests.
A transcript made from this copy by Edward O'Reilly, now in the Royal Irish Academy (?)^[2]

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS B iv 2 (1080) [1627-1628]. Not mentioned by Todd.^[1]
Dublin, National Library of Ireland, MS G 131 (Phillipps 17082) [s. xvii], pp. 49—55. Not mentioned by Todd.

Description A poem relating an origin legend of the Irish (Gaels). It gives an account of their migrations from Scythia to Spain and their conquest of Ireland.

Notes

^ ^a ^b Abbott and Gwynn 1921: 112
^ In A chronological account of nearly four hundred Irish writers (1820), O'Reilly tells of "a very fine copy of this poem ... in the collection of the Assistant Secretary [i.e. in his possession]" (p. lvii). Todd suspects that O'Reilly was merely referring to "a transcript in his own hand-writing made from the copy in H. 1. 15", which by 1848 was present in the Royal Irish Academy. Todd does not seem to have been aware of further copies of the text in RIA B iv 2 and NLI G 131.

Sources

Editions

Todd, James Henthorn (ed. and tr.), and A. Herbert (introduction and notes), Leabhar Breathnach annso sis: the Irish version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius, Dublin: Irish Archaeological Society, 1848. 220—271 (Appendix 4). » Based on LL and variants from TCD 1289 and TCD 1319. CELT: edition; translation; Internet Archive: 1, 2

Best, Richard Irvine, Osborn Bergin, M. A. O'Brien, and Anne O'Sullivan (eds.), The Book of Leinster, formerly Lebar na Núachongbála, 6 vols, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1954—1983. Vol. 3: 516—524. » Diplomatic edition.

CELT: 1-260 400-470 471-638 and 663 761-781 and 785-841 1119-1192 and 1202-1325

The first lines of the poem are cited in Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh's Ogygia (1685): 349 (part III, ch. 72).

Secondary sources

Carey, John, A new introduction to Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland, edited and translated by R. A. Stewart Macalister, D.Litt., Irish Texts Society, Subsidiary Series 1, London: Irish Texts Society, 1993.

Jaski, Bart, “‘We are of the Greeks in our origin’: new perspectives on the Irish origin legend”, Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies 46 (2003): 1—53.

Scowcroft, R. Mark, “Leabhar Gabhála. Part II: the growth of the tradition”, Ériu 39 (1988): 1—66.

[Abbott-0] Abbott and Gwynn 1921: 112

[1] In A chronological account of nearly four hundred Irish writers (1820), O'Reilly tells of "a very fine copy of this poem ... in the collection of the Assistant Secretary [i.e. in his possession]" (p. lvii). Todd suspects that O'Reilly was merely referring to "a transcript in his own hand-writing made from the copy in H. 1. 15", which by 1848 was present in the Royal Irish Academy. Todd does not seem to have been aware of further copies of the text in RIA B iv 2 and NLI G 131.

[1]

[2]

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