G 30

Irish Grammar; English-Irish Vocabulary; Catechism

18th cent. Paper. 20.5 × 15 cms. Pp. 154. Scribe: Muiris Ó Fearghaoíle wrote it in the year 1735 at St. George College in Alcala where, as he states ( p. 1), he was seminarist (Colaistíneach). The scribe's signature in English, Mau. Ferrall, appears on p. 154 following a complaint that Ulick Bourk a tinker by trade and pretends to write the Irish stole a printed Irish Grammar from me. Ano Dmi. 1744. Ulick Bourk's handwriting in Irish appears above this complaint on the same page (see p. 154 infra). Ó Fearghaoile's name ("Dⁿ Maurizio O Ferrel") appears with that of three others in the "Viatica" which were sought on their behalf by Michael O'Gara, rector and master of the Irish Seminary of St. George at Alcala. (See Archivo General De Simancas: Haciends: Viaticos: Leg. 966. No pagination is given but it appears under the year 1735.) In a note in R.I.A. Ms. 23 I 4 (p. 115 m) written by "Uilliam Ó Fearghaoil (Fearghaoile)" in 1735 the scribe gives the place of writing "a gCoilaiste Mhuiris Í Fearghaoile a tTobarchuill a bpuraiste Thumonn" (=present-day Taghmon) "i Connde Mhuilleann Ghearr". There is another record of Ó Fearghaoile for the years 1743-44 in the list of "names and places of above of ... all other popish persons exercising any ecclesiastical jurisdiction within the County of Longford returned by me James West Esq. High Sheriff of the said County ..." Number five on this list is "Maurice Ferrall of Ballymalion (leg. Ballymahon?) vicar of the parish of Shrevle." (See Irish Priests in Penal Times 1660-1760, pp. 335-36, ed. Rev. W. P. Burke, 1914.)

The Irish Grammar in this ms. (pp. 3-10), which appears to be an English adaptation of the Short Louvain Grammar 1669, shows affinity with an earlier (1704) copy contained in G 26 supra. To the Irish Alphabet (p. 2) which precedes the grammar the scribe appends the order of the letters in the beith-luis-nion as found, he says, in the Book of Lecan (cf. Facs. of Bk. of Lec. 169 (160) V° [341] b 1). It is possible that O Fearghaoile, if he travelled over land to or from Alcala, consulted that ms. which was at that time in the Irish College in Paris (see Introd. to Facs. Bk. of Lec., pp. ix-x).

The Catechism in this ms. (pp. 65-148), which is contemporary with that of Donlevy (Paris 1742) is also closely related to it. Nevertheless, it cannot, it would appear, be a derivative, but rather seems to represent the basis upon which Donlevy worked. The English-Irish Vocabulary (pp. 15-60) seems to have been compiled by the scribe himself who wrote on the recto only, apparently intending to add to it. A large number of words are typical of ecclesiastical material (blasphemy dia aithis; quatuor tense cataoir thimpeir, etc.); other words are from the Catechism (drunkenness meisge, potariocht, cf. pótáireacht Catechism p. 103, l. 13); of some interest are such words as tradition gnathchuimhne; interpreter fear friotail, fear mínighthe; grasshopper píobaire samhraidh, dreolan teasbaidh, etc. Occasionaly words occur twice with a different translation (cf. blasphemy, faithful, gift, hypocrisy, etc.).

The ms., which is in fairly good condition, is bound in leather Phillipps MS. 9393 and some pencilled numbers are written on the inside of the front cover while the words Anthony Carron ha (with a stroke through them) appear on the inside of the back cover. The title Vocabulary by Maurice O Ferrall and Catechism is written in an unidentified hand on the recto of the fly-leaf. There is no scribal pagination. Following p. 144 some pages of the Catechism are now missing (corresponding in content to Donlevy p. 382 sqq.). Pp. 61-64, 147, 149-153 are blank.

Page

1 Gramadach agas Abghitir Gaedhalach sgríobhtha le Muiris Ó Fearghaoíle Colaistíneach a cColáiste San Seorse an Alcala an bhlíaghain d'aois an Tíghearna 1735. This is followed by Do mhéudughadh glóire agas anóra Dé tionnsgnaighim an beagsháotharsa an ainm an Athar ....

2 Headed Irish Alphabet. Abghitir. Included here is the order etc. of the letters in the beith-luis-nion as found by the scribe in the Bk. of Lec. (See introductory remarks above.)

3-9 Irish Grammar written in English shows affinity with that contained in G 26 supra.

10 List of abbreviations.

11 Hebrew Alphabet.

12 Arabick Alphabet.

13 Chaldaick Alphabet.

14 Greek Alphabet.

15-60 English-Irish Vocabulary. There are no entries under the letters x (p. 57) and z (p. 60). See introductory remarks above.

61-64 Blank.

65 An Teagasg Críosduidhe. Headed D'eifiocht an Teagaisg Críosdaidhe ┐ don modh ar a n-eistfighthior leis go tairbheach. Beg. Ceisd: Créud é aní an Teagasg Críosduidhe ? Freagra: Ata míniúghadh soléir sóthuigsiona ... Ends (imperfectly?) p. 148. This catechism is closely related to Donlevy's (ed. Paris 1742). See introductory remarks above.

149-53 Blank.

154 Uilliog a Búrc arna sgríobhaidh an tára lá fíchthídh don mhí september san mbliagháin d'aois ar tTigérna míle seacht gcéad agus céithra blíadhna air dhá fhichthidh 1744. Followed by a complaint by Ó Fearghaoile for which see introductory remarks above.