G 54

Forus Feasa ar Éirinn.

18th cent. Paper. 19 × 15 cms. Pp. xiv+604. Scribe: Seon mac Solaidh. Scribal entries indicate that he commenced transcribing on the 19th January, 1713 (p. 1), finished Part i on the 27th March (p. 323) and completed the text on the 15th April of the same year (p. 584). The place of writing is given (pp. 1, 323) as Baile Hardaman a bporraisde Toighthe Challain ┐ a mbaruntacht Slainghe (Harmanstown in the Parish of Stackallan in the barony of Slane, Co. Meath).

When the ms. was in the possession of Edward O'Reilly - no. 116 in his collection - he wrote the title, name of author and scribe of the ms. on p. i (see infra). On page xiv he wrote the following: This transcript of the History of Ireland by Dr. Keating (the Irish Herodotus) was made by John McSolly in the year 1713; a man well skilled in the Irish Language and indefatigable in his endeavours to perpetuate the monuments of his Country's literature, as appears by the number of books in the Irish language still existing in his handwriting. -His Copies are esteemed of great value by every person acquainted with Irish Manuscripts. On the inside of the back cover O'Reilly wrote: 223 pages at ½ hour each translating would be 112 hours, which at six hours a day would require about 20 days to translate the whole. Corrections and additions appear here and there in the text also in O'Reilly's hand. The following is written in pencil on the last page (604) in an unidentified hand: Grace O Maley see carrig a ville. Carrig a hooly Co. Mayo. Sweards Gaz. 4.

A modern pencilled pagination has been adopted in the present catalogue, the scribe having given a separate pagination for each of the two Parts of the text and he has not numbered a blank leaf (pp. 49-50). The ms. is bound in calf with the title Forus Feasa ar Eironn in gilt on red panel on spine. O'Reilly's book-plate is pasted on inside of front cover. Phillipps Ms. 10280.

Page

i (in O'Reilly's hand). Forus Feasa air Eirind mar a nochtar priomhdhála na hinnse o Pharthalon go Gabhaltus Gall. Ar na chnuasach, ┐ air na thiomsúghadh ó phriomhleabhraibh Sheanchusa Eireand agas ó iliomad d'ughdaraibh barantamhla coigcriche le Seathrun Ceithin. Ollamh-diadhachta. Ar na aithscriobhtha re Seoim (sic) Mac Sollaigh san bliadhain d'aois ar dTighearna, 1712.

ii-xiii Blank.

xiv Note in English by O'Reilly, for which see introductory remarks.

1 Séathrún Céitinn. Foras Feasa ar Éirinn. Díonbhrollach, p. 1. Liber Primus, p. 51. Liber Secundus, p. 325. Genealogies, p. 515. Synchronisms, p. 551. Ends p. 584 followed by Finis Libri secundi 15 die Aprilii 1713. Concordat cum originali. Ar na sgriobhadh le Seon mac Solaidh an bhliadhain so d'aois an Tighearna. 1713. ┐ gach duine leighfios ina eisdeas e tugadh beannacht air anmuin an chleiridh. Amen. The remainder of the ms. is blank.