Argues that LU stands closer to the original Cín Dromma Snechtai texts than MSS Egerton 88 and Dublin, RIA 23 N 10, as it was the direct source of Gilla Commáin Ó Congaláin’s (†1135) selection whence the Connacht MS tradition comes.
Criticises D. Ó Cróinín's stemmatic representation of MS witnesses to his recension I of Sex aetates mundi and contends against P. Ó Riain's view that MS Rawlinson B 502 is to be identified as the Book of Glendalough.
Further to P. Ó Riain, The Book of Glendalough or Rawlinson B 502, in Éigse 18 (1981), pp. 161-176. Argues that MS NLI G 2, f. 3 is a witness to parts now missing from MS Rawlinson B 502.
Discusses the additional verse material copied from the lost ‘Old book of St. Caillín’ into RIA MS 23 P 26, particularly the poems Conall cuingid Cloinni Néill, Enna dalta Cairpri cruaid, A eolcha Conaill ceoluig, Atá sunn senchus nach suaill, A liubhair ta ar do lar, Cairbre Eogan Enna eim and Estid re Conall calma.
vs. P. Ó Riain, in ZCP 51 (1998), pp. 130-147. Criticises the methodology used by P. Ó Riain in establishing textual relationships and concludes that Lebar Glinne Dá Locha and Rawlinson B 502 are two separate manuscripts. Cf. also P. Ó Riain, in Éigse 18 (1981), pp. 161-176 and C. Breatnach, in Éigse 30 (1997), pp. 109-132.
1. The scribes; 2. The title of the manuscript; 3. The history of LU from 1359 to 1470; 4. Gaps in the history of LU; 5. The Leth Cuinn orientation of the original contents of LU; 6. Sources of LU texts: (1) Lost manuscripts from Armagh and Monasterboice; (2) Cín (or Lebar) Dromma Snechta; 7. The entry of CDS texts into the Connacht tradition; 8. The probable contents of CDS; 9. LU and the CDS tradition; 10. The authors mentioned in LU; 11. The text of LG [Lebor Gabála] lost from LU; 12. A reference to Muirghius mac Páidín’s manuscript; 13. TBC and Tochmarc Emire (TE); 14. The manuscripts of TE; 15. The recensions of TE; 16. LU and the intact text of TE; 17. The version of TE represented by R [Rawlinson B 512]; 18. The relationship between R and the intact text: (A) Miscellaneous forms; (B) Infixes and suffixes; 19. Conclusions as to the textual history of TE. Continued in Éigse 30 (1997), pp. 27-91.
1. The Mongán tales (Argues that all four tales are are the work of a single author: (a) Scél asa mberar combad hé Find mac Cumaill Mongán; (b) Tucait Baile Mongáin; (c) Compert Mongáín; (d) Scél Mongáin); 2. Tucait Baile Mongáin and Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig [and Baile in Scáil] (Concludes that TBM and Scél asa mberar represent texts in which southern traditions are appropriated by a northern author ); 3. The Imacallam texts, Immram Brain, and the Mongán tales (Immacallam Choluim Chille ⁊ ind Óclaig and Immacallam in Druad Brain ⁊ inna Banḟátho Febuil); 4. Echtrae Chonlai and Immram Brain; 5. ‘The Midland group’ (Claims these date from the reign of Fínnechta Fledach mac Dúnchada, perhaps from the years 688-9); 6. Tochmarc Étaíne.
Addresses the issues raised by C. Breatnach (in Éigse 30 (1997), pp. 109-132, Celtica 24 (2003), pp. 40-45, Éigse 35 (2005), pp. 9-26) and B. Ó Cuív (in Catalogue of Irish manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford and Oxford College Libraries I, 2003) with respect to the view that MS Rawlinson B 502 is to be identified with the Book of Glendalough.
[1.] The prose of Cín Dromma Snechta; [2.] The contextual affinities of Immram Brain; [3.] The incarnation and the birth of Mongán; [4.] Instances of the wonder-child in insular Celtic tradition. See also P. Mac Cana, in Ériu 26 (1975), pp. 33-52.
Argues that Saltair na Rann is the old name for the second vellum part of MS Rawlinson B 502, against P. Ó Riain's identification of this MS with the lost Book of Glendalough (in Éigse 18 (1981), pp. 161-76). Also on the textual history of the Pedigrees of the Saints, and the poems Druim Ceta Céte na Náem, Colum Cille co Dia domerail, Tánic sam slán sóer, Fuitt co bráth and Cia lín don rígraid ráin ruaid.
Discusses the two surviving inventories of the library of the Earls of Kildare at Maynooth Castle. In Appendix: [An edition of] the Kildare Library lists from BL, MS Harley 3756 (incl. books in Irish).