A Prague Poem on Purgation?: Five Languages in a Seventeenth Century Irish Manuscript
Ken Ó Donnchú
University College, Cork
Abstract
The history of the Irish Franciscans in continental Europe has been the subject of much scholarly investigation, which has focused mainly on the renowned Louvain college. Although the Irish Franciscans in Prague were less prolific than their Louvain compatriots, the Prague house, active for over 150 years, nevertheless produced many works, ranging from original theological treatises to copies of grammatical and historical texts, both in Latin and in the vernacular. This paper will examine a text from UCD Franciscan Collection MS A 32 f.5, a single paper folio which preserves the only known example of the Czech language in a Gaelic manuscript. The content of that folio sheds light on the relationships between the continental houses, and highlights the more quotidian and less-vaunted aspects of the lives and work of these exiled Irish men of God.
The poem in question, entitled ‘Freagra ar et cætera Philip’ (An Answer to Philip’s Et Cætera, FCP hereafter), centres on the ‘evacuation’ difficulties of one Philip Ó Conaill, the hardship this has caused those in his company, and the advice given to Philip on how to cure his ailment. In literary terms, FCP exemplifies the strong interest of the Irish literati at all stages in so-called Rabelaisian humour, and burlesque literature. While the poem itself is unlikely to be added to the canon of Irish literature, nevertheless a number of aspects of its contents are intriguing, and invite investigation and restrained speculation as to the context of its production.
Studia Celto-Slavica 12: 43–62 (2021)
-
References
Abbot, T.K., & Gwynn, E.J., 1921, Catalogue of the Irish Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, & Co.
Bakhtin, M., 1984, Rabelais and His World, trans. H. Iswolsky, Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Bergin, O., 1970, Irish Bardic Poetry: Texts and Translations, together with an Introductory Lecture, Dublin: DIAS.
Binchy, D.A., 1958, ‘The Date and Provenance of Uraicecht Becc’, Ériu 18, 44–54.
Binéid, D., 2003, Searc na Suadh: Gnéithe de fhilíocht Dháibhí Uí Bhruadair [Love of the Learned: Aspects of Dáibhí Ó Bruadair’s Poetry], Baile Átha Cliath: Clóchmhar Tta.
Breatnach, L., 2005, A Companion to the Corpus Iuris Hibernici, Dublin: DIAS.
Bruford, A., 1969, Gaelic Folk-tales and Mediaeval Romances: A Study of the Early Modern Irish ‘Romantic Tales’ and their Oral Derivatives, Dublin: The Folklore of Ireland Society.
Coilféir, M., 2016, ‘“Cold, Mocking, Unmerciful?” Rabelasianism in Irish Literature’, American Journal of Irish Studies 13, 197–213.
Cunningham, B., 2018, ‘Language, Literature, and Print in Irish, 1630–1730’. In: Ohlmeyer, J., ed., The Cambridge History of Ireland, Volume II, 1550–1730, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 434–457. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316338773.020
de Vries, R., 2019, ‘A Short Tract on Medicinal Uses for Animal Dung’, North American Journal of Celtic Studies 3 (2), 111–136. https://doi.org/10.26818/nortamerceltstud.3.2.0111
Dillon, C., 2007, ‘Catalóg Leabharlann na bProinsiasach Éireannach, Prág’ [Catalogue of the Library of the Irish Franciscans, Prague], Léann 1, 63–76.
Dillon, M., Mooney, C., & de Brún, P., ed., 1969, Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in the Franciscan Library, Killiney, Dublin: DIAS.
Downey, C., 2010, ‘Dindṡenchas and the tech midchúarta’, Ériu 60, 1–35. https://doi.org/10.3318/ERIU.2010.60.1
Edel, D., 2006, ‘‘‘Bodily Matters’ in Early Irish Narrative Literature’, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 55, 69–107. https://doi.org/10.1515/ZCPH.2007.69
FCP, Freagra ar et cætera Philip, UCD Franciscan Collection MS A32 f. 5r
Giblin, C., ed., 1956, Liber Lovaniensis: a Collection of Irish Franciscan Documents, 1629–1717, Dublin: Clonmore and Reynolds.
Hayden, D., 2019, ‘Attribution and Authority in a Medieval Irish Medical Compendium’, Studia Hibernica 45, 19–51. https://doi.org/10.3828/sh.2019.2
Hegarty, C., 2018, Fís Mheirlíno: A Diplomatic Edition with Introduction and Notes, Ulster University, unpublished PhD Thesis.
Jennings, B., 1957, ‘The Irish Franciscans in Poland’, Archivium Hibernicum 20, 38–56. https://doi.org/10.2307/25487322
Jennings, B., ed., 1968, Louvain Papers, 1606–1827, Dublin: Stationery Office.
Macalister, R.A.S., ed., 1905, Fís Mherlíno: The Vision of Merlino, an Irish Allegory, Dublin: M.H. Gill.
Mac Cárthaigh, E., 2009, ‘Ó Caiside, Tomás Bán’, in: Dictionary of Irish Biography. https://doi.org/10.3318/dib.006292.v1
Mac Craith, M., & Worthington, D., 2002, ‘Aspects of the Literary Activity of the Irish Franciscans in Prague, 1620–1786’. In: O’Connor, T. & Lyons, M.A., ed., Irish Migrants in Europe after Kinsale, 1602–1820, Dublin: Four Courts, 118–134.
Mac Erlean, J.C., 1910–17, Duanaire Dháibhidh Uí Bhruadair [Collection of Dáibhidh Ó Bruadair’s Poetry] i-iii. London: Irish Texts Society.
Mac Mathúna, L., 2007, ‘The growth of Irish (L1)/English (L2) Literary Code-mixing, 1600–1900: Contexts, Genres and Realisations’. In Tristram, H.L.C., ed., The Celtic Languages in Contact: Papers from the Workshop within the Framework of the XIII International Congress of Celtic Studies, Bonn, 26–27 July 2007, Potsdam: Potsdam University Press, 217–234.
Markus, R., 2015, ‘“Chac na Cuileoga ar a Shoilse an tImpire”: Breandán Ó hEithir, Oirthear na hEorpa agus an Dea-Shaighdiúir Švejk’ [The Flies Shat on His Excellency the Emperor: Breandán Ó hEithir, Eastern Europe and the Good Soldier Švejk]. In: Nic Congáil, R., Nic Eoin, M., Ní Úrdail, M., Ó Liatháin, P., & Uí Chollatáin, R., ed., Litríocht na Gaeilge ar fud an Domhain. Imleabhar II: Critic, Cultúr agus Comhthéacs Comhaimseartha [Irish Literature around the World. Volume II: Criticism, Culture and Contemporary Context], Baile Átha Cliath: An Clóchomhar Tta, 125–145.
McLaughlin, R., 2008, Early Irish Satire, Dublin: DIAS.
Mercier, V., 1969, The Irish Comic Tradition, London: Oxford University Press.
Mhág Craith, C., 1967, Dán na mBráthar Mionúr [Poetry of the Friars Minor], Baile Átha Cliath: Institiúid Árd-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath.
Millett, B., 1964, The Irish Franciscans, 1651–1665, Rome: Gregorian & Biblical Press.
Nic Dhonnchadha, A., 2004, ‘Téacs ó scoil leighis Achaidh Mhic Airt’ [A Text from the Aghmacart Medical School], Ossory, Laois and Leinster 1, 56–75.
Nic Dhonnchadha, A., 2006, ‘The Medical School of Aghmacart, Queen’s County’, Ossory, Laois and Leinster 2, 11–43.
Ní Chléirigh, M., eag., 1944, Tadhg Ó Neachtain. Eólas ar an Domhan i bhfuirm chomhráidh idir Sheán Ó Neachtain agus a mhac Tadhg [Information About the World in the Form of Conversation Between Seán Ó Neachtain and his Son Tadhg], Baile Átha Cliath: Oifig an tSoláthair.
Nic Philibín, M., 1938, Na Caisidigh agus a gCuid Filidheachta [The Cassidys and their Poetry], Baile Atha Cliath: Oifig an tSoláthair.
NL, Non licet in hac vita, Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek, Göttingen, 8 Cod. Ms. hist. 773 f. 1v
Norri, J., 2016, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary in English, 1375–1550: Body Parts, Sicknesses, Instruments, and Medicinal Preparations, London/New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315577081
O’Connell, F.W., & Henry, R.M., 1915, An Irish Corpus Astronomiae being Manus O’Donnell’s Seventeenth Century Version of the Lunario of Geronymo Cortès, London: D. Nutt.
Ó Dónaill, N., ed., 1977, Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla [Irish-English Dictionary], Baile Átha Cliath: Oifig an tSoláthair.
Ó Donnchú, K., 2021, ‘“Freagra ar et cætera Philip” — Dán Ilteangach ón Seachtú hAois Déag’ [“Freagra ar et cætera Philip” — a Seventeenth Century Multilingual Poem]. In: Markus, R., Nic Eoin, Nic Mhathúna, D., Ní Mhuircheartaigh, É., Ó Conchubhair, B., & Ó Liatháin, P., eag., “Ar an Imeall i Lár an Domhain?” Litríocht agus cultúr na hÉireann agus na hEorpa — Nascanna staire, teanga, cultúir agus litríochta [“On the Edge in the Middle of the World?” Irish and European Literature and Culture — Historical, Linguistic, Cultural and Literary Links]. Indreabhán: Leabhar Breac.
Ó hÓgáin, D., 1982, An File: Staidéar ar Osnádúrthacht na Filíochta sa Traidisiún Gaelach [The Poet: A Study of the Supernatural in Poetry in Gaelic Tradition], Baile Átha Cliath: Oifig an tSoláthair.
Ó Maonaigh, C., 1940, ‘Father Philip Ó Conaill, O.F.M.’, Irish Book Lover 27 (2), 181.
Ó Maonaigh, C., 1962, ‘Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge an Seachtú hAois Déag’ [Irish Language Writers of the Seventeenth century], Studia Hibernica 2, 182–208. https://doi.org/10.3828/sh.1962.2.3
Ó Muirithe, D., 1980, An tAmhrán Macarónach [The Macaronic Song], Baile Átha Cliath: An Clóchomhar Tta.
O’Rahilly, T.F., 1923, ‘Burduin Bheaga’ [Short Epigrams], The Irish Monthly 51 (596), 95–97.
O’Rahilly, T.F., 1925, Búrdúin Bheaga: Pithy Irish Quatrains, Dublin: Browne & Nolan.
Ó Súilleabháin, P., 1957, Beatha San Froinsias [Life of Saint Francis], Baile Átha Cliath: Institiúid Árd-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath.
Pařez, J., and Kuchařová, H., 2015, The Irish Franciscans in Prague 1629–1786, Prague: Karolinum Press, Charles University.
Parker, G., 2006, The Thirty Years’ War, London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203995495
Power, G., & Pilný, O., ed., 2014, Ireland and the Czech Lands: Contacts and Comparisons in History and Culture, Bern: Peter Lang. https://doi.org/10.3726/978-3-0353-0540-1
Stokes, W., 1900, ‘Acallamh na Senórach’. In: Stokes, W., & Windisch, E., eds., Irische Texte iv (i), 1–438.
Thurneysen, R., 1893, ‘La Lamentation de l’Irlande’, Revue Celtique 14, 153–162.
Walsh, P., 1933, Gleanings from Irish Manuscripts, Dublin: Three Candles.
Williams, N., ed., 1981, Pairlement Chloinne Tomáis [The Parliament of Clann Tomáis], Baile Átha Cliath: Institiúid Árd-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath.
Woulfe, P., 1923, Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, Dublin: M. H. Gill