Texts

Irish charters in the Book of Kells

Middle Irish
prose

Irish charters, or memoranda relating to matters such as church property, entered into the Book of Kells. Seven are still extant in the original manuscript, while another five were lost and are now known only from copies in the 17th century.

Manuscripts

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 58 (A 1. 6) = Book of Kells [s. viii/s. ix]
ff. 6v, 7r, 27r
The charters were added in the 12th century.
- London, British Library, MS Additional 4791 = Milles collection vol. 38 [s. xvii]
  ff. 119–122
- Dublin, Trinity College, MS 580 (E 3. 8) [s. xvii]
  p. 91 ff
- Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS A v 3 (934) [s. xviii]

Language

Middle Irish
Secondary language(s): Latin language

Date

11th and 12th centuries

Form

prose (primary)

Classification

Sources

Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.

[ed.] Dumville, David N., “Charters from ‘The Book of Kells’ transcribed for James Ussher”, in: David N. Dumville, Celtic essays, 2001–2007, 2 vols, vol. 1, Aberdeen: Centre for Celtic Studies, University of Aberdeen, 2007. 233–256.

[ed.] [tr.] Mac Niocaill, Gearóid, “The Irish ‘charters’”, in: Peter Fox (ed.), The Book of Kells: MS 58, Trinity College Library Dublin. Commentary, 3 vols, vol. 2, Lucerne: Fine Art Facsimile, 1990. 153–165.

[ed.] Mac Niocaill, Gearóid, Notitiae as Leabhar Cheanannais, 1033–1161, Dublin: Cló Morainn, 1961.

[ed.] [tr.] OʼDonovan, John, “The Irish charters in the Book of Kells”, The Miscellany of the Irish Archaeological Society 1 (1846): 127–158.

CELT: <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Secondary sources (select)

Herbert, Máire, “Before charters? Property records in pre-Anglo-Norman Ireland”, in: Marie Therese Flanagan, and Judith A. Green (eds), Charters and charter scholarship in Britain and Ireland, Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2005. 107–119.

Broun, Dauvit, The charters of Gaelic Scotland and Ireland in the early and central Middle Ages, Quiggin Pamphlets on the Sources of Mediaeval Gaelic History, 2, Cambridge: Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, University of Cambridge, 1995. iv + 52 pp.

30–31

Herbert, Máire, “Charter material from Kells”, in: Felicity OʼMahony (ed.), The Book of Kells: proceedings of a conference at Trinity College Dublin, 6-9 September 1992, Aldershot: Scolar Press, 1994. 60–77.

Mac Niocaill, Gearóid, “The Irish ‘charters’”, in: Peter Fox (ed.), The Book of Kells: MS 58, Trinity College Library Dublin. Commentary, 3 vols, vol. 2, Lucerne: Fine Art Facsimile, 1990. 153–165.

Kenney, James F., “Chapter VIII: The reform movement of the twelfth century”, in: James F. Kenney, The sources for the early history of Ireland: an introduction and guide. Volume 1: ecclesiastical, Revised ed., 11, New York: Octagon, 1966. 745–771.

753–756

web page identifiers

page name: Irish charters in the Book of Kells

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Contributors

C. A., Dennis Groenewegen

Page created

August 2019, last updated: October 2020