Agents



A module for identifying agents - encompassing persons, peoples and organisations - and managing information about them has been around for many years, continually evolving as time went by, but what was absent all this time is a public interface for accessing relevant data in a user-friendly way.

This is a first attempt at offering such an interface, which is provided "as-is" and should be considered beta-quality for now (not that there is any official product release cycle as such but using the label is a convenient means to sound the right alarm bells). It currently consists of a basic search, aggregated data overviews for individual agents, and hover-card labels that you will meet elsewhere in the catalogue.

I am aware of duplicates, uneven coverage and other shortcomings that typically arise from the progressive nature of this website or simply, lack of personpower. An earlier version of the interface was available to editors partly because it helps us address some of those issues. None of these objections, however, seemed to weigh heavily against the alternative, which is having nothing at all to offer.

Note that for convenience's sake, many agents are not formally indexed but are nonetheless included by exclusive virtue of being linked. It is a wonderful forte of the system that allows us to retrieve and bring together disparate data from disparate data sources, but some useful metadata will be missing and discoverability is more limited as a result. For instance, we may be linking to a scribe whose name and associated data can be retrieved and presented, but without, say, a floruit it will be difficult to find this person within the appropriate time range. I say "difficult" because it is possible, to an extent, to rely on the dates we have, if any, for associated objects (manuscripts, scribal hands), but such a circuitous approach comes with limitations of its own and is not necessarily methodologically sound.

Meanwhile, I hope that the new interface will improve your experience in using this website. Next up are thematic categories for scribes (in the broadest, non-pejorative sense of the word), authors and scholars.

Last added

People

Randomised results

Scribes
  • Dorbéne mac Altaíni
    ob. 713
    Abbot of Iona for only a brief period of time in 713, the year in which he died. He is commonly identified with the scribe Dorbbeneus who signs his name in the Schaffhausen manuscript of the Vita sancti Columbae.
  • John O'Donovan
    1806–1861
    Irish scholar
  • Elis Gruffydd
    c.1490–1552
    Welsh administrator and soldier as well as a chronicler and translator, who is probably known for having compiled an extensive Welsh-language chronicle of world history.
  • William Pryce
    d. 1790
    A medical practitioner based in Redruth, Cornwall, who was also an author on mining and mineralogy, an antiquary and an advocate of the Cornish language.
  • Llywelyn Siôn
    c.1540–c.1615(?)
    Llywelyn of Llangewydd, Welsh poet and farmer
  • Hywel Fychan ap Hywel Goch
    fl. 14th century
    Hywel Fychan ap Hywel Goch was a fourteenth century Welsh scribe. He was a man with clerical training who knew Latin and was able to edit and organize a book. He also wrote lawbooks.  Hywel Fychan is most famous for being the chief scribe of the Red Book of Hergest (Oxford, Jesus College, MS 111). He is also connected to Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, Peniarth MS 11; Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, Llanstephan MS 27 (Llyfr Coch Talgarth); and Philadelphia, Library Company, MS 8680.O. He furthermore made a contribution to the Culchwch ac Olwen-text of the White Book of Rhydderch (Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, Peniarth 4-5) on folio 83v.
  • Muiris Ó hEoghusa
    16th century?
    Irish scribe (NLI MS G 14) and poet, whose name is invoked as the author of Díon Ulltach 'na n-urríoghaibh (39 qq, Copenhagen NKS MS 268b = no. XXI in [[Greene (David) 1972b|Greene's edition]]) and a poem on the birth and crucifixion of Christ, Tosach ar mbeathadh bás Dé (Eg. 136, TCD 1285).
  • Roger Morris [of Coed y Talwrn]
    fl. 1590
    Humanist scholar and collector and copier of manuscripts.
  • Anonymous [LU scribe M]
  • Doighre Ó hUiginn
    Irish scribe
  • Seón Mac Solaidh
    fl. early 18th century
    Irish scribe, of Stackallan (Co. Meath)
  • Máel Brigte mac Tornáin
  • Aodh Ó Dálaigh
    fl. mid–18th century
    Irish scribe and poet
  • Edward Lhuyd
    d. 1709
  • Owen Connellan
    c.1797–1871
  • Authors

    A random selecton of authors and those so described.

  • Ó Duibhgeannáin family
    angl. Duigenan, important learned family of historians and scribes
  • Iorwerth Fynglwyd
    fl. c.1480–1527
    Welsh poet.
  • Máel Ísu Ua Brolcháin
    d. (c.) 1086
  • Óengus mac ind Óc
    Óengus (Aengus) mac (ind) Óc; Mac Óc: mythological figure in medieval Irish literature, one of the Túatha Dé Danann; associated with youth and love; identified in some narratives as a son of the Dagda and Bóann.
  • Charles Edwards [fl. 17th century]
    fl. 17th century
    Welsh Puritan scholar; author of several books
  • Cúanu mac Ailchíne
    King of the Fir Maige Féne.
  • Brigit of Kildare
    c. 439/452–c. 524/526
    patron saint of Kildare, whose cult spread both within and outside of Ireland.
  • Conall Mageoghegan
    fl. 1596–1644
    Conall Mageoghegan (Mac Eochagáin), Irish scholar and historian known for producing the Annals of Clonmacnoise, an English translation of Irish annals.
  • Gwalchmai ap Meilyr
    fl. c.1130–1180
    Welsh poet from Anglesey, one of the early Gogynfeirdd.
  • Polybius
    c.200–c.118 BC
    Πολύβιος, Greek Hellenistic historian known for writing The Histories (Ἱστορίαι).
  • Úna Nic Cruitín
    fl. 18th century
    Irish poet, daughter of the poet Aodh Buí Mac Cruitín. Her poems include one addressed to Isibéal Ní Bhriain.
  • Urard mac Coise
    d. 983 x 1023
    Irish poet
  • Fursa
    fl. 7th century
    Irish monk and missionary
  • Dafydd ap Gwilym
    fl. c.1330–1350
  • Gregory the Great
    d. 604
    prefect and later, bishop of Rome known for instigating the mission to convert the Anglo-Saxons in Britain to the Christian faith. He is the author of a number of theological works, including the Dialogues, the Pastoral Rule, a commentary on the Book of Job, and many sermons and letters.