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verse beg. Xpistus in nostra insula / que uocatur Hibernia

  • Hiberno-Latin
  • verse
  • Hiberno-Latin texts, Hymn, Eulogy, Abecedarius

Early Hiberno-Latin hymn (3 qq) dedicated to St Brigit. The three stanzas start with the final letters of the alphabet (X-Y-Z), possibly suggesting that they originally stood at the end of an abecedarius, a longer hymn arranged from A to Z. It is prefaced with an Irish prose introduction, which attributes the poem to Ultán of Ardbraccan. MS T is accompanied with a number of Latin and Irish glosses, one of which praises Brigit with the title ‘the Mary of the Gaels’ (Maire na n.Goidel).

First words (verse)
  • Xpistus in nostra insula / que uocatur Hibernia
“Christ in our island / which is called Ireland”
Speaker/Addressee
Addressee: Brigit of Kildare
Brigit of Kildare
(c. 439/452–c. 524/526)
patron saint of Kildare, whose cult spread both within and outside of Ireland.
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Author
Ascribed to: Ultán of Ardbraccan
Ultán of Ardbraccan
(d. 657)
(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)
Irish poet and saint, abbot at Ard Breccáin (Ardbraccan) in Co. Meath.
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David Howlett (infra) has argued for Ultán’s authorship.
Manuscripts
T =
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1441 (E 4. 2) = Irish Liber hymnorum [s. xiex–xiiin]
ff. 2v–3r
With an Irish prose preface and a couple of Latin and Irish glosses. The poem is directly followed by another hymn in honour of St Brigit, beg. Audite uirginis laudes.
F =
Dublin, University College, MS Franciscan A 2 = Irish Liber hymnorum [s. xiex/xiiin]
p. 16
With an Irish prose preface.
V =
Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Pal. lat. 482
Language
  • Hiberno-Latin
Date
The date is uncertain. The hymn would belong to the 7th century if Howlett is correct in suggesting that Ultán was its author.
Form
verse (primary)
Length
Number of stanzas: 3

Classification

Hiberno-Latin textsHiberno-Latin texts
...
HymnHymn
...
EulogyEulogy
...
AbecedariusAbecedarius
...

Subjects

Brigit of Kildare
Brigit of Kildare
(c. 439/452–c. 524/526)
patron saint of Kildare, whose cult spread both within and outside of Ireland.
See more

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.] [tr.] Howlett, David, “The Brigitine hymn Xpistus in nostra insula”, Peritia 12 (1998): 79–86.
Based on all three MSS
[ed.] Bernard, J. H., and Robert Atkinson [eds.], The Irish Liber hymnorum, 2 vols, vol. 1: Text and introduction, Henry Bradshaw Society, 13, London: Henry Bradshaw Society, 1898.  
comments: Volume 1: Text and introduction
Volume 2: Translation
Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive – originally from Google Books: <link> Internet Archive – originally from Google Books: <link> – originally from Google Books: <link>
14 [id. 2. ‘Hymnus S. Ultani in laudem S. Brigidae’] Based on all three MSS direct link
[ed.] Colgan, John, Triadis Thaumaturgæ seu divorum Patricii, Columbæ et Brigidæ, trium veteris et maioris Scotiæ, seu Hiberniæ sanctorum insulae communium patronorum acta, Louvain: apud Cornelium Coenestenium, 1647.  
comments: The title page reads in full (normalised spellng): Triadis Thaumaturgæ, seu divorum Patricii, Columbæ, et Brigidæ, trium veteris et majoris Scotiæ, seu Hiberniæ, Sanctorum insulæ, communium patronorum acta, a variis, iisque pervetustis ac Sanctis, authoribus Scripta, ac studio R.P.F. Joannis Colgani, in conventu F.F. Minor. Hibernor, Stritior, Observ., Lovanii, S. Theologiæ Lectoris Jubilati, ex variis bibliothecis collecta, scholiis et commentariis illustrata, et pluribus appendicibus aucta; complectitur tomus secundus sacrarum ejusdem insulæ antiquitatum, nunc primum in lucem prodiens.
Digital.onb.ac.at: <link> Google Books: <link>, <link>
542 Printed from F

Secondary sources (select)

Bernard, J. H., and Robert Atkinson, The Irish Liber hymnorum, 2 vols, vol. 2: Translation and notes, Henry Bradshaw Society, 14, London: Henry Bradshaw Society, 1898.  
comments: Volume 1: Text and introduction
Volume 2: Translation
Internet Archive – originally from Google Books: <link> Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive – originally from Google Books (missing: pp. 18-19, 86-87): <link>
106 Notes direct link
web page identifiers
Contributors
C. A., Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
October 2014, last updated: January 2024
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