Genealogies of the clans: contributions to the study of MS 1467

Abstract

National Library of Scotland, Advocates' MS. 72.1.1, is the Gaelic manuscript, nine folios long, generally known as MS 1467. Folio 1 contains genealogies. These fall into three obvious categories: those which relate to the kings of Scots,2 those which relate to Clann Shomhairle (the descendants of the famous Somhairle or Somerled, who died in 1164),3 and those which relate to other lineages or clans, all of them apparently domiciled in Scotland. Folios 2-9 contain religious material, and also provide evidence as to authorship and date and place of composition. At the top of folio 7 we are told that the account of Christ's Passion just completed was written down by Dubhghall Albanach mac mhic Cathail in the presence of Eilis Buitileir (Elizabeth Butler) in 1467, at a location recently identified as Bade Ui Bhuadhaigh, in southern Co. Tipperary.4 Folios 4-5 have drawn upon them the measurements of Christ's feet, and a note states that this was done for Dubhghall Albanach by Tanaidhe O Maoil Chonaire in the house of MacAodhagain, britheamh (brehon) of Ormond. Thus we may be confident that, 'ff. 2-9 at least were written in the general area of the Butler territories of Ormond in 1467'.5 Ronald Black has argued that the way in which the pedigrees are crammed together, 'suggests that until now f.l had been left blank as a cover for the rest of the MS, and that it was hastily being employed as the only available material on which to write the text', which would place the writing of the pedigrees in or after 1467, conceivably, but not necessarily, following Dubhghall Albanach's return to Scotland.6 A modern critical edition of the texts of the genealogies in MS 1467 has yet to be published. The only attempts in this direction to date are those of W.F. Skene, first in Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis,1 and