Matheson Collection > Early Irish reader

VI PREFACE
(English translation by Norman Moore, Cambridge, 1882),
Strachan, Old-Irish Paradigms 2 (Dublin, 1909), O'Connell,
Grammar of Old Irish (Belfast, 1912); also to Dottin, Manuel
d'Irlandais moyen (Paris, 1913). Pokorny's Old Irish Grammar
(Dublin, 1914), his Altirische Grammatik (Leipzig, 1925), and
his Historical Reader of Old Irish (Halle, 1923) are more recent
books which will be found specially helpful to students who know
Latin and Greek, and who have some knowledge of Indo-Euro-
pean Philology. More advanced students, who read German,
will be in a position to consult Thurneysen, Handbuch des Alt-
irischen, I. Grammatik etc. (Heidelberg, 1909) and Pedersen,
Vergleichende Grammatik der keltischen Sprachen (Gottingen,
1913).
My warmest thanks are due to Professor T. Ó'Máille of Galway
and Professor J. Fraser of Oxford. Professor Ó'Máille has very
kindly read the proofs of my text, translation and notes, and I
have to thank him for many corrections and additions, especially
in the notes. Although I was not known to him personally he
generously placed the resources of his learning and research
at my disposal, and it is a matter of sincere regret to me that
the scope of the book, intended as it is primarily for beginners,
did not permit me to incorporate all the illuminating material,
especially the references, which he put before me.
To Professor Fraser I am under heavy obligations. Though
he also was unacquainted with me he most kindly consented to
read all my proofs, including the vocabulary. He has saved me
from many pitfalls, and has been most ungrudging in the help
he has given me. His corrections, suggestions and criticisms
have been of the greatest possible value to me. I need hardly
add that I alone am responsible for the many shortcomings
which still remain. In preparing an Early Irish Saga for the
use of beginners I realise only too well that I am venturing on
peculiarly dangerous ground.
I have also to thank Miss J. Young of Girton College who
kindly compared my transcript of the text with the original MS. of
the Book of Leinster in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.
To Miss A. Walsh, Inspector of Schools, Dublin, to Miss J. Walsh,
Lecturer in the Cambridge Training College for Women
Graduates, and to my pupil, Miss A. M. D. Hoare, I am indebted
for various kind services. Lastly I wish to thank the Syndics
of the University Press for undertaking the publication of the
book, and the staffs of the University Press and of the University
Library for their unfailing courtesy and help while the work
was in progress.