Matheson Collection > Gleanings from Irish manuscripts

GLEANINGS FROM IRISH MANUSCRIPTS
shield and faithful guard of the ancient speech
of the sons of Mil.)
The two men were joint scribes of a MS.
which Edward O Reilly was in possession of in
1830. Of another MS. containing the History of
Emonn O C/eire, by Sean O Neachtain, it is
stated that, ** the first part of this copy was
transcribed by John Mac Solly, a famous scribe,
who lived early in the eighteenth century at
Ballyhardiman, in the parish of Stackallen, on
the banks of the Boyne, between Navan and
Slane, in the county of Meath." He made copies
of Keating*s History of Irelandy and of the later
version of the tale of the Battle of Ros na Riogh,
the former in 1713 and the latter in 171 6. That
he was interested in religious works may be shown
from the fact that he transcribed the Spiritual
Mirror on the Beginning and End of Human Lifcy
compiled by Thomas Mac Gabhrain, a Fran-
ciscan, and that his signature is found in the
printed copy of Mac Aingil's Mirror of the
Sacrament of Penance in the Library of Maynooth.
The letter proves that he was acquainted with
medical books as well. Though his handwriting
is not elegant he copied accurately enough,
considering the opportunities he had, and the
times in which he lived.
Baile Hardaman, Ian, 28, 171 8.
A CHARAID lONMHUIN,
Atá dúil agam go bfuil tú sásaidh leis an
leabhar leighis óir do bhi an t-ógánach a thug
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