Matheson Collection > Feis Tighe Chonain

few words of p. 6 are written under the last line so
as to fit in with the beginning of p. 7. Mac Searraidh's
script begins on p. 7 and continues to the end of the
book, his signature occurring at intervals. His
writing is clear and legible, though the ink is much
faded in some places ; he seems to have written two
slightly different hands, one more angular than the
other, both of which recur through the volume and
are witnessed by his signature ; both are found in
the present piece, the change occurring abruptly in
the middle of p. 23. Our tale ends on p. 54 and is
followed b}^ date and colophon : " Finis an deach-
madh la do mhi April an bliadain d'aois an tigearna
1686. Gach duine da leighiidh an sdair tugadh
luach a shaothwir don scriobhnóir eadhon beannach-
tain ar anam an ti rod scriobh .i. Cathal mac
Sear raid h."
This is the text chosen for the present edition.
(3) H. 5. 4 (H^), a duodecimo paper volume in a
much frayed condition ; our tale occupies pp. 149-
212 and is imperfect, the first three leaves being lost ;
on p. 212 is the signature of the scribe Eoghan Ó
Caoimh 1700-1.
This version is practically the same as M below,
written by the same hand.
(R.I.A. Library)
(4) 23 M 25 (M), written by Eoghan Ó Caoimh in
the south of Ireland ; the Feis Tighe Chonáin occupies
pp. 86-111, followed by the colophon : Arna sgriobh-
adh le hEoghan O Caoimh an 15.(?) la don July 1684
a nDún Ciaráin [Dunkerron, Co. Kerry ?] a bhfarradh
O Suilliobháin Móir. I am indebted to Prof. T.
O'Rahilly for drawing my attention to this text, the
oldest we possess except the fragment in H. 3. 18.