fioS Proeeetliupx of the Unyal Irish Academy. 



(Life of St. Patriek, 180 ff.) ; (3) O'Longan's Facsimile transcript of the MS., 1880. 

 Stokes's edition in tbe Trt;). TJff, p. 542 fit., Lavin^ been made from the Facsimile, 

 as already remarked, has no independent value. In addition to these, confirma- 

 tion of illegible words can occasionally be obtained from the Annals. Indeed 

 vithont these aids decipherment woald be in some cases almost impossible. If 

 the errors of the Facsimile are indicated in the foot-notes, it is solely to prevent 

 possible misunderstanding as to a choice of reading. 



The traditional date of tlie Book of Leinster being abont 1160, it is obvious that 

 our hst, extending to 1181, the date of Tommaliach's accession, was not all written 

 in at one time. Dr. Todd was of opinion that the later hand began after Cellach 

 (t 1129 1. It is difficult to compare characteristic letter-forms in this portion, owing 

 to the defaced state of tbe MS., but a new hand may safely be admitted, and we 

 think a still later for the final entry." It is noteworthy that the years of incumbency 

 are not given after Domnall, further that a line has been left blank after Cellach 

 and again after Mael Maedoc, from which it might be inferred that tbe entries were 

 made in their life-time. The Laud list lO) ending with Mael Maire (t 1020), it 

 would almost seem as if the group .\malgaid to Cellach was written il'un t<-iil j,t, in 

 tbe time of Cellach ; the accideniai omission of Mael Isu in the first instance would 

 tend (o confirm this, also the (act that the parentage of the coarbs is not given in 

 this groap. A line has been left blank also after Gilla Chomded. Viewing the 

 column as a whole, it is observable that the writing is not quite uniform. With 

 Ainmere (1. 18) the hand becomes more upright and less cramped, this feature 

 being fairly well reproduced in the Facsimile. It would thus appear as if the 

 original list had been resumed here. The initial letters, however, with their dabs 

 of colour, seem to be pretty uniform throughout : but tbe colour may have been 

 added later. 



Tbe critical marks employed in this edition an- angular brackets < > for 

 interlineal and marginal entries : p«renthesej ( ) for illegible but attested letters ; 

 and square brackets [ j (or wholly illegible or uncertain letters. 



' In the BreTiariam, fo!. 13 r (F«c».. p. 2«), i.iibli»hed by TfKld 'h". rit. 184 ff). and by 

 Stokes Trip. Li/f. hl'ifT.), Mr. Lnciiu Gwjmn h»» dntoii att«uiii>n (<> Kiniilar iuiditiuiis 

 otnyiDg the entnes down to 1199 {Eriu viii. 114 ft.). 



