E.C. Quiggin Memorial Lecture, Cambridge University

Dr Uáitéar Mac Gearailt, (Irish Department, St Patrick’s College) recently delivered the 11th E.C. Quiggin Memorial Lecture at Cambridge University.  In his lecture, entitled ‘The date of the Middle Irish Recension II Táin Bó Cúailnge’, Uáitéar gave an overview of research since the publication in 1900 of E.C. Quiggin’s dissertation on the language of the Book of Leinster text.  He examined closely the arguments put forward by Rudolf Thurneysen and Máirín O Daly for assigning Recension II to the early 12th century, in particular the view that the Book of Leinster text (ca. 1160) represents closely the original and that the author also composed the tale Cath Ruis na Ríg.  He considered the language and style of Recension II by comparing it with the Old Irish text on which it is based, Recension I, and proposed an alternative date in the 11th century.

Níos luaithe an mhí seo thug Uáitéar Mac Gearailt (Roinn na Gaeilge, Coláiste Phádraig) an 11ú léacht chomórtha i gcuimhne ar E.C. Quiggin in Ollscoil Cambridge.  Is é an teideal a bhí ar an léacht ‘The date of the Middle Irish Recension II Táin Bó Cúailnge’.  Thug sé cuntas ar an taighde atá déanta ó foilsíodh tráchtas Quiggin faoi ghnéithe de theanga leagan Leabhar Laighean den téacs i 1900.  Rinne sé grinnscrúdú ar na hargóintí a bhí ag Rudolf Thurneysen agus Máirín O Daly le Leagan II a lua le tús an 12ú haois, go háirithe an tuairim go bhfuil téacs Leabhar Laighean (ca. 1160) dílis don bhunleagan agus gur chum an t-údar an scéal Cath Ruis na Ríg. Phléigh sé teanga agus stíl Leagan II trí comparáid a dhéanamh leis an téacs Sean-Ghaeilge a bhfuil sé bunaithe air, Leagan I, agus chuir sé dáta eile, san 11ú céad, ar aghaidh.

 

 

 

Last Updated: Friday December 19 2008