Book of Fermoy

The Book of Fermoy (Irish: Leabhar Fhear Maí, aka RIA MS 23 E 29 or the Book of Roche, leabhar de Róiste) is a medieval Irish text dated to the 14th to 16th century AD.^[1] The majority of the book consists of a compendium of poems, historical tracts and genealogies related to the medieval Roche family compiled in the 1450s and 1460s.^[2]

Book of Fermoy
Royal Irish Academy
Also known as	Leabhar Fhear Maí, Book of Roche
Date	14th–16th century
Place of origin	Ireland
Language(s)	Middle Irish, Early Modern Irish
Scribe(s)	Domhnall Ó Leighin, Uilliam Ó hIcedha, Dáibith Ó Duib, Torna Uí Mhaoil Chonaire
Material	Vellum
Size	34.5cm x 26cm
Format	Folio
Script	coarse bookhand (pp 1-16) small neat upright hand (pp 147-51) cursive hand (pp 217-24)

History

The book was written in the Irish language in the fifteenth century by several scribes. The 238 pages contain numerous tales, histories, and biographies.^[2] James Henthorn Todd acquired the work in 1858 - he suggested the title "Book of Roche" would be equally applicable to the work on account of the large quantity of content relating to the history of the Roche Family of Fermoy; one "David [Mór] son of Maurice son of John Roche" is mentioned in the text as a patron of one set of scribes.^[2]

Contents

Summary based on Todd (1868).^[3] Folio numbering follows Eugene O'Curry's added pagination as in Todd. (a/b refer to each side of the page)

Folio	Title or incipit	Content notes
1-8	Leabhar Gabhála	Part of the Leabhar Gabhála including the biblical beginnings to the history of Partholon and Nemed
9-23	"Book of Fermoy" (according to Todd 1868)	Numbered from p. 22, suggesting loss of earlier content. Contents include "Legend of Mór Mumham", including "Elopement of Ruithcearna with Cuana mac Cailcin"
24	Bai Fingen mac Lucta aidchi Samna i nDruim Fingin	Story of fifty wonders witnessed when Conn of the Hundred Battles was born, as related to Fingen mac Luchta King of Munster
25	Cia so agras coir um Cruachain	Poem on the right of sovereignty of Connaught
26	Mor loites lucht an indluig	Poem "Much do slandering people destroy"
27	Baile suthach Sith Emhna	"The fairy hill of Sith Emhna", written in praise of Raghnall mac Gofraidh, King of the Isles
28	Gerr o dob inghill mna Mumhan	Thought to be an elegy to Siubhan daughter of Cormac Mac Carthy
29-31	Incipit Cath Crinda	"Here begins the battle of Criman" - relating to the rise of Cormac mac Airt as a king of Ireland
32	Bruíden Meic dareo annso sísana	"The court of the son of Daire" Rebellion of the Athech-Tuatha against the Milesians
33a	Aní diaroibe in Ces for Ultaibh só sis	Account of the origin of the debility of the Ultonians
33b	Cinaeth O'Hartigan cecinit	Poem describing the death and burials of the seven sons of Aedh Slaine
33b	Fothad na Canoine cecinit	Poem to Aedh Oirnighe on becoming King of Ireland 793
34b	Indarba Mochuda ar Raithin	Account of the banishment of St. Mochuda from Raithin
38-42	Betha Sain Seoirsí	Life of Saint George
42b-43	Scēl Saltrach na Muice	Story of the Pigs
44-48		Destruction of Jerusalem under Vespasian and Titus
48b		Indescipherable poem
49-50	Tochmarc Treblainne	The courtship of Treblainn, daughter of Cairbre Niafar, King of Leinster, by Froech, son of Fidach, of the Firbolgs
51		Tale of Cairbre Crom, King of Hy Maine, Connaught, his murder, and restoration by St. Ciaran of Clonnmacnois
51b-55		Biography of Conn of the Hundred Battles
56		Eulogy poem to David Mac Muiris Roche, Lord of Fermoy
57a	Aroile duine truagh bocht	Tale of a poor man and King David
57a	Ceitre hairdi an domain ; toir , tiar , ter , tuaigh	Account of four people (corresponding to the points of a compass) who lived through the deluge
57a	Dá mac amhra..	Legend relating to King David
57a-58a	Bo bí aroile urraíghi	Life and Martyrdom of St. Juliana
58a	Tuaruscbail Iudáis Scairioth	Account of Judas Iscariot; relating to a legend of St. Brendan
58b	Mearugud Clereach Coluimcille	Account of the journeys of two of St. Columcille's clerics
59b	Beatha Bairre Corcaídhe annso sís	"The Life of Barre of Cork"
60a-61b	Beata Molaga	Life of St. Molaga
61b	Ectra Cormaic macAirt	Adventures of Cormaic macAirt
62b	Acso ant adhbhar fanabar Domnach Crom Dubh	Tale on origin of the name Crom Dubh Sunday
63-72a		Account of the life of Christ, and acts of successive Roman emperors to the destruction of the Temple under Titus
72a	Aroile oglach do bí in abdaine Drumanaigh	Fool story
72b-73a	Da bron flatha nime..	Story of the biblical Elias and Enoch
73a		Extracts from the life of St. Ambrose
73b		blank
74-74b	Gabum dechmadh ar ndana	13th C.religious poem by Donnchadh Mór O'Daly, abbot of Boyle (incomplete)
75a	Garb eirge idhna bhratha	Judgement day poem by Donnchadh Mór O'Daly
75a	O Mhuire, a mathair ar nathar	Poem to the Virgin Mary
76b	Mianna Cormaic mic Airt	Poem "The Desires of Cormac Mac Airt"
76b	Gearoid Iarla dochum na Fuatha bega sosiis	Poem attributed to Gerald, fourth Earl of Desmond (d.1397)
77a	O mnaib ainmnighther Eri	"From women Eri is named" Pangyric to the wife of David son of Morris Roche, daughter of O'Brien
77b	Eogan mac Conchobair hi Dalaighe	"Rogan, son of Conchobhair O'Dalaighe" Pangyric to the wife of David son of Morris Roche, daughter of O'Brien
78	Cerball mac Conchobhair i Dhalaige	"Cearbhall, son of Conchobhair, mac conchobair" Elegy to the wife of David son of Morris Roche, daughter of O'Brien
79a	A tegh beg tiaghar a tegh mór	"From a small house people go to a big house". Pangyric on Diarmait O'Brien
79b	Cath almhaine so	"The battle of Almhain here" (prose)
80b	Longarad Coisfhind amuig Tuatha..	Legend of Longarad of Disert-Longarad
Some missing leaves
85a-88b	Feacht naen dandeachadh Fiachna Find mac Baedain meic Murcertaigh meic Muredhaigh	Life of the 6th C. Mongan, son of Fiachna, King of Ulidia. Version of the Echtrae Mongain maic Fiachna
89a-	Feacht naen da roidhe conn .c. cathach mac Feidhlimigh rectmair mic Tuathail techtmair mic Feradaigh find fechtnaig..	Tale of Conn of the Hundred Battles, his grief on death of Eithne Taebhfada, and the visitation of Becuma Cneisgel of the Tuatha de Danann (Version of Echtra Airt meic Cuind)
92b	Maelmuire magrath .cc..	Poem, panygric to Emma daughter of the Earl of Desmond (14th. C)
93a-96		Poems, Pangyrics on David Roche of Fermoy
96		List of land of the estate of the Roches of Fermoy (partly illegible) Schedule of rents
97		missing
98		Account of early colonists of Ireland, and of Tuan mac Cairrill
98b	Bliadain don cuaille co cert	Verses on the lifespans of men and animals, and on durations of tillage in fields
99a		(Loss of pages) Last page of the Tale of Lady Eithne
99b	Fintan and the Hawk of Achill
100a		End of (incomplete) poem. Characters include Cormac and Diarmid mag Carthaigh
100a-103a		18 short poems. Possible school lessons or practice
103a	Muircheartach O Floinn .cc.	Poem in praise of Mór and Johanna. daughters of Owen Mac Carthy
103b	Eogan mac Aenguis dalaigh	Poem in praise of Johanna wife of David Roche of Fermoy
104		More poems similar to those on folios 100-103
105a-	Imrumh churaigh ua corra	Version of The Voyage of the Uí Chorra
109	Righal nell noigiallaigh os clann Ethach, anso	"Inauguration of Niall of the Nine Hostages over the clann Eochaidh"
110	Cesta grega andso	"Greek questions here"
111-116		Legend of Eithne, daughter of Dichu. The poems Dena damh a cana pen, Denum impodh inisnimhuch, Goirid mhe a muintir nimhe, and Cluittir libh fert fiail Ethne are inserted in the latter part of the tale
166b	Eoghan mor u daligh .cc.	Poem beginning "Teach me, O' Mary", partly illegible
117a		Poem on the crucifixion and passion of Christ
117b-119a	Brian o huiginn	Poem. Pangyric on David son of Maurice Roche, contains a list of places he had plundered in Munster
119a-120a	Seaan og mac rait .cc.	Poem in praise of the territory held by David son of Morris Roche, of Fermoy
120a	OMaothagan .cc.	Poem in praise of Cathilin mother of David son of Morris Roche
121a	Cormac mac Eoghain u Dalaig	Poem in praise of Cathilin, daughter of Tadgh Mac Carthy, mother of David son of Morris Roche
121b	Ua Maethagan .cc.	Poem in praise of Morris, son of Morris Roche
121b		Note (in English) stating "The former pages of this Book, from the beginning to this page, was 288"
122		Formerly black, now scribbled. Including notes by latter editors including William O'Hara (1805), and Eugene O'Curry (1858)
123a		Poem in praise of Cathilin, daughter of Tadhg Mac Carthy
123b	Maithiar mór o cillin .cc.	Poem. Difficult to read
124-126	Tochmare Eimire	Fragments of the "Courtship of Eimire"
127		Page apparently not numbered by mistake by O'Curry
128-129	Druighean da Dearga	Version of the tale "Palace of Da-Dearga", concerning the death of Connaire Mór
Remainder		The remainder of the work contains medical tracts, which (Todd 1868) did not consider formed part of the "Book of Fermoy". A final fragment has the conclusion of a religious tract