Bretha Nemed Déidenach

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Bretha Nemed Déidenach, a Early Irish law text dating from the eighth century.


Bretha Nemed Déidenach (the last Bretha Nemed) is one of the two principal surviving remnants of the celebrated Old Irish law-tract Bretha Nemed, believed to have being composed early in the eighth century in Munster. The only surviving copy, now part of Trinity College,Dublin Ms 1317 H.2.15B, was transcribed by Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh. Another portion, Bretha Nemed Toísech (the first Bretha Nemed) is now British Library MS Nero A 7.

Bretha Nemed Déidenach contains extracts of works concerning poets and bards, along with passages on such subjects as fosterage, sureties, pledge-interests and land law. Much of it is written in the alliterative rosc style in what is now called Archaic or Old Irish.

It is not known where MacFhirbhisigh obtained his exemplar, nor when or where it was transcribed. Another text in the same MS - Duil Laithne - was written at Ballymacegan, County Tipperary, on 5 May 1643, so the Déidenach may date from that period.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Canon law and secular law in early Ireland: The significane of Bretha Nemed, by Liam Breathnach, Peritia 3, pp.439-59.
  • An Old-Irish Tract on the privileges and responsibilities of poets, by E.J. Gwynn, in Éiru 13, pp 1-60, and 220-36.
  • Ó Muraíle, Nollaig (1996). The Celebrated Antiquary, especially pages 83-86, Nollaig Ó Muraíle, Maynooth, 1996.


[edit] External links


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