Saltair na Rann
Encyclopedia
The title Saltair na Rann “Psalter of Quatrains” refers to a series of 150 early Middle Irish religious cantos
, written in the tenth century. Together they narrate the sacred history
of the world, from its creation down to the last days of humanity. In the principal manuscript, Rawlinson B 502 (Bodleian, Oxford), it is followed by two poems of devotion and ten ‘Songs of the Resurrection’, which were added in the late tenth century.
In the second devotional poem, Poem 152, the author identifies himself as Óengus Céile Dé: is me Oengus céle Dé (line 8009). Whitley Stokes took this to mean that the work as a whole was ascribed to the famous Óengus mac Óengobann, monk of Tallaght and author of the Félire Óengusso (Martyrology of Óengus), who since the 17th century also happens to have been nicknamed Céile Dé (Culdee). However, since the ascription occurs in appended material and therefore outside the core of Saltair na Rann, it is possible that it refers to the one or two devotional poems, which were either attributed to the earlier Óengus or composed by a late tenth-century namesake.
Poem 151, beginning “Isam aithrech (febda fecht)” (c. 987):
Canto
The canto is a principal form of division in a long poem, especially the epic. The word comes from Italian, meaning "song" or singing. Famous examples of epic poetry which employ the canto division are Lord Byron's Don Juan, Valmiki's Ramayana , Dante's The Divine Comedy , and Ezra Pound's The...
, written in the tenth century. Together they narrate the sacred history
Sacred history
The term sacred history is sometimes used in theology for the parts of the Torah narrative on the boundary of historicity, especially the Moses and Exodus stories which can be argued to have a remote historical nucleus without any positive evidence to the effect.In a wider sense, the term is used...
of the world, from its creation down to the last days of humanity. In the principal manuscript, Rawlinson B 502 (Bodleian, Oxford), it is followed by two poems of devotion and ten ‘Songs of the Resurrection’, which were added in the late tenth century.
In the second devotional poem, Poem 152, the author identifies himself as Óengus Céile Dé: is me Oengus céle Dé (line 8009). Whitley Stokes took this to mean that the work as a whole was ascribed to the famous Óengus mac Óengobann, monk of Tallaght and author of the Félire Óengusso (Martyrology of Óengus), who since the 17th century also happens to have been nicknamed Céile Dé (Culdee). However, since the ascription occurs in appended material and therefore outside the core of Saltair na Rann, it is possible that it refers to the one or two devotional poems, which were either attributed to the earlier Óengus or composed by a late tenth-century namesake.
Primary sources
- Stokes, Whitley (ed.). Saltair na Rann. A Collection of Early Middle Irish Poems. Oxford, 1883. Available in html markup from CELT and PDF available from Celtic Digital Initiative
- Carey, John (tr.). King of Mysteries. Early Irish Religious Writings. 2nd ed. Dublin, 2000. 98-124 (with short introduction at p. 97). Translation of cantos 1-3.
Poem 151, beginning “Isam aithrech (febda fecht)” (c. 987):
- Murphy, Gerard (ed. and tr.). "Prayer for forgiveness." Early Irish Lyrics. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1956. 36-9 (no. 16). Available from CELT
- Stokes, Whitley (ed.). Saltair na Rann. 114-5.
- Kinsella, ThomasThomas KinsellaThomas Kinsella is an Irish poet, translator, editor, and publisher.-Early life and work:Kinsella was born in Lucan, County Dublin. He spent much of his childhood with relatives in rural Ireland. He was educated in the Irish language at the Model School, Inchicore and the O'Connell Christian...
(tr.), "The time is ripe and I repent." In The New Oxford Book of Irish Verse. Oxford, 1986. 54-55 (poem no. 54). Sixth stanza left untranslated.
Further reading
- Howlett, Westley. Céli Dé in Ireland. Monastic Writing and Identity in the Early Middle Ages. London, 2006.