This preliminary handlist (still in preparation) aims to provide useful information for researchers on early Irish manuscript culture.
It is not a definitive list of Irish manuscripts, a very difficult (perhaps impossible) goal, since many details are subject to debate. The handlist does, however, aim to be reasonably comprehensive, in order to provide researchers with the broadest range of evidence, from which to form their own opinions.
Manuscripts are included if they can be assigned to at least one of the following categories (with the exception of "Origin: Continent"). Click a title to browse the category.
Origin: Ireland Origin: Insular, poss. Ireland (Origin: Continent)
Irish script Irish exemplar Known Irish scribe
Insular script, poss. Irish Insular exemplar, poss. Irish
Hiberno-Latin text Irish-language content
Try searching for places (e.g. Bobbio, Laon, Reichenau, Reims, Salzburg, Soissons, St Gall), scribes (Dúngal, Eriugena, Martin), types of manuscript (binding fragment, fly-leaves, palimpsest), or text (Augustine, computus, gloss, Priscian, Psalter).
The handlist provides external links to manuscript images, where available. It also makes use of IIIF services (for 148 manuscripts currently). These facilitate:
You can also compare side-by-side two or more manuscripts of your own selection using the Mirador viewer. Watch this short video for instructions:
The list was compiled initially from the following sources:
Content still to add (May 2021):
Interface changes planned:
Data compiled and website developed by Pádraic Moran, Classics, National University of Ireland, Galway.
This is a preliminary list, still in progress. Hoping to launch a first version in summer 2021.
Please send additions, corrections, suggestions to padraic.moran@nuigalway.ie.
Sincere thanks to the following for additions, corrections and further suggestions: Jacopo Bisagni, Immo Warntjes, Brega Webb.