Bretha Nemed Déidenach

Bretha Nemed Déidenach, is the late title of 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 "Bretha Nemed" law "school", 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 related text, "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. Because of the difficulty of the language, the text has never been translated. In addition, in parts the text is fragmentary.

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 have been copied in that period.

ee also

* Early Irish law
* Old Irish
* Cáin Adomnáin
* Derbfine
* Collectio canonum Hibernensis

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.

External links

* [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T102030/index.html The Law of the Couple] : translation of an Irish legal text on marriage
* [http://www.celt.dias.ie/publications/cat/cat_f.html Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies - School of Celtic Studies] Catalogue of relevant publications
* [http://www.geocities.com/solarguard/celtic/irlaw.html Solarguard Brehon] Precis of Fergus Kelly's A Guide to Early Irish Law
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02753a.htm The Brehon Laws] - Catholic Encyclopedia article