Thanks to a generous philanthropic gift from Brian McCarthy and Kerry-based financial firm Fexco, UCC secured equipment that will use infra-red and ultra-violet analyses to reveal previously obscured text and writing of medieval manuscripts.
The new research will analyse ancient texts generated by a multi-spectral imaging system that will reveal writings and marks that have been obscured for centuries.
The findings will form a comprehensive profile of the structure and contents of the central element of Ireland’s written heritage.
The research will build upon the previous work by the Inks & Skins project, established by to Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin for the investigation of Irish manuscripts.
Prof Ó Macháin’s work with spectroscopy has already revealed previously obscured text and writing features in medieval manuscripts such as the Book of Uí Mhaine and the Stowe Missal.
The new donation underpins that foundational work with the establishment of the McCarthy Multi-Spectral Irish Manuscript Project (‘McCarthy MSI’).
Aside from the purchase of the multi-spectral imaging system, the generous donation by Brian McCarthy and Fexco also enables funding for postgraduate students.
Multi-spectral analysis of The Book of Lismore is being carried out in collaboration with UCC Library’s special collections and archives team which is facilitating the project in the library’s specialised photographic and preservation labs.
UCC says the new project further strengthens its reputation as a leading centre for the study of the materiality of the medieval handmade book and Irish vellum manuscripts.
Professor Ó Macháin, professor of Modern Irish in UCC said the story of the handwritten book in Ireland is central to the understanding of Gaelic society and the Gaelic mind in the Middle Ages.
‘A debt of gratitude is owed to our scholarly ancestors for preserving our literature and traditions in these wonderful, unique books,’ he said. ‘There is an onus on us to repay that debt by trying to understand everything we can about how those books were created. The vision and foresight of Brian McCarthy are now helping us to realise that. McCarthy MSI will create new knowledge, facilitate the training of young scholars, and ensure that our research will continue to lead the way in this discipline on a wordwide basis.’
The Book of Lismore consists of 198 large vellum folios, and contains some of medieval Irish literature’s greatest masterpieces, including the lives of Irish saints, the only surviving Irish translation of the travels of Marco Polo, and the adventures of the hero Fionn Mac Cumhaill.