''Tecosca Cormaic'' "The Instructions of

Cormac Cormac is a masculine given name in the Irish and English languages. The name is ancient in the Irish language and is also seen in the rendered Old Norse as ''Kormákr''. Mac is Irish for "son", and can be used as either a prefix or a suffix. ...

" is a ninth-century

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...

gnomic text which is cast as a dialogue between the legendary High-King of Ireland,

Cormac mac Airt Cormac mac Airt, also known as Cormac ua Cuinn (grandson of Conn) or Cormac Ulfada (long beard), was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He is probably the most famous of the ancient High Kings ...

, and his son

Coirpre Lifechair Cairbre Lifechair ("lover of the Liffey"), son of Cormac mac Airt, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to the throne after the death of Eochaid Gonnat. During his time Bresal Belach wa ...

Manuscripts

*H 2.18 or

Book of Leinster The Book of Leinster ( mga, Lebor Laignech , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled c. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18 (cat. 1339). It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' "Book ...

, pp. 343–5 (TCD). *23 P 12 or

Book of Ballymote The ''Book of Ballymote'' (, RIA MS 23 P 12, 275 foll.), was written in 1390 or 1391 in or near the town of Ballymote, now in County Sligo, but then in the tuath of Corann. Production and history This book was compiled towards the end of the ...

(), ff. 39-41 (RIA) *H 2.17, pp. 179–180 (TCD) * 23 N 10 (Betham 145), pp. 1–6 (RIA) *23 N 17, pp. 1–6 (RIA) *H 4.8 (TCD) *Advocates Library VII.3., ff. 9a-9b (Edinburgh). Written by Ádhamh Ó CuirnínRicorso
(external link) *23 N 27 (Academy 14.4.), pp. 32- (RIA) *H. 1.15., pp. 149- (TCD) *H. 3.9., pp. 59- (TCD) *23 O 20 (Academy 1.4.), pp. ? (RIA) *23 D 2 (Miscell.), pp. ? (RIA)

Notes

Editions

*Meyer, Kuno (ed. and tr.). ''Tecosca Cormaic. The Instructions of King Cormaic Mac Airt''.

RIA A ria (; gl, ría) is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Definitions Typically rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they ca ...

. Todd Lecture Series 15. Dublin: 1909.

External links

Selection from translation by Kuno Meyer
*Maxim Fomin, "''Tecosca Cormaic'': the compilation of a wisdom-text.
Abstract from Tionól available as PDF
Early Irish literature Irish texts Wisdom literature {{lit-stub