Lewd poetry relating to a ‘salaried priest’ in 16th-century Gaelic manuscript
[Please see Gaelic version below]
An ode to a priest’s nether regions has been unearthed in one of the National Library of Scotland’s early Gaelic manuscripts, The Book of the Dean of Lismore.
The poem is estimated to be from around the year 1500, and is attributed to Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin, then Countess of Argyll. The work resurfaced when a BBC Alba television crew was investigating representations of sexuality among the Library’s collections for the documentary ‘Feise ann an Gàidhlig’ (‘Sex in Gaelic’).
The Book of the Dean of Lismore is one of the Library’s most treasured literary Gaelic manuscripts. It is so important that it was – alongside other items from the Library’s Gaelic collections – inscribed into the UNESCO Memory of the World register in 2018.
The manuscript was compiled by James MacGregor (1480–1551), otherwise known as the Dean of Lismore, in the first half of the 16th century. The volume contains mostly Gaelic poetry, as well some miscellaneous items in Scots, Latin and English.
National Library’s Head of Manuscripts, Chris Cassells said:
“In 16th century Scotland, when staying with a friend it was common courtesy to regale your host with your best songs, stories, and poems. We estimate that around the year 1500, Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin visited James MacGregor in Perthshire.
“When Iseabail recited her poetry to MacGregor, she may or may not have been aware that he was in the habit of copying down his favourites. Subsequently, Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin has become known in niche circles as a writer of erotic poetry during the Middle Ages – not exactly a time we associate with sexual liberation.
“From Father Peter in Lisa McGee's 'Derry Girls' to ‘Fleabag’ to the burgeoning sub-genre of priest romance novels, the 'hot priest' archetype continues to resonate 500 years later. Iseabail’s poem shows this is not a modern invention. It’s no surprise this poem has a starring role in the BBC Alba documentary.”
The poem is perhaps less well-known due to its reception among scholars over the centuries. In many subsequent publications and translations of the Book of the Dean of Lismore, this poem, or its obscenities, have been omitted. This may contribute to the poem’s relative obscurity.
Chris Cassells added:
“One of the joys of our collections is how varied they are. You can return to something you feel like you know well, like the Book of the Dean of Lismore, and find gems like this one which open a whole new world of enquiry.”
Three poems by Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin are preserved in the Book of the Dean of Lismore – ‘Atá fleasgach ar mo thí’, ‘Éistibh a luchd an tighe-se’ and ‘Is mairg dá ngalar an grádh’.
While many are in keeping with contemporary perceptions of the time, such as a religious poem on the Virgin Mary and the infancy of Christ, ‘Éistibh a luchd an tighe-se’ has been described by Thomas Clancy, Professor of Celtic at the University of Glasgow, as a “fairly obscene boast to the court circle on the size and potency of her household priest's penis”.
The poem includes the following stanza:
“The cock of my salaried priest
is not only lasting and long;
you won’t have heard, in ages,
of such a wide dong.”
The Book of the Dean of Lismore is fully digitised and available to view on the Library’s website.
Bàrdachd dhrabastach mu ‘shagart tuarastail’ ann an làmh-sgrìobhainn Ghàidhlig bhon 16mh linn
Chaidh duan molaidh mu bhuill-feise sagairt a lorg ann an tè de na làmh-sgrìobhainnean Gàidhlig tràth ann an Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba: Leabhar Deadhan Lios Mòr.
Thathar den bheachd gun deach an dàn a sgrìobhadh mun bhliadhna 1500 le Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin, Ban-iarla Earra-Ghàidheal aig an àm. Thàinig an obair am bàrr a-rithist nuair a bha sgioba telebhisein BBC Alba a’ rannsachadh mar a tha feisealachd air a riochdachadh ann an cruinneachaidhean an Leabharlainn airson a’ phrògram aithriseach ‘Feise ann an Gàidhlig’.
Tha Leabhar Deadhan Lios Mòr air aon de na làmh-sgrìobhainnean litreachais Gàidhlig as luachmhoire san Leabharlann. Tha e cho cudromach is gun deach a chur ri clàr Cuimhne an t-Saoghail aig UNESCO ann an 2018 cho math ri nithean eile bho chruinneachaidhean Gàidhlig an Leabharlainn.
Chaidh an làmh-sgrìobhainn a chur ri chèile le Seumas MacGriogair (1480–1551), ris an canar cuideachd Deadhan Lios Mòr, sa chiad leth den 16mh linn. Is e bàrdachd Ghàidhlig as motha a th’ anns an leabhar, cho math ri beagan nithean eile ann an Scots, Laideann agus Beurla cuideachd.
Thuirt Ceannard Làmh-sgrìobhainnean an Leabharlainn Nàiseanta, Chris Cassells:
“Nuair a bhiodh tu a’ fuireach aig taigh caraid san 16mh linn, bha e na chleachdadh a bhith ag aithris nan òran, sgeulachdan agus dàn as fheàrr agad dhan neach-aoigheachd agad. Tha sinn a’ smaoineachadh gun do thadhail Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin air Seumas MacGriogair ann an Siorrachd Pheairt timcheall air a’ bhliadhna 1500.
“Nuair a dh’aithris Iseabail a cuid bàrdachd dhan Ghriogarach, chan eil fhios againn an robh no nach robh fios aice gun robh e na chleachdadh aige a bhith a’ sgrìobhadh sìos nan rudan a b’ fheàrr leis. Mar thoradh air an dàn, tha Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin air fàs aithnichte ann an cearcallan sònraichte mar sgrìobhadair bàrdachd earotaigeach anns na Meadhan Aoisean - àm far nach biomaid an dùil ri saoradh feiseil mar as àbhaist.
“Bho Father Peter ann an ‘Derry Girls’ le Lisa McGee gu ‘Fleabag’ chun na fho-ghnè sgrìobhaidh a tha a’ sìor fhàs de nobhailean romansa-sagairt, tha an archetype de ‘shagart pìosail’ fhathast cumanta às dèidh 500 bliadhna. Tha dàn Iseabail a’ sealltainn nach e rud ùr a tha seo. Is beag an t-iongnadh gun robh prìomh àite aig an dàn seo sa phrògram aithriseach aig BBC Alba."
Is dòcha nach eil an dàn seo deagh-aithnichte mar thoradh air beachd nan sgoilearan air thar nan linntean. Ged a chaidh Leabhar Deadhan Lios Mòr fhoillseachadh agus eadar-theangachaidh iomadh turas, chaidh an dàn seo, no an drabastachd na lùib, fhàgail às. Is dòcha gus e seo as adhbhar nach eil an dàn nas aithnichte.
“Thuirt Chris Cassells cuideachd:
“’S e aon de na rudan as fheàrr mu na cruinneachaidhean againn cho measgaichte ’s a tha iad. Is urrainn dhut a dhol air ais gu rudeigin air a bheil thu gu math eòlach, leithid Leabhar Deadhan Lios Mòr, agus lorgaidh tu seudan mar seo as fhiach tòrr sgrùdadh a bharrachd.
Tha trì dàin le Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin air an glèidheadh ann an Leabhar Deadhan Lios Mòr – ‘Atá fleasgach air mo thí’, ‘Éistibh a luchd an tighe-se’ agus ‘Is mairg dá ngalar an grádh’.
Ged a tha mòran anns an leabhar a tha a rèir beachdan co-aimsireil, leithid dàn cràbhach air an Òigh Mhoire agus air leanabachd Chrìosd, tha ‘Éistibh a luchd an tighe-se’ air a mhìneachadh le Tòmas Clancy, Àrd-ollamh na Ceiltis aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu, mar “bhòstadh gu math drabasta dhan chùirt air meud agus comasachd bod sagart an taighe aice”.
Tha an dàn a’ gabhail a-steach an rann a leanas:
“Bod mo shagairt thuarasdail
cé tá cho fada seasmhach;
o tha céin ní chualabhair
an reabh atá ina mhacan."
Tha Leabhar Deadhan Lios Mòr air fad ri fhaighinn ann an cruth dhidseatach agus ri fhaicinn air làrach-lìn an Leabharlainn.
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Notes to editors
Notes to editors
During the 17th and 18th centuries only seven Gaelic manuscripts made their way into the Advocates Library, the predecessor of the National Library of Scotland. Four of these were unsolicited donations, the remaining three were bought in one lot from a financially troubled printer and bookseller.
But in the later 18th century, James Macpherson's Ossianic poetry sparked a new interest in Gaelic traditions. Greater efforts were made to collect and preserve this written heritage. The 19th century therefore saw a significant expansion of the Gaelic manuscript holdings.
The Gaelic texts are not written in the Gaelic hand and spelling that was common at the time. Instead, both orthography and handwriting are based on 16th-century Scots writing, which adds a special linguistic interest to the volume. It allows us an insight into the writer's own regional Perthshire pronunciation, which would normally have been hidden behind the classical Gaelic spelling.
The manuscript is housed in a safe and subject to special conditions of access. Contact Manuscripts Collections for further information.
The full poem discussed in the above article follows, first in Gaelic, then in English.
Nòtaichean do Luchd-deasachaidh
San 17mh agus san 18mh linn cha deach ach seachd làmh-sgrìobhainnean Gàidhlig a chruinneachadh le Leabharlann an Luchd-tagraidh, am prìomh leabharlann mus deach Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba a stèidheachadh. Bha ceithir dhiubh sin nan tabhartasan a thàinig gun sireadh, gun iarraidh agus chaidh na trì eile a cheannach còmhla bho chlò-bhualadair agus neach-reic leabhraichean a bha ann an droch shuidheachadh a thaobh ionmhais.
Ach thog bàrdachd Oiseanach Sheumais MhicMhuirich ùidh ùr ann an dualchas na Gàidhlig aig deireadh na 18mh linn. Chaidh oidhirpean nas motha a dhèanamh gus an dualchas sgrìobhte seo a chruinneachadh agus a ghleidheadh. Mar sin, bha leudachadh mòr anns a’ chruinneachadh de sgrìobhainnean Gàidhlig san 19mh linn.
Chan eil na teacsaichean Gàidhlig ann an Leabhar Deadhan Lìos Mòr sgrìobhte anns an litreachadh no dòigh-sgrìobhaidh Ghàidhlig a bha cumanta aig an àm. An àite seo, tha an dà chuid an litreachadh agus an dòigh-sgrìobhaidh stèidhichte air dòigh-sgrìobhaidh na Scots san 16mh linn, rud a tha a’ fàgail gu bheil an leabhar seo gu math inntinneach a thaobh cànain. Tha e a’ toirt blas dhuinn den fhuaimneachadh sgìreil a bhiodh aig an sgrìobhadair, a bha à Siorrachd Pheairt, a bhiodh falaichte le litreachadh clasaigeach na Gàidhlig mar as àbhaist.
Tha an làmh-sgrìobhainn ann an àite sàbhailte agus fo chumhachan inntrigidh sònraichte. Cuir fios gu Cruinneachadh nan Làmh-sgrìobhainnean airson barrachd fiosrachaidh.
Tha an dàn air fad air a bheilear a’ beachdachadh san artaigil gu h-àrd a’ leantainn, sa Ghàidhlig an toiseach, agus an uair sin sa Bheurla.
Éistibh a luchd an tighe-se
Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin (fl.1500)
Éistibh a luchd an tighe-se
re scél na mbod brioghmhar
do shanntaich mo chridhe-sa
cuid dana scéalaibh do sgriobhadh.
Cé líonmhor bod bréagh-bhileach
do bhí san aimsir romhainn
tá aig fear an úird chrábhaidh seo
bod as cho mór righinn.
Bod mo shagairt thuarasdail
cé tá cho fada seasmhach
o tha céin ní chualabhair
an reabh atá ina mhacan.
Atá a riabh ro-reamhar
an sin ’s ní h-é scéal bréagach
nocha chuala cho-reamhar
mhotha bhod arís.
Éistibh!
Listen, everyone in the house,
Iseabail Ní Mheic Cailéin (fl.1500)
Listen, everyone in the house,
to the tales that have been written
of the energetic cocks
with which my heart is smitten.
Forget the fine-lipped cocks
so plentiful in the past:
this man of holy orders
has a cock at least as vast.
The cock of my salaried priest
is not only lasting and long;
you won’t have heard, in ages,
of such a wide dong.
It has always been this thick –
I promise these aren’t lies –
you’ll never again hear of a cock
comparable in size.
Listen!