UCC to reveal secrets in Ireland's most ancient texts using newly purchased technology

University College Cork (UCC), using state-of-the-art technology purchased thanks to a philanthropic donation, is to peel back layers of history and reveal the secrets of some of Ireland’s most ancient texts.

Following what UCC describes as a “generous donation” from Brian McCarthy, founder of Killorglin-based financial services company Fexco, the university has taken ownership of equipment that will allow the analysis of manuscripts through the creation of a unique set of page-by-page images from infra-red to ultra-violet.

The new images, generated by a multi-spectral imaging (MSI) system for spectroscopy, will reveal never-seen-before writings and marks that have been obscured for centuries.

The new research will build upon the previous work by UCC’s Inks and Skins project, established by Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin for the investigation of Irish manuscripts.

Its findings will form a comprehensive profile of the structure and contents of ancient manuscripts that are the central element of Ireland’s written heritage.

Prof Ó Macháin’s work with spectroscopy has already revealed previously obscured writing featured in medieval manuscripts, such as the Book of Uí Mhaine and the Stowe Missal.

The first manuscript to be analysed by the McCarthy MSI Irish Manuscript Project will be the 15th century Book of Lismore, which was donated to UCC in 2020 by the Duke of Devonshire.

Created in Kilbrittain, 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.

UCC president, Professor John O’Halloran, thanked Mr McCarthy and Fexco for the donation, which he said would enable scholars to better analyse ancient texts. 

“These are among the first manuscripts to preserve much of our history and cultural heritage. 

“This gift will empower Prof Ó Macháin and his team to give us a better understanding of the roots of our identity,” Prof O’Halloran said.

Prof Ó Macháin said the story of the hand-written book was 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.”