SOMETIMES AN APOLOGY IS SUFFICIENT... AND PAYMENT OF COSTS
Peter Mullowney of Newport, Mayo, Ireland
A Court case over the opening of the Cathach.
Lady O'Donel against Sir Wm. Betham, Knt.
This, action which had excited so much public interest came off to be tried during the Sittings after the last Term, and after the Jury had been called, a proposal was made on the part of Sir W. Betham to make an ample apology to Lady O'Donel, for his conduct, and to pay her Ladyship's costs.— The Counsel of Lady O'Donel, aware of her sentiments, and that pecuniary damages were not her object, acceded to the proposal, and dictated the following apology, which was signed by Sir William Betham:-
"Sir William Betham most respectfully presents his compliments to Lady O'Donel, and begs to assure her, that he sincerely laments his having indiscreetly opened the sacred and ancient Relic of the O'Donel family committed by her to his care. Sir William assures her Ladyship that such, his conduct, was occasioned by an anxious curiosity to explore the contents of so ancient a relic, and not at all from the slightest intention of violating its sanctity, or wounding her Ladyship's feelings. For such, his conduct, Sir William expresses his most unfeigned contrition, and places this apology in the hands of Lady O'Donel, to be used in such way as her Ladyship should think proper.
(Signed) "William Betham”
The above apology should have been published immediately after it was signed, but Sir William Betham having refused until lately to pay Lady O'Donel's costs, which, on taxation, amounted to £264. 8s. 4d., it was apprehended it might become necessary for her Ladyship to bring this cause again before the original tribunal, a Jury of the Country. Sir William having, in the present Term completed his engagement, by paying her Ladyship's coats, has put an end to further legal discussion on the subject.
Freemans Journal, November 28, 1815
Colmán Ó Raghallaigh
Member of County Mayo History & Heritage
The Cathach is one of the most important manuscripts from early medieval Ireland and dates to the late 6th or early 7th century. It is part of a Psalter (Old Irish 'saltar') or 'Book of the Psalms' written in Latin and contains a version of a number of psalms. However, like many early manuscripts much of it is missing. It is traditionally ascribed to St. Colmcille and has a long connection with the Ó Domhnaill clan as the article above indicates. The following is an account on the RIA website. Written in Latin. The Cathach is the oldest extant Irish manuscript of the Psalter and the earliest example of Irish writing. It contains a Vulgate version of Psalms XXX (10) to CV (13) with an interpretative rubric or heading before each psalm. It is traditionally ascribed to St Columba as the copy, made at night in haste by a miraculous light, of a Psalter lent to Colm Cille Columba by St Finnian. A dispute arose about the ownership of the copy and King Diarmait Mac Cerbhaill gave the judgement ‘To every cow belongs her calf, therefore to every book belongs its copy’. The arbitration failed and the Psalter of St Columba passed into the hands of the O'Donnells after the battle of Cul Dremhne in A.D. 561. St Columba went to Iona in A.D. 563. It is possible to date the manuscript to the late 6th or early 7th century from the script, but modern historical scholarship has cast doubts on St Columba's authorship.
The Psalter remained in the possession of the O’Donnells but in the custody of the Mac Robhartaigh family at Ballymagroarty, Co. Donegal. Between 1062 and 1098 a special cumdach or shrine was made for it and the manuscript was named ‘Cathach’ or ‘Battler’ from the practice of carrying it thrice right-hand-wise around the field of battle as a talisman. It was taken to France in 1691 and brought back to Sir Neal O'Donel, Newport, Co. Mayo, in 1802. The manuscript was discovered in 1813 when the cumdach was opened by Sir William Betham. It was deposited in the Academy by Sir Richard O'Donel in 1843.
The script, in the hand of a single scribe, is early majuscule with ornamental capitals, some of which are in red and, like the red in the lettering for the rubrics, the colour has faded. The framework of the capitals is often outlined by a series of scarlet dots and the decoration consists mostly of spirals and animal heads. The capitals do not stand out from the text but are drawn in by a series of letters of diminishing size.
The leaves when taken from the casket were caked together and cockled. In 1920, in the British Museum Bindery, the leaves were separated and mounted in paper frames and the butt joints were overlaid with white net. In 1980-1 further repair and rebinding work was carried out by Roger Powell and his assistant, Dorothy Cumpstey, at a cost of £6,150Stg for the repair and £250Stg for the case. The paper mounting, from which the vellum leaves had come adrift, was replaced by new vellum mounts specially stained to match the colour of the original leaves. Pieces of degreased fish skin were used for joining butted edges in the vellum mounts. The leaves, assembled in sections, were sewn within a zig-zag of hand-made paper onto cords and bound in English oak boards. The spine was covered in white alum-tawed pigskin. To keep the vellum under pressure and to prevent cockling, the rebound manuscript was put into a special box designed by David Powell and made by George Taylor in Edward Barnsley's workshop.
The Cathach was published in CD-ROM format by the Academy in 2002.
The late 11th-century shrine (cumdach) of the Cathach, made by Sitric of Kells, Co. Meath to the order of Cathbarr O’Donnell, may be seen in the National Museum of Ireland.