Press Releases
Scoth na Leabhar – Buíochas d’fhear as Essex as an chéad leagan Gaeilge don Bhíobla
English translation below
Foilsíodh an chéad leagan Gaeilge den Sean–Tiomna in Éirinn i 1685. A bhuíochas sin d’fhear as Essex! Ba é an tEaspag Uilliam Bedell, Easpag na Cille Móire de chuid Eaglais na hÉireann, a bhí i mbun an aistriúcháin. Tháinig sé go hÉirinn nuair a bhí sé sna caogaidí agus ní raibh focal Gaeilge aige. Bhí sé mar Phropast ar Choláiste na Tríonóide tráth dá raibh. De réir leabhar Risteárd Giltrap, scríobh sé litir a rá ‘gurbh é an chéad rud a bhí le déanamh aige in Éirinn ná tuiscint a fháil ar teanga na tíre’. Tá an Bíobla seo, ‘Bíobla Bhedell’ mar chuid den taispeántas atá ar siúl sa lusca in Ardteampall Chríost i mBaile Átha Cliath. Cúlra Bunaíodh Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise sa bhliain 1914 chun (1) meon na Sean–Eaglaise Ceiltí a choimeád beo in Eaglais na hÉireann agus baill na hEaglaise a chuireann spéis sa Ghaelachas a bhailiú le chéile, (2) úsáid na Gaeilge a leathnú san Eaglais, (3) iomainn agus ábhar diaga eile a bhailiú ó litríocht na Gaeilge agus (4) ceol agus ealaíon Éireannach a chur ar aghaidh in imeachtaí na hEaglaise. Background Information Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise: The Irish Guild of the Church was founded in 1914 to (1) promote all that tends to preserve within the Church of Ireland the spirit of the ancient Celtic Church and to provide a bond of union for all members of the Church of Ireland inspired with Irish ideals, (2) promote the use of the Irish language in the Church, (3) collect from Irish sources suitable hymns and other devotional literature, (4) encourage the use of Irish art and music in the Church. Cúlra Bunaíodh Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise sa bhliain 1914 chun (1) meon na Sean–Eaglaise Ceiltí a choimeád beo in Eaglais na hÉireann agus baill na hEaglaise a chuireann spéis sa Ghaelachas a bhailiú le chéile, (2) úsáid na Gaeilge a leathnú san Eaglais, (3) iomainn agus ábhar diaga eile a bhailiú ó litríocht na Gaeilge agus (4) ceol agus ealaíon Éireannach a chur ar aghaidh in imeachtaí na hEaglaise. Background Information Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise: The Irish Guild of the Church was founded in 1914 to (1) promote all that tends to preserve within the Church of Ireland the spirit of the ancient Celtic Church and to provide a bond of union for all members of the Church of Ireland inspired with Irish ideals, (2) promote the use of the Irish language in the Church, (3) collect from Irish sources suitable hymns and other devotional literature, (4) encourage the use of Irish art and music in the Church.
Tá an taispeántas seo, “Scoth na Leabhar”, ag ceiliúradh 400 bliain ó fhoilsiú Leagan Údaraithe an Bhíobla, nó Bíobla Rí Séamas (mar a thugtar air chomh maith) i 1611. Ócáid shuntasach ba ea foilsiú Bhíobla Rí Séamas. Cheap an Rí Séamas ceithre scoláire is daichead chun cabhrú leis an aistriúchán. Bhain na haistritheoirí leas as gach bun–fhoinse a raibh fáil orthu chomh maith le haistriúcháin Bhíoblaí Tyndale, Coverdale, na Ginéive, mar aon le haistriúchán Caitliceach Rheims ar an Tiomna Nua, a cuireadh le chéile i 1582. Mhol Jonathan Swift é nuair a scríobh sé gurb é ‘an t–aon sárshaothar liteartha a chuir coiste ar fáil riamh’!
Tá an t–eolas seo agus tuilleadh ar fáil ag an taispeántas. Tá leagan Gaeilge den Chatalóg ann agus tá na painéil go léir dátheangach. B’fhiú an t–atmaisféar sa lusca a bhlaiseadh! Tá bialann ann freisin. Tá an taispeántas ar siúl gach lá idir anois agus deireadh mhí Eanáir.
CUMANN GAELACH NA hEAGLAISE / The Irish Guild of the Church
The ‘best of books’ – The first Irish translation of the Bible by the man from Essex!
The first Irish translation of the Old Testament in Ireland was published in 1685. Thanks to a man from Essex! Bishop William Bedell, an Anglican bishop, came to Ireland when he was in his fifties and was appointed Provost of Trinity College Dublin. He did not have a word of Irish but was a noted linguist. According to Giltrap’s account of him, he wrote a letter shortly after his arrival stating that the first thing he had to do was to get an understanding of the language of the country. He organised the first Irish version of the Bible and Bedell’s Bible, as it is known forms part of the exhibition that is taking place in the crypt in Christ Church Cathedral.
The exhibition marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the Authorised Version of the Holy Bible (sometimes known as the ‘King James Bible’) in 1611.The publication of the Bible was a momentous occasion. King James I appointed 44 scholars to work on the translations. The translators drew on all available resources, including Tyndale, Coverdale, the Geneva Bible and the Rheims Catholic translation of the New Testament that was produced in 1582. Jonathan Swift wrote that it was the greatest piece of literature ever produced by a committee!
All this information and more is available. There is an Irish language copy of the catalogue that is full of information and all the exhibition panels are bilingual.
It is worth visiting the crypt to feel the atmosphere and maybe even get a cup of coffee in the restaurant. The exhibition is running from now until the end of January.
CUMANN GAELACH NA hEAGLAISE / The Irish Guild of the Church