Manuscripts and Books

The De Hindeberg library is situated in the main building of the 25-acre campus at Coláiste na Rinne. It contains a collection of books and manuscripts  bequeathed to the College by one of its esteemed founders, Dr Richard Henebry.

View an introduction to the collection here by Library convener Dr Aoibheann Nic Dhonnchadha

Among the most valuable treasures in this bequest are Irish manuscripts dating from the 19th century, which Dr Henebry had acquired at various periods during his life and which he had bound some years prior to his death. These include manuscripts by such well-known figures as Amhlaoibh Ó Súilleabháin (1780-1838), Callan, Co. Kilkenny, writing in 1812 and Mícheál Óg Ó Longáin (1766-1837), writing in Carrignavar, Co. Cork,  in 1813.

The bequest also contains manuscripts by two otherwise unattested scribes,  Seán Ó Súilleabháin,  Rylane, Aghabulloge,  Co. Cork, writing in 1819 and Tomás Ó hÉigeartaigh,  Rosscarbery, Co. Cork, writing in 1839.

Dr. Richard Henebry (1863 – 1916)002
Extracts from the above four manuscripts are included in the slide show opposite.Among the more valuable books in the bequest are  facsimiles of medieval Irish manuscripts:  Leabhar na hUidhre (1870),  An Leabhar Breac (1872-6), Leabhar Laighean (1880)  and Leabhar Bhaile an Mhóta (1887). presimage

Other Valuable Resources

There are several journals and a number of copy-books in the collection. The copy-books comprise notes in German that Risteard took while he was attending lectures in Freiburg and in Greifswald in 1896-8. They contain occasional sentences in Irish.

Other treasures were gifted to the Library thereafter:

  • Liam Ó Míodhacháin (1874-1960), author, scholar and businessman, presented a copy of Keating’s `Foras Feasa ar Éirinn’, transcribed in 1893-4 by Pádraig Ó Cearmada, Mill House, Kilrossanty, Co. Waterford.
  • Among the best known and most researched of the Library’s holdings is a collection of notebooks in Irish, written by Archbishop Michael Sheehan (1870–1945) and presented to the College in 1945 by Nicholas Barron, the Archbishop’s nephew. These formed the basis for a major research work by Risteard B. Breatnach, Sean-chaint na nDéise II: Studies in the vocabulary and idiom of Déise Irish based mainly on material collected by Archbishop Michael Sheehan (1870–1945) (Dublin 1961).
  • In 1997, Tomás Ó Cadhla, Gort na Daibhche, An Rinn, presented a collection of papers that had belonged to his uncle, Seaán Ó Cadhla (1884-1918), author of Cathair Phortláirge agus na Déise (1917).
  • In 2013 Seán Mac Cárthaigh, Dungarvan, donated on permanent loan a manuscript written during the period 1848-50 in Ballykeroge, Kilrossanty, by Nicholas Foran and members of the Gough family.

Library Development

Leabharlann de Hindeberg is managed by Coláiste na Rinne and curated by the Library Committee, whose Convenor is Dr Aoibheann Nic Dhonnchadha, a past pupil of Scoil na Leanaí.

As a result of funding generously made available by Waterford Leader Partnership, Leabharlann de Hindeberg has recently opened a newly-refurbished Research Reading Room where visitors are welcome to consult the Library’s treasures.