15th century manuscript for a digital age

THE Book of Lismore might not have been envisioned as an e-book or a handy little iPad app, yet the rare 15th century manuscript has much in common with 21st century communications, according to UCC president Michael Murphy.

Speaking yesterday at the launch of the first ever public exhibition of the book, being hosted at the university’s Glucksman Gallery, Dr Murphy compared digital enhancement of online and e-book texts with the care taken by scribes to produce works of great beauty and permanence.

“It is extraordinary to think that this vellum manuscript is making its first public appearance in the digital age. It was written by different scribes at different times and has been annotated and illustrated liberally, so the e-book has more in common with this medieval manuscript than, say a novel you will find in a book store.”