The Hibernensis. Book 1: A study and edition ed. by Roy Flechner, and: The Hibernensis. Book 2: Translation, commentary, and indexes ed. by Roy Flechner (review)

The Collectio canonum Hibernensis (CCH) is probably the most important text (or group of texts) emanating from early medieval Ireland which has yet to be edited to modern standards. Compiled in Ireland in the late seventh or early eighth century from a vast range of canonical sources, it is the largest canon-law collection from Carolingian Europe. Its general importance cannot be over-stated, but it is particularly important for our understanding of the history of the church in early medieval Ireland. If CCH itself has had a long history, then the editing of it has a history that seems almost as long. Detailed discussion about the text began in the mid-nineteenth century between Hermann Wasserschleben (who produced the first edition of CCH A in 1874 [second edition in 1885]: Die irische Kanonensammlung) and Henry Bradshaw, who had discovered some of the important manuscripts of the Breton strand of the tradition on his travels in search of Breton glosses at about the same period. Celticists have always been interested in it as many of its manuscripts are glossed in the Celtic vernaculars. Attempts to produce a new edition all came to nothing during the twentieth century (for discussion, see pp.