Ireland, (ca. 16th cent.)
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Pig Playing Bagpipes
- [MS D ii 2, Dinnshenchas Érenn, f. 34 r]
- (ca. 16th cent.), pigments on vellum
- 27.9 × 20.3 cm. (11 × 8 in.)
- Royal Irish Academy
- full page view
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Editor’s Note:
In this 16th century copy of Dinnshenchas Érenn, f. 34, the image of a pig playing its bagpipe creates an illuminated zoomorphic capital M for the poem “Matan do Choin na Cerdda” on the origin of the place name Srub Brain in Co. Kerry, although there are no pigs mentioned in the text.
About the Artist:
Anonymous. Ireland, (ca. 16th cent.). The Dinnshenchas Érenn, (Gaelic: “Lore of Places”), is a class of onomastic text, written in early Irish prose and verse. It recounts the origins of Irish place-names and traditions. People, hills, streams, raths (strongholds of ancient Irish chiefs), mounds, and rocks are amoung subjects.
Many of the legends related also concern the acts of mythic and legendary figures. Thus, the Dinnshenchas Érenn has been an important source for the study of Irish mythology. SEE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dindsenchas
The Dinnshenchas Érenn is known today from written sources. But it is clearly a product of oral literature and structured so. As such it is a mnemonic aid as well as a form of entertainment. Many versions and additions exist, added or reworked by later writers. As such, they are far from an accurate history of how places or traditions came to be. [03/26 DES]
Additional information:
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Also, in 2018, the An Post – the Irish Postal Service – released a €1 stamp to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of The Society of Uilleann Pipers, also referred to as Na Píobairí Uilleann or the NPU. Here are images of the stamps:
- More on the Irish Piping Pig Stamp
- Na Píobairí Uilleann – The Society of Uilleann Pipers
- Buy a logo t-shirt of the piping pig!