Dunvegan Cup - History - Differing Transcriptions

Differing Transcriptions

Scott attempted to transcribe the Latin inscription on the silver rim of the cup. His early attempt at transcribing the inscription differs significantly from later attempts by others. Scott's transcription and translation is as follows.

Scott's rendering of the cup's inscription made him believe that it was a Hebridean drinking cup, dating from the year 993. Scott also declared that Macleod tradition had it that the cup had once belonged to "Neil Ghlune-Dhu, or Black-knee. But who this Neil was, no one pretends to say". In about 1851, Sir Daniel Wilson documented the cup in his The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland, following along the same lines as Scott. Wilson made only a few minor edits to Scott's rendering of the Latin inscription, but at the time he had not seen the cup. After certain correspondence and the aid of William Forbes Skene, Wilson was able to examine the cup in person and later amended his analysis. His subsequent rendering of the inscription was vastly different to Scott's, and Wilson concluded that the cup was a product of Irish craftsmanship, rather than of Scottish origin. Wilson's new rendering of the inscription had the cup belonging to a "Katharina nig Ryneill"; and he considered that the John, son of the Maguire, who was mentioned in the transcription, was the same as the one mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters in the year 1484. Wilson stated that this John died in 1511, and that his wife was unknown; but that a Catherine, who was the daughter of MacRannal, was married to a Maguire, and her death is mentioned in the year 1490.

At about the same time, Eugene O'Curry, of the Brehon Law Commission, examined the cup and transcribed the inscription. Alexander Nesbitt noted O'Curry's transcription and pointed out that the last part of the inscription was from the fifteenth verse of the 145th Psalm. O'Curry's rendering of the woman's name was "Katherina ingen ui Neill"—making her an O'Neill, rather than a MacRannal. Nesbitt noted that John Maguire is recorded several times in the Annals of the Four Masters; and that he became one of the chiefs of the Maguires in 1484. Nesbitt stated that John Maguire died in 1503; and that he could not find the Katharine O'Neill, within the annals.

Later, Roderick Charles MacLeod transcribed the inscription; giving the woman's name as "Katharina Nig Ry Neil"—Katharina, daughter of King Neil. R.C. MacLeod declared that Macleod legend assigned the cup to Niall Glúndub, and that the cup might have passed down to her from him, or that the cup was attributed to him by his descendants. R.C. MacLeod later claimed that it was traditionally given that the wooden bowl dated from the 10th century, and that it was the property of Niall Glúndub, the 10th century Irish king of Cenél nEógain, R.C. MacLeod does not rule out the possibility of the ornamentation having been added to the cup at a later date; the silver work dates, at the earliest, from the 14th century and the dated inscription puts it at 1493.