Title: The Old Irish hymns of the Liber Hymnorum
Description: The eleventh-century Irish Liber Hymnorum, or 'book of hymns,' contains hymns in both Latin and Irish vernacular language. Most of these texts considerably predate this collection. While the role of the Latin hymns in the medieval Irish liturgy has long been understood, this dissertation addresses the vernacular hymns. It argues that evidence from other sources, including hagiographic and penitential texts, shows that vernacular hymns were used in paraliturgical devotion in medieval Ireland. Furthermore, detailed studies of these vernacular hymns reveal their dependence on Latin hymnody and liturgical literature, demonstrating the closeness of Latin and vernacular hymnody in medieval Ireland.