Book of Dimma (TCD MS 59)

Evangelist portrait of St Matthew holding his gospel, p. 2.

Colloquial name(s): Book of Dimma

Official name(s): Trinity College Dublin MS 59 (formerly MS A.4.23)

Date: second half of 8th Century (source)

Origin: Roscrea(?), Ireland (source)

Online facsimile available via: Trinity College Dublin Digital Collections

This manuscript is a pocket gospel book traditionally attributed to the scribe Dimma due to his name appearing in colophons at pp. 29, 52 and 148 (source). However, these colophons have been altered in the late 10th or early 11th C and the unaltered colophon on p. 103 reveals that it was the work of the scribe Dianchride (source). The manuscript was originally from the Abbey of Roscrea, founded by St Cronan in county Tipperary, Ireland (source). The colophons were altered to connect the book to an episode from the life of St Cronan, and thus enhance the holy nature of the book (source).

The manuscript contains the following (source):

• pp. 2-29: Gospel of Matthew
• pp. 30-52: Gospel of Mark
• pp. 54-98: Gospel of Luke
• pp. 104-148: Gospel of John
• pp. 99-103: service for visitation of the sick (the missa de infirmis), added later (9th C?)

Its bronze and silver shrine (a 'cumdach') set with blue stone cabochons (lapis lazuli?) and the remains of niello inlay, made in the 12th C and significantly altered in the late 14th or early 15th C, also is preserved (source).

List of illustrations (source):

p. 2	Full page: evangelist portrait of St Matthew, holding his gospel.
p. 30	Full page: evangelist portrait of St Mark, holding his gospel.
p. 54	Full page: evangelist portrait of St Luke, holding his gospel.
p. 104	Full page: evangelist symbol of St John: the eagle of St John holding his gospel.