La cach mboin a boinín.

La cach mboin a boinín.

(with * each * cow * her * calf)

To every cow her calf. The calf belongs to the cow.

This was King Diarmait Mac Cerbaill’s judgment in the famous (and probably fictitious) copyright case that ensued when Colum Cille made an unauthorized copy of a book belonging to St. Finnén. In other words, the copy of the book belonged to Finnén, not to Colum Cille. Irish saints were notoriously strong-willed, and Colum Cille simply refused to accept the verdict. Versions of this decision are found in the Annals of the Four Masters, in “Foras Feasa ar Éirinn”, and elsewhere in Irish literature, including the story of Noidhiu Nae-mbreathach in the Yellow Book of Lethan (ZCP 19.48-52), where it has nothing to do with copied books. “Betha Colaim Chille”, a 16th century biography of the saint, adds the line “le cach lebar a lebrán” (to every book its little book) by way of further clarification, and Keating (“Foras Feasa”, Book I-II, Section 10) adds “leis gach leabhar a mhaicleabhar”.

Topics: Maxims & Wise Counsel