This website is copyright of the owner, and elements thereon may only be used by permission or by proper attribution, in conformity with copyright legislation in the Republic of Ireland. The antiquity of Ireland's copyright heritage hails back way beyond the Statute of Anne, to the Brehon Law whereby "to each cow belongs its calf, and to each book its copy". The Statute of Anne was enacted in the regnal year 1709 to 1710, and entered into force on 10 April 1710. However Brehon Law dates back to the case of Saint Columba, or ColmCille (Dove of the Church), who lived from 521 to 597 AD. ColmCille was a Prince of the Cenél Chonaill of Tyrconnell, and firstly, patron saint of his kinsfolk, the O'Donnells of Tyrconnell. He is also one of the Apostles of Ireland and of Scotland, and reknowned for his copy of the Psalms, the Cathach (Battle-Book), now in custody of the Royal Irish Academy and historically owned by the O'Donnell dynasty. It is Ireland's oldest manuscript, and legend has it that it was his copying of an original owned by St. Finian under whom he studied, which led to a judgment by the High-King of Ireland, Diarmait, who ruled in Finian's favour, leading to the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne, and ColmCille's exile and evangelisation of Scotland.
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