A versified cure for headache and some lexicographical notes

Abstract

This contribution presents a previously unpublished didactic poem that forms part of a collection of medieval Irish medical remedies now preserved in two separate Royal Irish Academy manuscripts. The poem consists of a versified cure for headache, and calls for ivy that has been gathered from seven different types of tree to be boiled together to create a wash or lotion for the head. In addition to providing an edition and translation of the poem, the discussion also considers its wider context and offers some lexicographical notes on various terms that occur in the composition.