Life
1872-1959 [usually R. I. Best]; b. Derry, ed. Foyle College, worked in
a bank; studied Old Irish in Paris; met Synge and Kuno Meyer; Asst. Dir.
National Library 1904; m. Edith Oldham, musician, dg. Professor C. H.
Oldham of UCD, 1906; Dir. National Library 1924-40; Snr. Prof. Celtic
Studies, DIAS, 1940; chairman of MSS Commission and Hon. Fellow Bib. Soc.
of Ireland; Res. RIA, 1943-46; Leibniz Medal of Royal Prussian Academy,
1914; hon. docts. NUI & TCD; published works include The Irish
Mythological Cycle and Celtic Mythology (1903); The Martyrology
of Tallaght (1931); and The Book of Leinster, formerly Lebar na
Nuachongbála (1954-67), with Bergin and O’Brien; retired
1947; Chairman of Irish Manuscripts Commission, 1948-56; d. 25 Sept.,
at his home, 57 Upr. Leeson St.; he is a character in the National Library
Scene of Ulysses (‘Scylla and Charybdis’). DIB DIH
DUB OCIL
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Works
(Selected,) Bibliography of Irish Philology and of Printed Irish
Literature (Dublin: DIAS 1913); Bibliography of Irish Philology
and Manuscript Literature, Publications 1913-1941 [2 vols.] [Dublin
Institute of Advanced Studies] (Dublin: Browne & Nolan 1942); also
trans. of D. Arbois Jubainville’s The Irish Mythological Cycle
and Celtic Mythology (Dublin: Hodges, Figgis 1903); [?with Bergin
and O’Brien], ed., The Martyrology of Tallaght (1931).
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Notes
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS], 1996 Catalogue lists:
Bibliography of Irish Philology and of Printed Irish Material (Dublin
1913; 1992) [rep. with augmented indexes; orig. 1913)], xii, 339pp. 1
85500 159 4]; The Book of Leinster, formerly Lebar na Núachongbála,
6 vols. [1 85500 036 9]: Vol. I, ed. Best, Osborn Bergin, and M. A. O’Brien
(1954). xxvi, 260pp., pls. [1 85500 037 7]; Vol. II, ed. and O’Brien
(1956). xi, 261-470pp., pls 1 85500 038 5]; Vol. III, ed. Best and O’Brien
(1957), xix, 471-760pp. 1 85500 039 3 B 3.2.4]; Vol. IV, ed. Best and
O’Brien (1965). xvii, 761–1117pp. [1 85500 040 7}; Vol. V, ed.
R. and O’Brien (1967). xvi, 1119–1325pp.; [1 85500 041 5]; Vol.
VI, ed. Anne O’Sullivan (1983), xv, 1327-1708pp. [0 901282 76 6];
also, with M. A. O’Brien, ed., Togail Troí from Book of Leinster
(1966), 1063-1117pp. [1 85500 071 7] [diplomatic edition without translation
or commentary, from The Book of Leinster (2965 edn., as supra), Vol. IV].
De Burca Books (Cat. 44; 1997) lists with Rudolf Thurneysen, Facsimile in Collotype of Irish manuscripts - The Oldest Fragments of the Sencas Mar with descriptive introduction (Dublin: Sol. Oif. 1931), xv, 56 [ltd. edn. 360].
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Portrait of Mrs Best in wash and brush port by Sarah Celia Harrison
held in National Gallery of Ireland; drawing of R I Best in lead pencil,
by Seán O’Sullivan, July 1938 Harrison held in National Gallery
of Ireland.
Myles na gCopaleen [Flann O’Brien] satirised Best, with others, in "Binchy and Bergin and Best" [‘My song is concern’/Three sons of great learnin’/Binchy and Bergin and Best [...&c.] (See The Best of Myles, London: Grafton 1987; Paladin edn. 1992, pp.266-67; also under Flann O’Brien, infra.)
James Joyce: Richard Ellmann writes, ‘After his [Joyce's] death, when the [BBC] was preparing a long program about him, its prerpresentatives went to Dublin and approached Dr Richard Best to as him to participate in a radio interview. “What makes you come to me?” he said truculently. “What makes you think I have any connection with this man Joyce?” “But you can't deny your connection”, said the men of the BBC, “After all, you're a character in Ulysses.” best drew himself up and retored, “I am not a charater in fiction. I am a living being.”’ (Interview with John Garvin, 1953; supported with minor demurs by Best in interview with Ellmann.)
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Princess Grace Irish Library (Monaco)