On the dating of the Corpus Irish missal

The Corpus missal is important for an understanding of the Irish church on the eve of the twelfth-century reform. This paper seeks to support by other evidence the eleventh-century dating of Gwynn and others. Certain textual evidence indicates an early but ill-defined date. By reference to the chronological evolution of a particular liturgical practice a terminus post quem is determined. Then, by showing that this practice is out of line with an avowed aim of the twelfth-century reform and specifically contradicts what the reforming bishop Gille of Limerick prescribes, a terminus ante quem, is established.