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Foirm na n-urrnuidheadh ("The form of the prayers") is a translation by John Carswell of the Book of Common Order into Classical Common Gaelic, published in 1567 in Edinburgh. The work is generally considered to be the earliest printed book in Scottish Gaelic.

History

The translator, John Carswell (Gaelic: Séon Carsuel; c. 1522 – 1572), held several important church posts in Scotland, including the Bishoprics of Argyll and of the Isles, as well as the Abbacies of Saddell and of Iona. He also served as the personal chaplain to his patron, Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll, a Protestant, and Carswell followed Campbell's lead in his personal religious convictions.

Foirm na n-urrnuidheadh was published in Edinburgh by Robert Lekprevik on 24 April 1567. Three copies of the 1567 printing have survived, although none is complete and undamaged. The work is generally considered to be the earliest printed book in Scottish Gaelic. No further printed books in Scottish Gaelic appeared until 1631, when Adtimchiol an chreidimh comhaghalluidhedar an maighiser, agas an leanamh, a catechism, was published; the first printed book on a non-religious topic did not appear until the mid-18th century.

Although Carswell appears to have planned to translate further religious texts into Gaelic, his illness and death prevented this.

Contents and style

The Book of Common Order in John Knox's Scottish edition of 1564 (also known as Knox's Liturgy) was the principal source for Foirm na n-urrnuidheadh. Carswell's translation into Classical Common Gaelic was relatively loose. Domhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart describes its style as "exuberant" and "highly decorated".