The Annals of the Four Masters - an Irish Classic

 

1         Historical writings o f Micheál Ó Cléirigh and his associates:

Martyrology of Donegal (1628), (1630)

Manuscripts:               Brussels, Bibl. Royale, 4639, 5095-6

Genealogies of Saints and Kings (1630)

Manuscript:         UCD-OFM, A 16

Patron:               Turlough MacCoghlan, MP, Co. Westmeath

Book of Invasions (1631)

Manuscripts:               RIA, 23 K 32 (Cú Choigcríche Ó Cléirigh)

RIA 23 M 70 (Micheál Ó Cléirigh) Patron: Brian Roe Maguire, MP, Co. Fermanagh

Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland (1632-36)
Manuscripts:
'Ó Gadhra set':             RIA, C iii 3

TCD 1301
'Louvain set':                UCD-OFM, A 13

RIA, 23 P 6-23 P 7 Patron: Fearghal Ó Gadhra, MP. Co. Sligo.

2.          The: Four Masters:

Micheál Ó Cléirigh

Cú Choigcríche Ó Cléirigh

Fearfeasa Ó Maoil Chonaire

Cú Choigríche Ó Duibhgeannaín

Additional scribes:

Conaire Ó Cléirigh

Muiris O Maoil Chonaire

3.                     Genealogies of saints and kings, extract from preface

The four agreed that they should insert a list of the kings of Ireland in the beginning of the book they had commenced, for two reasons: the first, because it was impossible to trace the descent of the saints directly to their origins without first setting down the descent of the kings, for it is from these that the saints sprung; the second, that the reverence and devotion of the nobility for their saints, comharbs and churches might be increased by knowledge of their connexion and kinship with their holy patrons and with the tribal saints of the stock to which each family belonged, and by knowledge of the number of saints connected with each family.

Paul Walsh (ed.), Genealogiae regum et sanctorum Hibemiae. by the Four Masters (Maynooth, 1918). translation, pp. 143-4.

 

 

4.         Dedication of Leabhar Gabhála (Book of Invasions) to Brian Maguire, MP, 1631.

I, the friar Michael O’Clery, have, by permission of my superiors, undertaken to purge of error, rectify and transcribe this old chronicle called Leabhar Gabhála, that it may be to the glory of God, to the honour of the saints of die kingdom of Erinn, and to the welfare of my soul. This undertaking i could not accomplish without the assistance of other chroniclers at some fixed abode. Upon communicating my intention to thee. 0 Brien Roe Maguire, Lord of Enniskillen, the first of the race of Odhar who received that title (which thou didst from his Majesty Charles, king of England, France, Scotland and Ireland, on the 21st of January in the year of our Lord Christ 1627, and the third year of the king's reign) thou didst take in. hand to assist me to commence and conclude my undertaking, because thou didst deem it a pity to leave in oblivion and unencouraged a work which would exalt the honour of dune own ancestors, as well as of the saints, nobles and history of Erinn in general. {Translated by Eugene O'Curry, 1861).

5.         Eugene O'Curry, Manuscript materials of Ancient Irish History (1861)

In whatever point of view we regard these annals, they must awaken feelings of deep interest and respect; not only as the largest collection of national, civil, military, and family history ever brought together in this or perhaps any other country, but also as the final winding up of the affairs of a people who had preserved their nationality and independence for a space of over two thousand years, till their complete overthrow about the time at which this work was compiled. It is no easy matter for an Irishman to suppress feelings of deep emotion when speaking of the compilers of this great work and especially when he considers the circumstances under which, and the objects for which, il was undertaken.

{Eugene O'Curry. Lectures on the manuscript materials of ancient Irish history (Dublin 1861), p. 140)

6.          Douglas Hyde, Literary History of Ireland, 1899.

There is no event of Irish history from the birth of Christ to the beginning of the seventeenth century that the first inquiry of the student will not be, 'What do the "Four Masters" say about it?' for the great value of the work consists in this, that we have here in condensed form the pith and substance of the old books of Ireland which were then in existence but which - as the Four Masters foresaw - have long since perished.

 

 

Bernadette Cunningham

Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson St, Dublin 2

Rathmichael Summer School, 21 August 2007