Historical Irish Literature Works
Above : Book Of Lecan, One Of Liteature Work In This Period
Of the annals compiled at this time, the most important are the ” Annals of Ulster,” the work of Cathal Maguire, Dean of Clogher, and compiled by him in the island of Senaid Mac Manus (now ” Belleisle “) in Lough Erne. The original compiler died in 1498, but the annals were afterwards brought down to the year 1541. In modern print, with translation and notes, they fill three large volumes. At an earlier date the ” Annals of Clonmacnoise” were probably compiled as they come down to the year 1408. The original Irish version of these annals has been lost, but a translation made in 1627 by Connell Mac Geoghegan has been published. The ” Annals of Tighernach ” were also continued up to the year 1407 by Augustine O’Grady. The historical tracts include the ” Caithreim” or “Exploits of Turlough O’Brien,” written by Rory Mac Craith, chief historian of Thomond in the year 1459, which describes the struggles of the O’Briens against the Normans down to the battle of Dysert O’Dea.
The greatest of the general collections is the ” Leabhar Breac,” or ” Speckled Book of Duniry,” written about the year 1400 by a member of the great literary family of the Mac Egans, who long maintained a famous school at Duniry on the west bank of the Shannon. It is a compilation from various ancient books, and O’Curry says : ” The contents are all, with one exception, of a religious character, and all, or nearly all, in the purest style of Gaelic.” The ” Book of Ballymote,” compiled about the year 1390 for Mac Donough of Tir Oiliolla, contains genealogies and extracts from many old books, and also the Ogham alphabet. The ” Yellow Book of Lecan,” and the ” Book of Lecan ” were both compiled at the beginning of the fifteenth century by a member of a great family of historians of Ui Fiachra named Giolla Iosa Mac Firbis. Their contents are similar to those of the ” Book of Ballymote,” and they also contain valuable information regarding the tribes of Ui Fiachra. The ” Book of Lismore,” discovered in a wall in Lismore Castle, was written about this time, and consists mostly of lives of the saints and other religious writings.
Although the verses of several poets of this period are preserved, the only important names are those of O’Dugan and O’Huidhrin, and their works are, says Professor Hyde, ” mainly of research and not of poetry.” Sean M6r O’Dugan died in 1372, having written a poetical account of the tribes and territories in nearly all Ireland at the time of the Norman invasion. This work was continued by Giolla na Naomh O’Huidhrin, and the complete poem is a mine of information as to the positions and relations of the various clans.
