Texts

Annals of the Four Masters

Conaire Ó Cléirigh • Cú Choigcríche Ó Cléirigh • Mícheál Ó Cléirigh • Cú Choigcríche Ó Duibhgeannáin • Fear Feasa Ó Maoil Chonaire • Muiris mac Torna Ó Maoil Chonaire

Early Modern Irish
prose
Irish annals

Title

Annals of the Four Masters

The compilation was known originally as Annála ríoghachta Éireann (‘Annals of the kingdom of Ireland’). The work is also referred to as Annales Dungallenses, after the Franciscan monastery of Donegal (bar. Tirhugh), in which proximity it is thought to have been compiled. More famously, it came to be named after the ‘Four Masters’ since John Colgan applied this term to Mícheál Ó Cléirigh and his three chief assistants, even if two other scribes were involved in the project.⁽¹⁾^{n. 1} John Colgan referred to the Quattuor Magistri in his introduction to the Acta sanctorum Hiberniae. Joep Leerssen, Mere Irish and Fíor-Ghael: studies in the idea of Irish nationality, its development and literary expression prior to the nineteenth century (1986): 478.

Author

Ó Cléirigh (Conaire)

Ó Cléirigh (Conaire)

(s. xvii)

A brother of Mícheál Ó Cléirigh and one of the occasional assistants of the Four Masters.

See more Ó Cléirigh (Cú Choigcríche)

Ó Cléirigh (Cú Choigcríche)

(d. in or after 1664)

Irish scholar, poet, historian and scribe; one of the so-named ‘Four Masters’.

See more Ó Cléirigh (Mícheál)

Ó Cléirigh (Mícheál)

(d. 1643)

Irish scholar, historian and scribe.

See more Ó Duibhgeannáin (Cú Choigcríche)

Ó Duibhgeannáin (Cú Choigcríche)

(fl. 17th century)

Irish scribe, known as one of the Four Masters

See more Ó Maoil Chonaire (Fear Feasa)

Ó Maoil Chonaire (Fear Feasa)

(fl. 17th century)

Irish scribe; one of the scholars known as the Four Masters

See more Ó Maoil Chonaire (Muiris mac Torna)

Ó Maoil Chonaire (Muiris mac Torna)

(d. 1645)

Irish scholar, poet and scribe of the Ó Maoil Chonaire family. He is known to have made a small contribution to the Annals of the Four Masters.

The chief compiler and scribe is Mícheál Ó Cléirigh (d. c. 1643), a Franciscan friar from St Anthony at Louvain, who for many years had been active as a scribe and historian in his native Co. Donegal and further afield. Between 1632 and 1636, he undertook the project with a small team of assistant scribes, Fearfeasa Ó Maoilchonaire, Cú Choigcríche Ó Duibhgeannáin and Cú Choigcríche Ó Cléirigh (the other three ‘Masters’). In addition, occasional assistants were Conaire Ó Cléirigh and at one time, Muiris Ó Maoilchonaire.

Manuscripts

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS C iii 3 (1220) [s. xvii]

Annals run up to AD 1171.

Dublin, University College, MS Franciscan A 13 [s. xvii]

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MSS 23 P 6-7: annals from 1170 to 1616.

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 6 (687) [s. xvii]

First part.

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 7 (688) [s. xvii]

Second part.

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1301 (H 2. 11) [s. xvii]

Annals from 1334 to 1605

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1300 (H 2. 9-10) [1734-1735]

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 F 2

Belongs with RIA MS 23 F 3.

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 F 3

Belongs with RIA MS 23 F 2.

London, British Library, MS Additional 4784 ff. 36-86 [s. xviiⁱⁿ]

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1279 (H 1. 3-5) [s. xviii]

Language

Early Modern Irish

Date

Compiled, in two successive stages, between 1632 and 1636.

Provenance

Origin: Franciscan house of refuge by the DrowesFranciscan house of refuge by the Drowes

Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

Franciscan house of refuge at Drowes, Co Donegal.

Form

prose (primary)

verse (secondary)

Textual relationships

Related: Lebor gabála ÉrennLebor gabála Érenn

Associated items

A h-aon noí ccét cethre deichA h-aon noí ccét cethre deich

A single quatrain cited in the Annals of the Four Masters (s.a. 941), on the obit of Muirchertach mac Néill, and there attributed to a certain Mugrón.

Bronaig Conailli indiuBronaig Conailli indiu

Early Irish poem, 4 qq of which are quoted in the Annals of Ulster, in an entry sub anno 688 concerning the battle of Imlech Pich. The poem, here attributed to one Gabaircenn or Gaborchenn, laments the deaths of two leaders on the side of the Conailli, Dub Da Inber and Uarchride. On the grounds that quatrains 2-3 are metrically distinct from 1 and 4, Kuno Meyer expressed doubt if all four quatrains originally belonged together.

Irish world chronicle, or the pre-Patrician sections of the Irish annalsIrish world chronicle, or the pre-Patrician sections of the Irish annalsMithig dam-sa taireradMithig dam-sa tairerad

Religious Irish poem (10 qq) on pilgrimage. In MSS of the Annals of the Four Masters, under the year 926, it is attributed to Céle Dabhail, abbot of Bangor, who is said have composed it before going on pilgrimage to Rome. The copy in Laud Misc. 615, a collection of poetry associated with Colum Cille, comes with an attribution to that saint.

Mórchath Ocha fersaitirMórchath Ocha fersaitir

An item of verse attributed to Becc mac Dé and quoted in a number of annalistic and similar historical contexts. It refers to the battle of Ocha (dated c.482) and the death of Ailill Molt.

Muinter Pádraig na paiterMuinter Pádraig na paiter

Middle Irish poem containing a long list of members of St Patrick’s household and attributed to Flann, possibly for Flann Mainistrech.

Classification

Irish annalsannals and chronicles, Irish histories
Irish annals

id. 35113

Sources

Notes

^1.

John Colgan referred to the Quattuor Magistri in his introduction to the Acta sanctorum Hiberniae. Joep Leerssen, Mere Irish and Fíor-Ghael: studies in the idea of Irish nationality, its development and literary expression prior to the nineteenth century (1986): 478.

Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.

[ed.] [tr.] OʼDonovan, John [ed. and tr.], Annala rioghachta Eireann: Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, by the Four Masters, from the earliest period to the year 1616, 7 vols, 2nd ed., Dublin, 1856.

CELT – edition (vol. 1): <link> CELT – edition (vol. 2): <link> CELT – edition (vol. 3): <link> CELT – edition (vol. 4): <link> CELT – edition (vol. 5): <link> CELT – edition (vol. 6): <link> CELT – translation (vol. 1): <link> CELT – translation (vol. 2): <link> CELT – translation (vol. 3): <link> CELT – translation (vol. 4): <link> CELT – translation (vol. 5): <link> CELT – translation (vol.6): <link> Internet Archive – multiple copies: <link>

Includes the following volumes:

[ed.] [tr.] OʼDonovan, John, Annala rioghachta Eireann: Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, by the Four Masters, from the earliest period to the year 1616, 7 vols, vol. 1: [Introduction; Epistle dedicatory; Approbations; 2242 BC–902 AD], 2nd ed., Dublin: Hodges, Smith & Co., 1856.