Textual classifications • CODECS: Online Database and e-Resources for Celtic Studies

Short Latin chronicle of Scottish history, the earliest of its kind, which is preserved in a single manuscript (BNF lat. 4162, or the Poppleton MS). The core of the text, which takes its structure from a regnal list, covers the period between the reigns of Cináed mac Ailpín (d. 858) and Cináed mac Maíl Choluim (d. 995), who appears to have been still alive when his reign was added. The form in which this text has come down, however, is in a later redaction, possibly of the 12th century, surviving in a 14th-century manuscript.

Latin languageCináed mac AilpínCináed mac Maíl Choluim

Chronicon Briocense

prose

Latin chronicle compiled between the late 14th and early 15th century, which though left incomplete, aimed at describing a full history of Brittany. It incorporates a wide range of sources, including historical, hagiographical and archival materials. The work is anonymous and may have been written and compiled by Hervé Le Grant, a Breton notary with access to ducal archives.

Latin languageBrittany

Chronicon Centulense (Hariulf)

prose

HariulfHariulf

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

A chronicle of Centula (Saint-Riquier), versions of which were compiled and written by Hariulf between the late 11th and early 12th century.

Latin languageSaint-Riquier

Cín lae Uí Mhealláin

prose

Ó Mealláin (Toirdhealbhach)

Ó Mealláin (Toirdhealbhach)

(fl.1641–1647)

Franciscan friar of Brantry (Co. Tyrone), who has been identified as the author of a journal describing the first years (1641-1647) of the Irish Confederate Wars.

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An account of the first years (1641-1647) of the Irish Confederate Wars, written by (or at least attributed to) the Franciscian friar Toirdhealbhach Ó Mealláin.

Irish language17th centuryIrish Confederate WarsÓ Néill (Eoghan Ruadh)

Cinnlae Amhlaoibh Uí Shúileabháin

prose

Ó Súilleabháin (Amhlaoibh)

Ó Súilleabháin (Amhlaoibh)

(1783–1838)

Irish businessman, storyteller and schoolteacher, known for writing a diary, largely in Irish, between 1827 and 1835.

Diary or journal written largely in Irish by Amhlaoibh Ó Súilleabháin of Callan (Co. Kilkenny) between January 1827 and July 1835. Its observations on different aspects of Irish society are considered an invaluable resource for the history of 19th-century Ireland.

Modern IrishLeinster/Cúige LaigheanMunster/Cúige Mumhan

Cóic ríg tríchat do Laignib

verse

beg. Cóic ríg tríchat do Laignib

Middle Irish poem which, as the opening quatrain announces, lists 35 kings of Leinster who were high-kings of early Ireland, from Labraid Loingsech to Nad Buidb mac Eirc.

Middle Irishkings of Leinsterhigh-kings of Ireland

Cóic ríg tríchat triallsat róe

verse

55 st.

beg. Cóic ríg tríchat triallsat róe

Middle Irish poem (55qq) which enumerates early medieval kings of Leinster since the arrival of Christianity. According to M. A. O'Brien, who published an edition of the text, the poem is a composite work consisting of two parts: the first, longer series of stanzas (1-38) listing 35 kings from Crimthann mac Énnai Chennselaig to Fáelán mac Muiredaig (d. 934), together with two additional quatrains of slightly later date (39-40), and a final series (41-55) ending with Donnchadh mac Dúnlaing (d. 1036). The final kings in both parts are represented as being still alive.

Middle IrishLeinster/Cúige Laigheankings of Leinster

Cúiced Lagen na lecht ríg

verse

beg. Cúiced Lagen na lecht ríg

Úa Duinn (Gilla na Náem)

Úa Duinn (Gilla na Náem)

(d. c. 1160)

Irish scholar and poet who was attached to the monastery of Inis Clothrann, now Inchcleraun (Island), in Lough Ree.

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Poem, including a list of the kings of Leinster.

Middle IrishKings of Leinster

De antiquitate Glastonie ecclesie (William of Malmesbury)

prose

William of Malmesbury

William of Malmesbury

(d. in or after 1142)

Anglo-Norman monk of the Benedictine foundation at Malmesbury, known as a historian, scholar and hagiographer.

Latin languageGlastonbury abbey

De iure et statu Menevensis ecclesiae (Gerald of Wales)

prose

Gerald of Wales

Gerald of Wales

(c. 1146–1220 x 1223)

No short description available

Latin languageTyddewi ... St Davids cathedral church

Foras feasa ar Éirinn

form undefined

Keating (Geoffrey)

Keating (Geoffrey)

(c.1580–1644)

Irish priest, historian and poet; author of Foras feasa ar Éirinn

The prose history of Ireland completed by Geoffrey Keating (Seathrún Céitinn) in c. 1634. Comprising an introduction, two books and appendices, it narrates the history of the island from the time of Creation to the Norman conquest in the 12th century. As set out by the vindicatory introduction (an díonbhrollach), the work was written in response to the cultural biases of Anglo-centric writers (e.g. William Camden and Edmund Spenser).

Early Modern IrishHistoryCompilationCompendium

Grammar, dictionary and chronicle in the Irish tongue (Matthew de Renzy)

prose

de Renzy (Matthew)

De Renzy (Matthew)

(1577–1634)

No short description available

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In the epitaph for Matthew de Renzy (1577–1634) on a plaque in the church of Athlone, it is claimed that he composed, within three years, “a grammar, dictionary, and chronicle in the Irish tongue”. The nature and true authorship of these works are unknown. As for the grammar, Roderic O'Flaherty (1627/30–1716/18) suggested that it was De Renzi's tutor Tadhg Óg Ó hUiginn who wrote the grammar and that De Renzi intended to have it published under his own name until his tutor came up with a prosodic challenge he could not accomplish. This grammar has been equated with the tract known as Graiméar Uí Mhaolchonaire. Little can be said of the other works ascribed to De Renzy.

Early Modern Irish

Historia Brittonum

Historia Brittonum (Gildasian recension)

prose

Gildas

Gildas

(fl. 5th–6th century)

Author of De excidio et conquestu Britanniae

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An abridged recension of the Historia Brittonum, commonly termed ‘Gildasian’ or ‘pseudo-Gildas’ because of its erroneous attribution to Gildas. It is close to the Harleian recension of the text and was in wide circulation during the later middle ages, from the 12th century onwards, so much so that David Dumville has called it the ‘vulgate’ recension.

Latin language

Historia ecclesiastica Eusebii (Rufinus)

prose

Rufinus of Aquileia

Rufinus of Aquileia

(d. 411)

Tyrannius Rufinus of Aquileia was a monk, theologian and historian. He is known for having translated Greek works by Origen, Eusebius and others in Latin.

Latin rendering and continuation of Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical history. The work was undertaken at the beginning of the 5th century by Rufinus at the request of bishop Chromatius of Aquileia. Although Jerome had created a translation prior to Rufinus, it was mainly through Rufinus’ translation that Eusebius’ history became known to the early medieval West.

Latin language

Illustrium maioris Britanniae scriptorum summarium

prose

Bale (John)

Bale (John)

(1495–1563)

English protestant churchman; bishop of Ossory (1552/3); antiquarian and collector of manuscripts; author of a number of polemical plays, such as Kynge Johan, and an autobiographical work called The Vocacyon of Johan Bale.

The first published version of John Bale's chronological catalogue of British and other authors.

Latin languagePrinted book

Index Britanniae scriptorum

prose

Bale (John)

Bale (John)

(1495–1563)

English protestant churchman; bishop of Ossory (1552/3); antiquarian and collector of manuscripts; author of a number of polemical plays, such as Kynge Johan, and an autobiographical work called The Vocacyon of Johan Bale.

John Bale's catalogue of British and other authors as it appears in his notebook. Unlike his two published catalogues, this version is alphabetically arranged.

Latin language

Insulae Sandae brevis descriptio (Edmund MacCana)

prose

MacCana (Edmund)

MacCana (Edmund)

(fl. 1640s)

A Franciscan friar known chiefly as the author of an Itinerary of Ireland (written in c.1644) and an account of Sanda Island.

Latin account of Sanda Island by the Franciscan friar Edmund MacCana.

Latin languagetravelsSanda Island

Irish world chronicle

prose

Latin language

Itinerarium in Hibernia (Edmund MacCana)

prose

MacCana (Edmund)

MacCana (Edmund)

(fl. 1640s)

A Franciscan friar known chiefly as the author of an Itinerary of Ireland (written in c.1644) and an account of Sanda Island.

A Latin account of an itinerary through Ireland written in mid-1640s by the Franciscan friar Edmund MacCana.

Latin language

Ogygia seu rerum Hibernicarum chronologia

prose

O'Flaherty (Roderic)

O'Flaherty (Roderic)

(1627/30–1716/18)

Roderic(k) O'Flaherty / Ruaidhrí (Óg) Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Irish nobleman, historian and collector of manuscripts; author of Ogygia seu rerum Hibernicarum chronologia (1685).

Latin language

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