Add Irish MS 14 (The Book of Genealogies)
TitleThe Book of Genealogies
CollectionUniversity College Dublin
LocationDublin, Ireland
ShelfmarkAdd Irish MS 14
LanguagesIrish; ga
Date created1600-1699; 1649; 1650
Paginationviii pp. + 930 pp.
SubjectGenealogy
ProvenanceThe great Connacht scholar Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (c.1600-1671), from Lackan, Co. Sligo, compiled his monumental Great Book of Genealogies in St. Nicholas Colegiate Church, Galway at the height of the Cromwellian Wars in 1649-50. The work has long been recognised as the most important source for the study of Irish family history, and it is also of great importance to historians of pre-17th century Ireland since it details the ancestry of many significant figures in Irish history. Mac Fhirbhisigh was stabbed to death by local man Thomas Crofton, at a shebeen near the village of Skreen, County Sligo. According to Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh – as noted by Edward Lhuyd – Dubhaltach's manuscripts were passed on his death to his lord, David O Dowd. In 1702, Dubhaltach's genealogical works were in the possession of merchant and part-time scribe, Henry MacCarrick, of Sligo. Leabhar na nGenealach was in his possession until 1705, it next came into the hands of Séamus Bacach Mág Uidhir of An Leargaidh (Dowra-Blacklion area) who made a poor copy of it in 1715 or 1716 at Stranamart, north-west County Cavan (cf. RIA MS C vi 2). It next appeared in Dublin, held by John Conry, who penned extracts from it on 24 July 1723. He may have obtained it from the library of Tadhg O Rodaighe (Thady Roddy) of Crossfield, County Leitrim. It was sold in 1731 to Dr John Fergus (Eoin O Fearghusa) of Jervis Street, Dublin. Following his death and that of his son, Dr. Fergus's daughter put his extensive library up for auction at their home in Abbey Street, Dublin, on 3 February 1766. Leabhar na nGenealach was purchased by Robert Jocelyn (who became 1st Earl of Roden in 1771) for £7.1.0. For much of the next hundred and fifty years it was in the Jocelyn family home of Tollymore House, Newcastle, County Down, who were in part descended through a female line from the local Magennis clan. During this time extensive use of Leabhar na nGenealach was made by Charles O'Conor (1710–91, Irish language scholar, antiquarian, and catholic activist, of Belanagare (Bellanagare), Co. Roscommon) during which time 20 pages were cut out which O’Connor mentions his intention of returning to Lord Jocelyn (1770s), Thady Connellan (1830s), John O'Donovan (MacCarrick's version) and Eugene O'Curry, who transcribed it between March 1836 and February 1837 (cf. RIA MS 23 P 1). Upon the death of William Henry Jocelyn, 6th Earl of Roden in 1911, it was included in a list of items sold to cover his death duties. The auction was held at Sotheby's of London on 10 November 1911, and the manuscript was purchased by Dublin physician Dr Michael F. Cox, for £79.00. Cox died on 20 February 1926, and his son, Dublin solicitor Arthur Cox, oversaw his father's bequest of the manuscript to University College Dublin on 23 March 1926, "to be perpetually preserved in its library."
CoverageGalway; Sligo; Cavan; Dublin; Leitrim; Down
MaterialPaper
BindingsBound in dark green leather with colourful front and back end leaves.
ScribesMac Fhírbhisigh, Dubhaltach
ContributorsO Dowd, David, 1671; MacCarrick, Henry, Sligo, 1705; Mág Uidhir, Séamus Bacach, 1715-16; Conry, John, 1723; O Rodaighe, Tadhg (Thady Roddy); Fergus, Dr John (Eoin O Fearghusa), 1731; Jocelyn, Robert, 1st Earl of Roden, 1766; Cox, Dr Michael F., 1911; University College Dublin, 1926
Dimensions7" x 5.3"
Online since2005
Notesviii pp. + 930pp. P. ii: Note by Thaddeus Connellan on the O Duggan Genealogies. P. iii: Dedication from Arthur Cox, head of the famous Dublin Insurance Firm, dated 22 March, 1926 “This volume was bequeathed by Doctor Michael Francis Cox of 26 Merrion Square Dublin Chairman of Convocation of the National University of Ireland who died on the 20th day of February to University College Dublin “ to be perpetually preserved in its library” “. Numbered in ink on the top outside corner. Following pages missing: pp. 454, 455, 488, 511, 512, 581-588, 617-618, 684-687, 690-691, 770-773, 837-838, 849-852, 944-945. Following pages blank: pp. 83, 150, 160, 184, 319, 337, 364, 365, 383, 429, 492(b), 569, 598, 659, 683, 745, 767, 798(b), 844, 848, 933, 943. Some of the blank pages above appear to have writing on them but this is actually the ink seeping through from the other side cf. p. 390 (a). Pp. 209-234: hole in the top corner. Pp. 651-652: torn. Pp. 517-18 is a strip of paper. P. P492 (a) contains English note on the genealogy of various families including Burkes, O’Bernes, Walshes, Joyces and Lawlesses . P. 599 contains Mac Firbhisigh’s signature and date of 1649. P. 766: contains Mac Firbhisigh’s note: “Finis per me Dubhaltach mac Fhirbhisigh i ccolaiste na gaillime Dia . c . aois viii Augusti A. M. DC. XLIX deo gratias. Also a note in a different hand on Ireland’s monarchy. Pp. 787 and 793 contain genealogy of the Fitzgeralds of Kildare; pp. 798 (c) - 809 contain genealogy of the Burke family; p. 808 contains genealogy of the MacDaibet family; p. 809 contains genealogy of the Butler famil; p. 810 contains genealogy of the Gibbons family; pp. 811-823 contain genealogy of the Butler family; p. 823 contains genealogy of the Bermingham famliy; p. 825 contains genealogy of the Barry and Roch[e] families; p. 826 contains genealogy of the Purcell and Nugent families; p. 827 contains genealogy of the Costelloe family; p. 828 contains genealogy of the Philips Jordan family; p. 829 contains genealogy of the Dowdal[l] Burnwal Nugent and Dillon families. Persons include Brian Boroimhe (d.1014); Ulick Burke, Marquis of Clanricarde (d.1657); James Butler, Duke of Ormonde (d.1688); Somhairle Buidhe (Sorley Boy) MacDonnell (d.1589); Randal MacDonnell, Marquis of Antrim (d.1683); Garrett Og Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare (d.1536); Diarmuid Mac Murchadha (d.1171); Myler Magrath, Archbishop of Cashel (d.1622), Murrough O'Brien, Baron of Inchiquin (d.1674); Feagh MacHugh O'Byrne (d.1597); Rory O'Conor.(d.1198); Red Hugh O'Donnell (d.1602); Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone (d.1616); Owen Roe O'Neill (d.1649), and many, many more. The Cuimre is an abridgement of Leabhar na nGenealach. The original is now lost, but it survives in three apparently incomplete 18th century transcripts; RIA MS 24 N 2, RIA MS 24 N 6 and NUIM MS B 8 (see above).
RightsCopyright University College Dublin; Copyright image source Irish Script on Screen, School of Celtic Studies, DIAS.
DescriptionUCD MS ADD. 14 is a Gaelic manuscript from the 17th century. Written on paper in Irish by Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh, the great Irish scribe, historian and genealogist at St. Nicholas Colegiate Church, Galway at the height of the Cromwellian Wars in 1649-50 it contains the genealogies of the most significant Irish families of that time. Compiled by Mac Fhirbhisigh it came through the hands of many scribes and collectors during the 17th and 18th centuries before being lodged in the library of University College Dublin as a result of a bequest by Dublin physician Dr Michael F. Cox in 1926.
ReferencesÓ Muraíle (Nollaig): Leabhar mór na ngenealach : The great book of Irish genealogies, compiled (1645–66) by Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh/ edited with translation and indexes by Nollaig Ó Muraíle, Dublin: DeBúrca, 2003. Vol. I [=LGen. I, 1-299]: Pre-Gaels; EarlyGaels; Northern and Southern Uí Néill; Connacht, xiv + 687pp. Vol. II [=LGen. I, 300-573]: Oriel; Galic Scotland; Leinster; East Ulster; Munster; Saints, 803 pp. Vol. III [=LGen. I, 754-957; LGen. II, 1001-1422]: Kings, Vikings, Normans; ‘Index’; Topographical poems [Triallam timcheall na Fódla (598 ll.), by Seaán Ó Dubhagáin; Tuilleadh feasa ar Éirinnóigh (196qq.), by Giolla-na-Naomh Ó hUidhrín; Foras focal luaighthear libh (17 qq.) by Seaán Ó Dubhagáin]; Shorter book of genealogies [=Cuimre na nGenealach].772pp. Vol. IV: General volume [Concordance; Photographic reproductions of manuscript pages; Indexes; Addenda et corrigenda], xvi + 636. Vol.V: Index of personal names, xv + 681 pp. Reviewed by Tomás G.Ó Canann, in JRSAI 132(2002), pp.127-136. Pádraig Ó Riain, in Ainm 10 (2009), pp.125–132. Visit bill.celt.dias.ie; online indexes; manuscript repositories; UCD, Dublin for a bibliography of other secondary sources on the texts in this manuscript.
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