January 1, 2007
A'  Ghraidh,

        We take great pleasure in announcing the discovery by Mr. P. J. Goode, a Dubliner and a local historian from Co. Laois, of a copy of Volume Eleven of “Celtica,” published by The Dublin Institute For Advanced Studies in 1976 and deposited in The Royal Irish Academy in Dublin, which led him to another discovery, “The Tinnakill (Tighearna Coille) Duanaire” (The Forest Manor Miscellaney).

        Following the fall of the FitzGeralds, The Leinster MacDonnells, led by Calvach, 4th of Leinster, had to take on responsibilities locally which erstwhile had probably been attended to, at least in part, by their mentors, the FitzGeralds, including the administration of a 20,000 acre estate and the keeping of its records. Some of these records have come down to us in “The Tinnakill Duanaire,” the original of which may still be found, although in delicate condition and not entirely legible, in the archives of Trinity College Dublin. We are presently attempting to obtain a copy, although it may not have been translated because of its condition and illegibility. But perhaps of more importance, is a thirteen page analysis and index of the "Duanaire” by Anne ÓSullivan in 1974 and recorded in “Celtica.” Her broad knowledge of Celtic sources made possible analysis which we could not equal.

        Sometime in the latter part of the 16th Century, after assuming the mantel of leadership of The MacDonnells of Leinster, Calvach, or his son Aodh (Hugh), employed a scribe ( ÓSullivan thinks he was a MacDonnell), who began to record matters of importance to the Clan. These took the form of eighty five bardic poems, of which eighty three survive. The first four poems are in the hand of Guath Laidhuig and deal with the rights of “Aodh mac an Challbaigh” (Hugh Buidhe MacCalvach, 5th of Leinster) to MacDonnell revenues in Leinster. If these first four documents were written under the auspices of his father Calvach, they would have served as a kind of will, and would have pre-dated Calvach’s death in 1570. If, on the other hand, they were commissioned by Hugh Buidhe, they may have served as an inquisition of the estate and would therefore be dated subsequent to 1570. In either case, Hugh Buidhe was the patron for whom the “Duanaire” was begun to be compiled, and these are some of the oldest surviving narrative documents we know of produced by Clan Donald, either in Scotland or in Ireland. The "Duanaire" pre-dates both Captain Somhairle MacDonnell of Antrim's 1631 "Ostend Duanaire," mentioned by ÓSullivan, and the 1632- 1636 "Annals of The Four Masters" by more than sixty years, and MacMhuirich’s 1660 “Leabhar Dearg Nam Clanranald” by some ninety years, although copies of documents from as early as 1473 were included and original writings were added to the “Tinnakill Duanaire” as late as 1762. The collection was bound into a book in 1836 by George Mullen, a Dublin publisher, and deposited in the archives of Trinity College, Dublin, perhaps by Richard MacDonnell, Provost of TCD from 1852 to 1867.

        In addition to bardic poems that relate the history and traditions of the Clan, the “Duanaire” provides us insights and information in a number of areas where we previously could only speculate. The names of the wives of several chieftains are given, and consequently the dynastic relationships to other clans, which were often omitted from genealogical data of the period. The hand-written language of the various scribes tells us, among other things, the prevalent formal language of that era, which was subsequently lost during the oppression of Cromwell, now enabling us to improve our translations of personal and place names, which have since been corrupted by the lack of education and understanding which are the legacy of the “Penal Laws” of the Cromwellian era, and which have left us with the modern Irish dialect, a poor shadow of the grand language of the 17th Century. In addition, ÓSullivan says, “The Tinnakill duanaire is one of the most important sources for bardic religious verse as it contains many unique poems and is the earliest witness for many others. For a few it is the only known link between earlier poems and nineteenth-century Longáin copies.”

                                                                      Tuilid Aodh 'san crú caoilsleg
                                                                     clú nach baoghal do bhádhadh,
                                                                     luth a ghreadh co fuar d’f ghadh
                                                                       ag t ghadh gruadh fer náladh.

                                                                  Surrounded by slender-shafted spears
                                                                           Aodh won undying fame,
                                                                     and saw the charge of his cavalry
                                                                    mangling the faces of wounded men.

                                                                                         Muircheartach ÓCobhthaigh
                                                                                           In the Tinnakill Duanaire
                                                                                           Translation by ÓSullivan


        We look forward with great anticipation to understanding all the opportunities and revelations presented by this wonderful legacy from The MacDonnells of Leinster, and to sharing them all with you. We are also extremely grateful to P. J. Goode of Dublin for being a good friend and for sharing his discovery with us. Next, we will seek to acquire a copy of Captain Somhairle MacDonnell’s “Ostend Duanaire,” also revealed by ÓSullivan. Who knows what more that may reveal of our heritage, or where it may lead us.

        Can you help? Is there a poem, a song, a picture or a book that you know of which could help us to recover still more of our heritage?

        Iain Guth
        Seannache
        The MacDonnell Of Leinster Association