Seanchas Ríogh Éreánn & Genealuighi na Naomh nEreannach
UCD-OFM A 16. 17th century. Paper.
The Genealogies of Saints and Kings is partly in the hand of Mícheál Ó Cléirigh but incorporates layers of annotations by other scribes and scholars, including John Colgan. It was completed in the Franciscan Observant friary of Athlone in 1630. The main focus was on the saints' pedigrees which demonstrated that the saints of Ireland were of noble ancestry. The tradition of compiling genealogies formed an essential part of medieval Irish learning as the Irish were keen to trace their origins back to Adam and fit themselves into a biblical chronology. The work is divided into various parts. Kings are classified as pre-Christian and Christian, most of whom belong to the northern dynasties of the Uí Néill. Saints are categorised according to their noble lines or to the province from which they originated. Northern and western saints predominate.
