Between now and December 21, 2007, Trinity College, Dublin. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/chronicle-of-history-goes-on-display -1139069.html > Wednesday October 10 2007 > > > 'The Annals of the Four Masters', a chronicle of Irish history credited with helping to shape > the modern nation - and it is being presented in its full form for the first time for 371 > years. > > > 'The Annals of the Four Masters' charts Irish history from ancient times > up to the 17th century and has not been in its full form since 1636. > > The exhibition went on show at Trinity College in Dublin yesterday and has > been lauded as a hugely important series of manuscripts which chart > Ireland's history. > > Having seen a need to compile the histories of Ireland in the early part > of the 17th century, the Irish Franciscans began to assemble documentary > history during a time of massive upheaval, which included the Flight of > the Earls in 1607. > > Micheal O Cleirigh, a Donegal antiquary and poet, was sent to his native > county from Louvain in 1626 to spearhead the ambitious plan. He was joined > by three lay writers, based at the Franciscan Friary at Bundrowes in > Donegal, and under the patronage of Feargal O Gadhra, Lord of Moy Gara and > Coolavin in Co Sligo. > > The exhibition brings together some of O Cleirigh's manuscripts that have > not been together in almost 400 years. > > The legacy of the annals can be seen around modern society, said > Bernadette Cunningham, deputy librarian with the Royal Irish Academy > (RIA). > > "Place name evidence drawn from the annals formed the basis of work in > establishing the correct names for use on Ordnance Survey maps," she said. > > "The many illustrious men and women that peopled the pages of these early > annals have become part of our national story and made their way into our > history books." > > The manuscripts, originally entitled the 'Annals of the Kingdom of > Ireland', have been housed recently at the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and > Trinity College Dublin (TCD). > > They are being reunited at an exhibition at Trinity College as part of > celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Irish > Franciscan college of St Anthony's in Louvain in Belgium. > > Keeper of manuscripts at Trinity College Dr Bernard Meehan said bringing > the manuscripts all together gives fresh insights for historians. > > "It is the 17th century view of the formation of the country and they > provide a continuous history drawing on other documents," said Dr Meehan. > > The exhibition runs until December 21 in the Long Room at the Old Library > in Trinity College.