ANNALA na mBRUANNA / The Annals of the Hostelries

On the island of Ireland from the first quarter of the 5th century to the same of the 17th century there was a tradition that saw the prime facts of a month, of a year, of a reign inked on parchment.  There are tiny gaps: Viking raid here, pestilence there but the continuity is extraordinary, the words that illustrate proven links to real moments of time across those twelve centuries are obstinately accurate, if betimes slanted. No other country in Europe has such a fantastic wealth of fact and yarn in such an extensive yet compact quasi Old Testament body of work.

The North West particularly loves chronicling, that slice of Ireland's pie from Boyle to Ballyshannon gave birth to The Annals of Lough Key, The Book of Boyle, of Ballymote of Fenagh, the two of Lecan (Enniscrone), the Annals of Ulster ( Upper Lough Erne), The Book of Invasions (ultimately shaped by one scribe-poet in Boyle) & finally, fabulously The Annals of the Four Masters about the Erne Estuary. This fact is unknown to the broader local public. This is our chance to shine a light on this glorious past e.g. take The Children of Lir tale, only known source is from The Yellow Book of Lecan.

We intend to create a Scriptorium at Bru Moytura to write a new Annal.