Ruaidhri Ó Cianáin
Encyclopedia
Ruaidhri Ó Cianáin was an Irish historian.

Described upon his death as "a learned historian without fault", "professor of Oirghialla in history", "chiefe Chronicler of the territory of Uriell". A member of the learned Ó Cianáin
Ó Cianáin
Ó Cianáin was the name of a Gaelic-Irish Brehon family. They were originally erenaghs of the parish of Cleenish, Lough Erne, but who had served for several centuries as historians to Mag Uidir of Fear Manach ....

 (Keenan
Keenan
Keenan is a male Irish name which means "ancient, distant". Keenan is an Anglicisation of the Irish name Cianán which is a diminutive of Cian...

) family, Ruaidhri was the scribe and compiler of Dunaire Mheig Shamhradháin (Book of Maguran), also known as Leabhar Meig Shamradhain. In the possession for many centuries of the Ó Conor Don family of Clonalis, Castlerea, County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...

, but since 1972 National Library of Ireland
National Library of Ireland
The National Library of Ireland is Ireland's national library located in Dublin, in a building designed by Thomas Newenham Deane. The Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism is the member of the Irish Government responsible for the library....

 MS G 1200.

A colophon in it reads Ruaidri O Cianan do sgrib in duanairsea do Thomas mac Brian meic Dondchaid meic Gille na Naem [Mag Shamradhain] ("Ruaidhri Ó Cianáin who penned this poembook of Tomas son of Brian son of Donnchad son of Gilla na Naomh"). This Tomás was chief of Tulach Eachach (Tullyhaw
Tullyhaw
Tullyhaw is a Barony in County Cavan. The area has been in constant occupation since pre-4000 B.C....

, County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...

, who died in 1343, so Ruaidhri was writing this dunaire in his lifetime. It is among the earliest post-Norman Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

manuscripts of any kind to survive, though the compilers, including Ruaidhri, do not seem to have been trained poets.
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