‘Recording the Past’ – One of the most important surviving records of medieval Ireland
Our treasured scholarly past is finally catching up with us – The Annals of Inisfallen manuscript returned to Ireland last month to enormous public interest and appreciation. The exhibition ‘Recording the Past’ is currently on public display, until 1 November 2026, at The Glucksman Gallery, University College Cork (UCC).
To mark this historic exhibition, a full day conference dedicated to the island treasure, the Annals of Inisfallen, will be held in Killarney House, on Saturday 10th October, 9.00 am – 5.00 pm,
The annals were previously on display at Muckross House in 1983, so this is the 2nd time this highly treasured medieval record visits Ireland. The Annals of Inisfallen are a single bound manuscript consisting of 57 vellum leaves, primarily written by monks at the island monastery of Inisfallen on the Lakes of Killarney. It documents over 1,000 years of Irish history (focusing heavily on Munster) in a mix of Latin and Irish. The document is on loan from Oxford University’s Bodleian Library, where it has been preserved for more than 250 years.
Innisfallen Island on Lough Lein, Killarney National Park, is home to the ruins of Innisfallen Monastery, an important seat of learning in Europe, founded in 631 by St. Faithleann and dedicated to St Fionán. Maelsuthain O’Cearbhail, an important political and academic figure in Ireland, was educated by the monks and is credited with bringing the Annals of Innisfallen to the Island. Today visitors travel by boat from Ross Castle to visit this peaceful island.
Minster of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, said:
“The Annals of Inisfallen are among the most important surviving records of medieval Ireland, offering a remarkable window into over a thousand years of our history, scholarship and cultural heritage. The story of Inisfallen is deeply woven into the history of Killarney National Park. This event provides a valuable opportunity to explore the legacy of this extraordinary manuscript within the landscape that inspired its creation.”
In welcoming the return to Killarney, Niall Ó Donnchú, Director of NPWS & the National Monuments Service (NMS) said:
“The Annals of Inisfallen are among Ireland’s most significant historical records. We have been proud to provide funding through NPWS and our NMS to support the displaying of the Annals in the UCC exhibition. Our involvement reflects our custodianship of Inisfallen Island and our shared commitment to safeguarding its exceptional natural, archaeological and cultural heritage. This conference today and the exhibition provide a wonderful opportunity to connect people with an extraordinary chapter of Ireland’s natural and cultural heritage. Through them we can explore not only the remarkable manuscript itself but the enduring relationship between humanity and nature that it represents.”
Speaking ahead of the conference, Éamonn Meskell, Divisional Manager, NPWS remarked:
“The Annals of Inisfallen are such an important record of our cultural heritage, almost a thousand years old, written during a time on Inisfallen monastery, situated on Lough Lein, meaning the ‘lake of learning’ – the largest of the islands in the heart of Killarney National Park. The Island was an important seat of learning and centre of ecclesiastical providence during the golden era of monasticism and enlightenment. Inisfallen Island was truly the islands of Saints and Scholars, where today, boat trips to the island are very popular. It is such a privilege to have the Annals on display in the Glucksman Gallery in UCC. This conference in Killarney House is a chance to celebrate our historical and cultural past.”
Cathaoirleach of the Killarney Municipal District, Cllr John O’Donoghue said: “
I am really pleased that we are holding this important conference in Killarney which is synonymous with the Annals of Inisfallen. It provides an opportunity to hear from a range of experts on the importance of the Annals and their place in collective history and heritage.”
Finbarr Kennelly, Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, who has been involved with the visit and correspondence with the Bodleian Library regarding The Annals of Inisfallen exhibition said:
“It’s great to have the Annals of Inisfallen home again. Written by the monks of Inisfallen nearly a thousand years ago, they’re a reminder of Killarney’s long history as a centre of learning. They’re well worth a visit to UCC before 1 November.”
The conference, entitled ‘Recording the Past’: Annals of Inisfallen and the making of Irish History Exhibition’, will be opened by NPWS Regional Manager, Pat Dawson, and will include a welcoming address by Cathaoirleach Killarney Municipal District, Cllr. John O’Donoghue, and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce Vice President, Carol Dempsey. Speakers include: Nessa O’Connor: ‘Archaeological finds at Inisfallen: some tales of discovery from an island monastery and its landscape’, Pádraig Ó Macháin (UCC), ‘Telling tales in the Annals of Inisfallen’, John Gillis: ‘Making the medieval Irish book’. Other speakers include: Edel Breathnach, Mike Webb, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Timothy O’Neill, Ken Ó Donnchú, Nollaig Ó Muraíle and Paul McCotter.
The conference is free, but space is limited, so booking is essential. Booking, on Eventbrite only, will open on Friday 9th October at 9.30 am.
