annáll

An annáll is a type of medieval Irish chronicle. These annals were typically kept by monks in monasteries and recorded significant events in a chronological order. They served as a historical record for the local area and often included details about battles, deaths of rulers, church events, and natural disasters. The annáll tradition in Ireland is extensive, with numerous surviving manuscripts. These documents are invaluable sources for historians studying early Irish history, providing insights into political, social, and religious life. Famous examples include the Annals of Ulster, the Annals of Innisfallen, and the Annals of the Four Masters, though the latter is a compilation from earlier sources. The style of annáll entries is usually brief and factual, focusing on the date and the event. They were not narrative histories in the modern sense but rather a year-by-year account of happenings. The preservation of these annals, often through painstaking copying by scribes, has allowed for a unique window into a past otherwise poorly documented.