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of the O’Mahony, in the parish of Schull, Barony of West Carbery. “The person,” that is to say, the author of the original
work of which this MS contains an Irish translation, was Sir John Mandeville, “a Knight of the people of the King of the
Saxons,” whose well-known travels in the Holy Land were so popular in England, and indeed in Europe, in the 14th and
following centuries. It has not, I believe been hitherto known that there was an Irish version of this remarkable book,
made at the close of the 15th century, by an eminent Irish chieftain, Fínghin O’Mathgamhna, or O’Mahony…..

...The importance of this translation into Irish of the famous travels of Sir John Mandeville can scarcely be exaggerated.
If it were transcribed and printed, it would probably add considerably to our Irish vocabulary; and it would also establish
the state of the text of Sir John’s work at the close of the 15th century, which is suspected of having been corrupted by
many interpolations of the monks, with a view to promote pilgrimages to the Holy Land.

As the work was done in 1475, Fínghin was already advanced in years. The professionalism of the
work makes it impossible to think of it as his only work. But so far nothing further had been identified.
Fínghin died full of years and wisdom in 1496, a fitting close to what must have been a most
pleasant century of peace, prosperity, and cultivation of learning in the Western Land. His obituary
notices could be the envy of any Taoiseach:

Annals of Ulster, 1496: Fínghin Ua Mathgamhna died this year, between the two Nativities, or
Christmas week; an intelligent, accomplished erudite man and learned in the history of the word,
both east and west.

Annals of Connaght, 1496: Ó Mathgamhna of the Western Land, namely Fínghin, the generally
acclaimed custodian of liberality and valor of West Munster and the most accomplished man of his
time in both Latin and English, died this year.

Annals of Four Masters, 1496: ó Mathgamhna of the Western Land (Fínghin) the acclaimed
custodian of human decency and liberality of West Munster, a wise sage in Latin and English, died.

His contemporaries throughout Ireland were clearly aware of his pre-eminence as a scholar,
but without the shrewdness and persistence of Dr. Todd, we would still be guessing as to the basis
of this reputation.

The close of the century coincides with the Kildare supremacy. The transition from Mortimer to
Gearóid Mór puts in focus the parallel story of the Gaelicisation of the Normans, even into the Pale,
throughout the century.
THE FATE OF ROS BROIN AND MODERN TIMES

Ros Broin remained with the descendants of Fínghin until the disasters of the Elizabethan Wars.
After more than three hundred years of service, it was abandoned in the seventeenth century. For
another three hundred years it survived as a venerable ruin. In 1905 when struck by lightning, part of
the West Wall collapsed. In the early ‘60s disaster struck in another storm when the arched roof fell in.
In 1974, the arched ceiling in the second floor broke apart taking with it part of the upper east wall.
Salvage work at any stage could have saved the structure. It is now in a very precarious condition
and can be viewed only at a safe distance.

Is it possible that in an Ireland, so self-consciously setting about rebuilding its historic links with
the European community, that Ros Broin, with its well-recorded and somewhat special links with
continental Europe, will be obliterated? A massive reconstruction would now be necessary, but here
is the obvious site to celebrate the cultural heritage of the Western Land.

I will finish by recalling a heartwarming incident from 1985. Returning for a moment to the 1870
Report of Dr. Todd, he finishes by noting:

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