Foras Feasa ar Éirinn

Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (Groundwork of Knowledge of Ireland), the most influential of all works of Gaelic historiography, written by Geoffrey Keating between c.1618 and 1634. Keating's account of the history of Ireland from earliest times down to the coming of the Normans and the death of Rory O'Connor in 1198 draws upon the annals, medieval Irish synthetic history as in Lebor Gabála, and the lore of the Ulster, Fionn, mythological, and historical cycles. Mixing legend and history, he provides a coherent narrative based upon traditional materials. His intention was to vindicate Gaelic society against the ignorance of Tudor historians such as Spenser and Stanyhurst [see Anglo-Irish chronicles]. His clarity of style and story-telling ability are everywhere in evidence. A Latin translation was published at St Malo by John Lynch in 1660, while an English version was issued in 1723 by Dermod O'Connor.