Ancestors of Cathal Óg McMaghnusa (McManus) – who compiled the Annals of Ulster, agreed by most scholars to be the single-most important source for the early history of Ireland, and also of immense value for the early history of Scotland – gathered recently to present a copy of the Annals to the current owners of Belle Isle, where Cathal Óg lived for most of his life.

The chief value of the Annals lies in the astonishing accuracy with which they preserve very ancient material.

As an authority once said, the Annals are the most trustworthy of all Irish records for the early Medieval period, as the scribes took unusual care to preserve the exact wording of their exemplars, whether in Latin or early Irish.

Several years ago, a number of people called McManus in Fermanagh decided to form the McManus Clan Association to promote the knowledge of a number of people of that name who were important in the life and times of Ireland.

“Cathal Óg was born in 1438 and died of smallpox in 1498,” explained a McManus Clan Association spokesperson.

“He was remarkable in many ways. He was a great scholar and lived for most of his life at Seanad, Fermanagh, which was an ancient version of a university setting or place of sanctuary for scholars.

“He was for many years the Dean of the Diocese of Clogher.

“After the death of Bishop Rosa Maguidhir [Maguire], his maternal uncle in 1483 – Cathal Óg – took over the running of the diocese, and for the remaining 15 years of his life managed to keep at bay no fewer than four papal appointees.

“Effectively he ran the diocese, which at that time had important political as well as religious significance.

“In addition, he had at least nine sons and four daughters, and in fact may very well have had 14 children,” added the spokesperson.

The Irish ‘Mc’ means ‘son of’, and ‘McMaghnusa’ means ‘the son of the Maghnusa’, either a son or a grandson of a certain Don Mór Maguidir, the King of Fermanagh.

The McManus family would therefore be particularly important in Fermanagh.

1998 marked the quincentennial of the death of the Cathal Óg, and it was decided to mark the occasion in a number of ways.

The clan spokesperson said: “We asked the very learned scholar Nollaig O’Muraíle, who was at that time a lecturer in Celtic studies in Queen’s University in Belfast, and who later became a Professor of Celtic studies in Galway University, to produce a short study for publication on Cathal Óg and the Annals of Ulster.”

Nollaig agreed and a booklet was published in Deburca. A publisher of rare books in Dublin agreed to publish a new edition of the Annals of Ulster, and Nollaig wrote a scholarly introduction to the new edition.

The clan received the consent of the Duke of Abercorn, the then owner of Belle Isle, to erect a memorial stone to Cathal Óg McMaghnusa.

Seanad McManus became known as ‘BallyMcManus’, and later, with the defeat of the northern chieftains in the nine-year war, the plantation of Ulster took place, and it became known as ‘Belle Isle’.

A very successful launch of the celebration of the quincentennial of the death of the Cathal Óg occurred at Belle Isle on August 15, 1998, which saw distinguished figures, including the Bishop of Clogher, attend.

The event was attended by the Duke of Abercorn, but during the occasion he was informed of the Omagh Bomb and, because he was Lord Lieutenant of the County, he had to leave urgently.

News of this tragedy circulated and many of the attendees became extremely distressed and fearful, and made arrangements as quick as possible to depart Fermanagh.

Recently, Maureen Magee – one of the hard-working members of the McManus Clan Association – was speaking with the current owners of Belle Isle, Nicholas Hamilton, the son of the Duke of Abercorn.

Nicholas and his wife expressed an interest in the man whose memorial is set a short distance from the house.

The current members of the McManus Clan Association decided that it would be very appropriate to present a set of the Deburca edition of the Annals to the owners for display in Belle Isle House, together with a copy of the booklet edited by Nollaig O’Muraíle.

It is hoped that this will lead to further and wider interest and knowledge of the remarkable Cathal Óg McMaghnusa, and the even more remarkable Annals of Ulster.

The members of the McManus Clan present at the presentation were Maureen Magee, Mary McManus, Brian McManus, Kieran McManus and Frank McManus.