The Annals of Innisfallen is on public display in Ireland for the first time 40 years, in an exhibition that has opened at University College Cork.
The annals chronicle life in Ireland from before the arrival of St Patrick until the 15th Century.
They were mainly written by monks at an abbey located on an island on the Lakes of Killarney and are regarded as one of Ireland's most important medieval manuscripts.
The Annals of Innisfallen are a single, bound manuscript consisting of 57 vellum leaves and written in Latin and Irish.
They document a year-by-year history of Ireland - specifically Munster - including invasions, Viking raids on Sceilig Mhichíl and the coming of the Normans.
They are a continuous narrative of death, conflict, dramatic weather events and unusual occurrences in one of the most important surviving records of medieval Ireland.
Some unusual occurrences captured include comets, the great snow of 1047 and the gift of a camel from the King of Scotland to the great grandson of High King of Ireland Brian Boru in 1105.
Uniquely, from the 11th to the 14th Century, the annals form a contemporary account of events, written by around 30 people.
Later additions to the manuscript extend the historical record into the 15th century.
History of medieval Irish life contained in manuscript
The manuscript contains a history of medieval Irish life, extending for more than 1,000 years, an eye-witness archive and an important source for the development of the Irish language.
The manuscript is thought to have been initially copied in the monastery of Lismore in Co Waterford from materials created in the monasteries of Clonmacnoise in Co Offaly and Emly in Co Tipperary.
In the 12th Century, the manuscript was brought to west Munster, most likely to the island monastery of Inisfallen, located on Lough Leane, Killarney.
The annals were in both Latin and in Irish
Little is known of the manuscript until it was acquired by Irish historian and politician James Ware, who died in 1666.
It was later acquired by Richard Rawlinson, an 18th century collector of manuscripts . It was bequeathed - along with his vast collection - to the Bodleian Library at Oxford University after his death.
The annals have been preserved there for more than 250 years.
For the duration of the exhibition at University College Cork, the actual Annals of Inisfallen will be mounted in a glass case in the college's gallery, the Glucksman, while those attending the exhibition will also be able to peruse a digital copy of the manuscript there.
A powerful, all-action history book
Professor of Modern Irish at UCC Pádraig Ó Macháin described the Annals of Innisfallen as a powerful, all-action history book.
"This is a monument to the work of a multitude of scribes who facilitated the transition from Latin to Irish as the language of record and scholarship, a language that, remarkably, is still very much with us," Prof Ó Meacháin said.
The exhibition has been enabled by support from businessman Brian McCarthy of Fexco, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Kerry County Council, and Cork University Foundation.
The exhibition brings together the manuscript's story with a new interpretation that explores its origins, its journey through history and its continuing relevance for scholars and the public alike.
Innisfallen Island is located within Killarney National Park and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan, who has responsibility for the national park, said its story is deeply woven into the history of the national park.
"I commend UCC and all involved in this exhibition which our National Parks and Wildlife Service and the National Monuments Service, are proud to support as joint-funders," he said.
"Our involvement reflects the NPWS's role as custodian of Inisfallen Island within Killarney National Park and our shared commitment to safeguarding its exceptional natural, archaeological and cultural heritage.
"I hope this exhibition inspires everyone to explore the story of Inisfallen, to reflect on the remarkable legacy preserved within the Annals, and to appreciate the enduring connections between landscape, history and identity."