Historic Irish Manuscript-Lebor Laignech

Lebor Laignech

Other Names	Book of Leinster, formerly known as the Book of Noughaval
Date Written	1133-1140
Place Written	Unknown, somewhere in Leinster
Author	Commissioned by Diarmuid MacMurrough of the Ua Briain Clann to strengthen his claim of Leinster and later to High Kingship against Southern Uí Néill clans.
Pages	187 leaves, each approximately 13" by 9" (33cm by 23cm) 45 additional pages lost.
Summary	Rare surviving sources of medieval Irish literature, heavily modified genealogy and mythology, containing, among many others, texts such as Lebor Gabála Érenn (the Book of Invasions), the most complete version of Táin Bó Cuailnge (the Cattle Raid of Cooley), the Metrical Dindshenchas (book of Tara) and an Irish translation/adaptation of the De excidio Troiae Historia (destruction of Troy).
Context	The MacMurrough sept of the Ua Briain Clann were Kings of Leinster at the time. The Ua Briain had been under attack by the Ua Ruairc another sept of the Ua Briain. The Book of Leinster was used to strengthen the MacMurrough claim of kingship and the belief and credibility given to this treacherous book of fables had a small part to play in the Norman Invasions of Ireland by Henry II

Dermot MacMurrough (also known as Diarmait na nGall) which means "Dermot of the Foreigners" is regarded to be one of the most notorious traitors in all Irish history. This is on account of his petition to King Henry II of England to help him win back High Kingship of Ireland and Leinster.

It is because of the actions of MacMurrough and his treachery against the remaining families of Ireland in assisting Henry II in invasion plans and how to defeat the Irish that he is historically so hated.

It is was during his first reign as King of Leinster that Dermot MacMurrough commissioned the Book of Leinster to be written - largely to strengthen the geneologies of his sept of the O'Briain Clann against his main enemy the Ua Ruairc (O'Rourke) also of the Ua Briains.

Many of the texts within the Book of Leinster themselves are copies of the fictional writings first commissioned by the common O'Briain ancestor Muircheartach Ua Briain around 1104.

In spite of the less than honorable motives for its commission, the Book of Leinster remains an important historical text for Ireland, primarily on account that so few manuscripts survived the waves of destruction that befell Ireland before, during and after the English invasion and occupation.

Many families of Ireland, including those claiming royal status today use the fictional geneologies commissioned by the traitor Dermot MacMurrough as if it were factual.


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