The manuscript was written by Eoghan Mac Gilleoin (Hugh Maclean) between 1692 and 1698. Mac Gilleoin was in 1699 schoolmaster at Kilchenzie, parish Killean and Kilchenzie, south Kintyre, (Campbell & Thomson, ‘Edward Lhuyd in the Scottish Highlands’, page 10).

John MacNeill’s pedigree (folio 52 verso) was written in 1720. ‘Contracte’ is scrawled in the margin of folio 53 recto. ‘In my defence God me defend’ is written at folio 57 recto in a quaint early hand, and in the margins of folio 58 verso, also anonymous, is You English men leave of your prank That kilt your king and then gave thanks fiy for shame proceed no further I never saw thanksgiveing yet for murther. To this is added ‘the Eirishmans verse in Lonon when King Charles was beheaded’.

Donald Mackintosh’s 13-page transcript of verse portions of the text, on paper watermarked 1804, is still laid up with it; in a note on page 14 of this he wrongly identifies Kilmoluag with the place of that name in Tiree. His work establishes that the manuscript had already reached its present state of decay by 1808. Approximately 20 folios of “Táin Bó Cuailnge” are missing from the beginning.

The manuscript contains a ‘coat of arms’ watermark to folio 41, and a ‘foolscap’ watermark from folio 42 to the end.

The contents are as follows.

(i) Táin Bó Cuailnge, Stowe version. Beginning (acephalous and here illegible) at folio 1. Line 1367 of Miss O’Rahilly’s edition. Folio 2 recto, 2nd last line, ‘Eoghan Mac Gilleoin / mi Agust naoiemh la 1692’. Folio 15 recto, line 18, ‘Eoghan Mac Gilleoin do scraibh’. Folio 15 recto, line 21, ‘mi Agust 24 la 1692’. Folio 23 recto, line 16, ‘Sept: in quigemh la 1692’. Folio 42 recto, line 19, ‘96s lo deigeanach’. Ends folio 52 recto with colophon “An 18 la do mhi December aon mhile se .c. sé deg & ceithre fithid / Eoghan Mac Gilleoin”. (Folio 1 recto.)

(ii) “[ ] aught this Irish history Book No other but he [ ] written by my hand March the twenty thrid the Seventh year of the Reinge of our Soveraing Lord and King Gheorg by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Anno Dom: 1720 John McNiell McGilcolom McEachin McGilcolom McNiell bui / Donald McNeill / (?)baoi &c. John McNeill is the true owner of this Irish History / John McNeill is true ouner of this Irish Historry”. (Folio 52 verso.)

(iii) Cath Ruis na Ríogh For Bóinn. Beginning “Baoi Conchubhar mac Fachtna F[áthach] airdrigh Uladh i merten meanman ⁊ a morchumhadh fri re chen”. Folio 60 was misplaced in binding and belongs between folios 56 and 57. (Folio 53 recto.)

‘A bill with penalty [ ] on all men by these present that I John McNeill in Daralachan in Sherdom of Argyle and Lordship of Kintyre do owe and stand indebt to Angus McMillan in the sd town in the Sum of twenty five pound good Lawfull money of Scotland to paid to sd angus his heirs Executors and administrators and asignes [ ] upon the fifteen day of march next ensueing [ ] hereof without further fraud or delay and in Consideration of which payment well and [ ]ly to be made and done I bind my heirs Executors and administrators in penal Sum of fifty pound good Lawfull money of England firmly by these present witness whereof I have herunto Set my hand and seal the thrid year of the reinge the year of our lord 1714’. (Folio 56 verso.)

(iv) ‘Cernach Ui Dhomhnaill’. Beginning “La n-áon da raibh O Domhnuill .i. Aodh a thire ⁊ a thalamh ⁊ a mhuintir [mar]aon ris, aig caithemh fleighe & fiesta a mBel Atha Senaig”. Colophon (folio 74 verso): “Chriochnuigh Eoghan Mac Ghiolleoin le mo laimh aig an pend an seismhadh la do mhi Ianuari aon mhile se céud ocht deg ⁊ ceithre fithid (1698) bliadhna”. (Folio 67 recto.)

(v) “Murchadh Mac Brian ⁊ an Díthreabhach”. Beginning ‘Sealg mhor do chomoradh le Brian [Boruidh] mac Ceinnadidh fa Chritalidh [⁊ fa L]och Dearghardhtigh, ⁊ fan Mha[gairse] maghruaidhe, ⁊ fa Horchosloch ⁊ fa iomladh Locha [Leathan] lanfharsuing, ⁊ fa Mhumhan mhor don h-iomlibh’. Mac Gilleoin’s earlier version in Adv.MS.72.1.36 (“Égise”, volume 12, pages 305-313) corresponds to folios 74 recto-79 verso. Ends with manuscript at folio 86, incomplete and here illegible. (Folio 75 recto.)