The manuscript was written under MacDougall’s patronage in Lorne and Ossory, 1596-1600, by Donnchadh Ó Conchubhair (Duncan O’Conacher, 1571-1647) at the behest of Ollamh Osraige, Donnchadh Óg Ó Conchubhair, and with the help of Cathal mac Cuinn Uí Dhuinnshléibhe (the scribe of Royal Irish Academy 23 N 16), Giolla Pádraig mac Donnchaidh Óig Uí Chonchubhair, Niall Mac Iomhair, and others. When writing in Ireland Donnchadh uses the distinguishing epithet Albannach. His pedigree, Donnchadh mac Eoin mhic Domhnaill mhic Donnchaidh, is given by Angus Beaton at page 126 of Adv.MS.72.2.10, a manuscript compiled with his active assistance. He died at Dunstaffnage, and the deaths of successive MacDougalls are recorded in the manuscript as well as his own (folio 257 verso).

The manuscript is described by Donald Mackintosh, in his catalogue of the material remaining in Major MacLachlan’s possession after 1801, as ‘A thick folio paper MS. same character, medical, and written by Duncan Conacher at Dunollie, Argyleshire, 1511’. (‘Poems of Ossian in the original Gaelic’, volume 3, page 571). The date 1511 is taken from a colophon at folio 224 verso, on which a chemical reagent has been used - presumably by Mackintosh himself, as subsequent cataloguers did not reproduce any part of it.

The manuscript contains a ‘pot’ watermark.

In addition to a few marginalia, many notes of considerable interest were inserted to fill out lines in the text. These are given below. A hand resembling that of Niall Mac Iomhair annotates the text at folios 4 recto, 62 verso, 67, 70 recto, 79 verso, 81 recto, 83 recto, 84 verso, 123 recto, and 187 recto. Mac Iomhair may have been of the mid-Argyll MacIvers; his hand is identified by an anonymous scribe who writes ‘Comortus riot a neill Mhic Iomhair’ at folio 265 recto and the pen-tests ‘Sinn sin a cheoil binn chaoin’, ‘an fo an peand so an ainm Dia so ⁊ Muire na gras’, etc., at folios 258 recto and 310 recto. Words of the text are crudely imitated at folios 62 recto, 259 recto.

The contents are as follows.

(i) Bernard of Gordon. ‘Lilium Medicinae’. Begins acephalous in part 1, chapter 5, ‘neithe contrardha do thabhairt gan fechui dona neithibh rannuighthi’. For Latin text see Bernard of Gordon, ‘Opus, Lilium Medicinae inscriptim, ... Una cum aliquot allis eius libellis’, page 28, line 33. Lacuna at folios 31-32 is Adv.MS.72.1.18; 1 folio missing between folios 62-63. Written in two columns by Donnchadh Albannach, Cathal Ó Duinnshléibhe, Giolla Pádraig mac Donnchaidh Óig and at least five other scribes. Donnchadh Albannach’s notes: 10 verso ‘slan chugad Eoin Ceir o Dhonnchadh O Conchubhair’; folio 18 recto, ‘la feil Padraig’; folio 47 verso, ‘an niudh dham a mBaile Cuad’; folio 78 recto, “Mairgreg og inghen tShethain ⁊ Finnín mac Domnaill ⁊ Sili ⁊ an fer is aithnid dham fein”; folio 84 verso, ‘anocht dham a mBaile Cuthad a bhfhocair Dhiarmuid an Bhealaigh an 12 la do mhi Iunius ⁊ is ann ata an baile sin eidir teora Mhuighneach ⁊ Laithneach anno domini 1596 misi Donchadh’; folio 96 recto, ‘sin duit a ttoigh Mhic Murchodha’; folio 96 verso, “tairnig ann sin an dara lebhar maille furtachd De & a mbaile Dhonnchaidh Oig I Conchubhair do sgribhadh é oir ise an Donnchadh Og sin tug an lebhar so rena sgribhadh do Dhonnchadh Albannac O Concubhair anno domini 1596 an la deidhinach do mi Iuin”; folio 108 recto ‘uch uch a Dhia’; folio 111 recto, ‘uc uch a Dia’; folio 112 recto ‘uc uch’; folio 115 recto, ‘ata mo bru folamh’; folio 150 verso, ‘sin duit a Mhaire Builtear’; folio 155 verso ‘slan duit a Dhumollamh anocht’; folio 157 recto, “an tú Una Bhuiltear?”; folio 162 verso ‘uch uch a Dia’; folio 179 recto ‘Dia le Donnchadh O Conchubhair’; folio 182 verso, ‘ata fuacht orm anois’; folio 185 verso “Tarnig ann sin an 5 partigal maille grasaibh Dhé an ii la do mi November ⁊ an Achadh Mhic Artt tinnsgnuighe e ⁊ is ann do tarnig se ⁊ ise do sgrib an cuid so fuas de .i. Giolla Patrig mac Donnchaidh Oig I Concubair ⁊ do bhi Niall Mac Iomhur ⁊ Iollann ⁊ Tadhg ⁊ Domnall do lathair an uair sin ⁊ do bhi eagal orinn roimh cuid do chineadh Chaissin do bhi ar an gcetairne coille ⁊ ni bfhuil Cathall annsa mbaile an nocht anno domini 1596. Misi Donnchadh O Conchubhair”; folio 190 verso, ‘Dia le Donnchadh O Concubhair’; folio 224 recto, column a, ‘sin duit’. Cathal’s notes: folio 89 verso ‘sin duit a Dhonnchaidh Albannaigh maille bennachtain’; folio 101 recto, ‘sin duit a Dhonnchaidh maille bennachtain’; folio 107 recto, ‘sin duit a Dhonnchaidh maille bennachtain’; folio 122 recto, “Tairnig ann sin an 3 partigal don Lili le Donnchadh Albunach Ó Conchubhair maille furtach din tshlanaighteóra an 6 lá d’Augustus a nAchadh Mhic Airt a bfharradh Donnchaidh Oig I Conchubhair anno domini 1596. Sin duit a Dhonnchaidh maille bennacht ⁊ is Cuma leat cr(éad) air in bpic ponaire anois oir atai ag lionadh do bhrudh a gCill Coinnigh ⁊ ni mor in benn ata agad oruinni an méad i so d’fhágbas tar h’éis. Acht ni bec sin acht co ndenadh Dia trocairi oruinn an bhuidhen do bhi ann sin .i. Donnchadh Albunach ⁊ Iollann Maigbhetha ⁊ Fergach O Ferghusa ⁊ misi Cathal O Duinnshlebhe”; folio 130 recto, ‘sin duit’; folio 149 recto, “Tairnig ann sin an 4 lebhar do thoil Dé ro Donnchadh Ó Conchubhuir anno domini 1600 in 30 la do Maius. A gCulchoill Mic Gilla Padraig dhamh in tansa a bfhochuir Dhonnchaidh Oig hI Chonchubhair”; folio 155 recto, ‘sin duit a Mhairsile maille croide ...’; folio 165 recto ‘sin duit a Mhairsile’; folio 222 verso, ‘ag sin duit a Mhairsili inghen Mhic Cubhaill’. Notes by anonymous hands: folio 172 recto, ‘ag sin duit a Mhairsili ni Mhic Cumhaill’; folio 207 verso, ‘gomadh slan duit a Dhonatus’; folio 210 verso, ‘ag sin duit a Donnchaidh maille bennacht’. (Folio 1 recto.)

(ii) (Donnachadh Albannach’s hand). “Tairnig ann sin an (⁊) particlum don Lili mailli re toil Dé an 10 la do mhi Februairies ⁊ a nAthchith Mhic Airt dham a faradh Dhonnchaidh Oig I Concubhar. Oir ise tuc dhamsa an leabhar so rena sgriobhadh ⁊ go roimhe maith ag gach aon duine da dtug cabhuir no conadh dham fan lebhar so ⁊ go h-airidhi ag Cathall mac Cuinn. Oir is mor do sgriobh se dham ⁊ fos is mor an cogadh ata a nErinn an tan so. Oir ata Fiactha mac Aodh ⁊ mac Ruthraigh Oig ⁊ Domnall Mac Uaidhne ⁊ clann tShethain mhic Giolla fPhatrig ⁊ moran eile do daoine uaisle mar riu sin ag denamh uilc ⁊ cogaidh a n-adhaigh na Bainrigain ⁊ clann Edmuinn an Chala a-muigh ar Iarla Urun”. (Folio 224 recto, column b.)

(iii) (? Niall Mac Iomhair’s hand, cf. folio 265). “& farior sgeula is measa leam nag ach sgeula ⁊ cogadh chionadh Chaisín le Donncadh O Concabhair fa olluntacht Osraige Mhic a Ghiolla Padruig ⁊ ata an eogair acsan go bfios duine air an abhar nach maith an t-aois ealadhan iad ⁊ nach coir ollamh do ghairm don duine bhios mar sin. ⁊ tuilleadh eile, sgeula (dhuibh) ar in ccogadh so .i. gurab e Ó Neill mar ata Aodh mac an Fhir Dorcha mhic Cuinn mhic mhic Cuinn mhic Enrí mhic Eoghain mhic Neill Óig mhic Neill Mhoir is ceannbhurt air an googadh so na hErend ⁊ go bfios damhsa ni cogadh gan cosnamh sin an fad bhairfis an t-uaithne catha ⁊ an t-airseoir iorghail ⁊ an lamh laidir ⁊ an cleith bearna (.i.) Aodh O Neill mac an Fhir Dhorcha ⁊ gur fada b(eo) an fer sin ⁊ misi fen maill fris. Anno domini 1596”. (Middle of folio 224 recto, column b.)

(iv) (Donnchadh Albannach’s hand). “Uch uch a Dia is fada leom ata me gan dul mar a bfuil Donnchadh oir ise Mac Dubhaill ata gom conmhail re mí ⁊ le toil Dia gearr go mbi me annsa chaoigeadh Laoithneach mar a bfuil G Grainne ⁊ Donnchadh ⁊ Fitnín ⁊ cach uile sin a mach. Finit”. (Bottom of folio 224 recto, column b.)

(v) (Largely illegible, hand uncertain; much darkened by the use of a chemical reagent). ‘(Ag) so leabhar Donnchaidh ⁊ is se Donnchadh do sgriobh he o Dhonnchadh Og O Conchubhair aois an tighearna an tan so 1511 .i. 1603 ...” (?) (Folio 224 verso.)

(vi) Bernard of Gordon. Prognostica. Beginning ‘Senectus domina oblivionis est adhon is i an airsaigecht bantigherna an dermuid’. Cf. Royal Irish Academy MS.3 C 19, folio 241. For printed Latin text see Gordon, ‘Opus, Lilium Medicinae inscriptim, ... Una cum aliquot allis eius libellis’, page 993. Written in two columns by Donnchadh Albannach. His notes: folio 225 recto, ‘An xxiiii la do mi Agustus tionnsgnadh so do sgribhadh ⁊ a mBaile Cuad dhom ag leighes cancer bolgaigh do bhi ar Finin mac Diarmuid an Bhealaigh’; folio 236 verso, “is rofhada ata me gan d’fhaicsin a Marsili”; folio 247 recto, ‘Dia liom’; bottom of folio 257 verso, column a, “Tairnig and sin Prognostica Bernardus Gordonius an 9 la do mi Octoberis maille furdachd De a mBaile Cuthad dham ⁊ is iad so an drong do bhi ar lathair an crichnuighthi so .i. Fitnin mac Diarmuid ⁊ Grainne inghen Diarmuid ⁊ oglaoch o Laoighis ⁊ is iad so an drong nach fuil do lathair .i. Cathal O Concubhair ⁊ Iollinn ⁊ Domnall ⁊ Tadhg. Trocaire righ nimhi d’ughdar an leabhairsi .i. Bernardus Gordonius ⁊ d’fer a churtha a nGaoidhelg .i. Cormac O Duinnslebhi ⁊ d’fer a sgribhta ann so .i. Donnchadh Ua Concubhair. Ailim trocaire Dhe dom anmuin ⁊ a Dhe cuir me slan go Dún Ollamh mas toil let”. (Folio 225 recto.)

(vii) (Eoin Ó Conchubhair’s hand). “Ase lion do duileogaibh at annsa leaphar so sgriobtha adhon 2 100 duileog ⁊ 2 20 ⁊ seacht nduileoga. Mise Eoin O Conchubhair”. Hand of Adv.MS.72.1.13, folio 12 recto, margin, adds ‘Maile 9 xx do chaidernaibh’. (Folio 257 verso, column b.)

(viii) (Donnchadh Albannach’s hand). “Aois an tigherna an uair do rugadh Donnchadh O Conchubhair .i. mili bliadhna ⁊ cuig ced tri fithi ⁊ a haoin deg an 24 la do Iuni. Do rugadh fer Dhunachach cuig bliadhna na dhiagh sin. Aois an tigherna anois 1614 bliadhna deg. Misi Donchadh. Aois an tigherna an ta(n) fuair Donnchadh Mac Dubhghaill tigherna Dhunolamh bas annsa chodaltai bhreac an Dunollamh .i. mili ⁊ 6 c. bliadhna ⁊ se bliadhna deag nisa mho, an la deighinach d’Agus(tus) ⁊ do hioghladh a gCilli Bhridi he annsa chisti chloidhe is neasa don dorus air taoibh cuil an teampaill & a Dhia athair cuir uair mhaith chugum go cass na dhiaigh maille trocaire dom anmuin. Misi Donnchadh O Concubhair do sgriobh so le droc penn. Uch a Dhia on uch a Dhia . is mairg ata anocht gan triath . ni fada bheris me bec . mo chraidhe da bhreo na dhiaig”. (Folio 257 verso, column b, line 5.)

(ix) (Anonymous hand). “Aois an tigharna an uair fuair Donnchadh O Conchubair bas ann an Duindainis .i. mili agas séc ed da fhiced agas a seacht, an tres la deag do mi Februarie agas is an inn Caibel Mhic Aonguis do hioghladh e”. Folio 257 verso, column b, line 34, ‘Aois an tigharna an uair fuair Eoin Mac Doubhgaill tigherna Dhunolamh bas ansa chodaltai bhreac .i. mili agus se c. thri fiched agus a naoi, an chethram la deag do Apryll’. Folio 258 recto, ‘Aois an tigharna an nuair do mharbh tigharna L(och na) nElla an in Invir Aora mile agus se cead tri fi(ched) agus haon deag, an la deaghanac don Mhar(t)’. (Folio 257 verso, column b, line 27.)

(x) Petrus de Argellata. De Chirurgia. Beginning ‘Cum humanae vitae brevitas teste Hypocrate’. Cf. National Library of Ireland MS.G 8, page 163. Written in single column by Donnchadh Albannach with a little help from Niall Mac Iomhair (folio 265) and an anonymous scribe (folios 303 verso-320 recto passim). Lacuna between folios 321-322. Donnchadh Albannach’s notes: folio 259 recto, ‘An ainm an athor ⁊ an mhic ⁊ an spirut naoimh tinnsgnum an levorsa .i. Petrus de Ergelata ar Baille Mhic Cathail. Misi Donnchadh O Concubair do tinnsonus e an 14 la do mhi Januairius anno domini 1598’; folio 283 recto, ‘uch a Dhia co bfhoireadh tu orm fein anois’; folio 287 recto, ‘a Dhia cuimhnigh me ⁊ me a bfhad o Dhunollamh ⁊ om cairttuibh’; folio 304 recto, ‘uch a Dhia a Mharsili is fada ata tu gan techt air cuairt chugam ⁊ gan agum acht me fein’; folio 308 recto, ‘uch uch a Dhia foir orm aniugh ⁊ me a bfharraidhi inghine Bhriain Bhallaigh a nDaire Leac an Fiach’; folio 308 verso, ‘An tu Catillin og ⁊ dar ndoigh ni tu. Misi Donnchadh O Concubair an c. la don Mhart’; folio 310 recto, ‘bhdngbh bhcbhtngllngn bhn tft sngn’ (‘A Dhia, a Chatillin, an tu sin?’) ‘bhgfts ngs ddlnggh nbhc tft sngn’ (‘Agus is doigh nach tu sin’); folio 311 recto, ‘uch a Dia’; folio 312 verso, ‘misi Donnchadh O Concubair’; folio 316 recto, “is olc do riaghail tu so a Chaitillín og inghen Briai(n )”; folio 318 recto, ‘slan cugat a B(riain?)’; folio 321 verso, ‘uch uch’; folio 323 recto, ‘an tu sin a bhenn ni ...' (pen-test); folio 324 recto, ‘an tusa is ferr ⁊ ni maith tu fos’ (pen-test); folio 327 verso, ‘Uch a Dhia is mor ata Osraidh arna milleadh le Mac I Neill. Misi Donnchadh’; folio 329 verso, ‘1599 an la roimh la Casga a mbaile Caitilin’. Anonymous scribe’s note: folio 319 verso, ‘lor sin is an la aniugh dar leam’. (Folio 259 recto.)

Fragmentary calendar in Donnchadh Albannach’s hand. (Folio 330 recto.)