Commentarius Rinuccinianus

Introduction

This account of the nunciature of Archbishop Gianbattista Rinuccini in Ireland, written in Italy between 1661-1666 by two Irish clerics, Richard O’Ferrall and Robert O’Connell, provides a unique insight into the political, diplomatic, religious and military history of Counter-reformation Ireland, Britain and Europe during the wars of the three kingdoms (1639-52). In addition to a detailed narrative of the period, the Commentarius contains Latin copies of documents, many of which were destroyed in two great fires in Dublin, in 1711 and 1922. A report on the Commentarius for the Historical Manuscripts Commission in 1871 stated that it was 'impossible to speak too strongly’ of its importance’, and a translated edition was one of four key texts which J.T. Gilbert, the Commissioner of Manuscripts, recommended for publication.¹

A six-volume Latin edition, by Stanislaus Kavanagh for the Irish Manuscripts Commission, appeared between 1932 and 1949 but was accessible only to those with specialist language skills. This project makes a full English translation, including new indexes available to scholars for the first time. Project research revealed that Robert O’Connell, one of the authors of the Commentarius, also wrote The Historia, an unpublished 800-page history of the Irish Capuchins. This is in the process of translation.