John Clyn - The Annals of Ireland

The Annals of Ireland

In an effort to identify Clyn's purpose in writing his annals, Bernadette Williams states:

"They are not a house chronicle, a town chronicle or a political history. ...the difference between a city and county annalist is quite evident; Clyn was not a member of the burgage population of Kilkenny but a man of the countryside. ... The reality is that Clyn was writing a military history of the geographical area of Kilkenny and Tipperary ... his audience was either the military men of that area or more specifically a military family such as the de la Freignes."

Indeed the latter family are mentioned fulsomly in his annals.

As a person "from a military and chivalric background ... he displayed an acceptance of the military situation on the ground" but abhorred "treachery and unprovoked violence."

He would be unknown as the author had he not identified himself in his entry on the Black Death.

In 2007 an edition of the annals of Friar Clyn was translated into English by Dr. Bernadette Williams.