Using the Galloglass Database
The database fields were compiled first with Microsoft Access software. This work was conducted by Dr Susan Foran at Trinity College Dublin, and directed by Professor Sean Duffy. The database files were donated to the CELT Project at the School of History, University College Cork. In conjunction with Abeo Web Solutions and with the guidance of Dr Benjamin Hazard, the data was uploaded to a MySQL database to be displayed in tabular format on the CELT website
The basic search facility presents the data under four headings. These relate to personal names, events, places and source material. The amount of information relevant to each heading offers the reader a detailed research resource. There are more than one hundred and forty categories, details of which are contained in the advanced search page. The data is contained in separate fields under the names of specific individuals and groups; the period in which the events occurred and the associated places. Due in part to variant spellings, the evidence for identification does vary in quality. The available data relates to the period from c.1200 until c.1600.
These webpages are best viewed with the Google Chrome browser.
The researcher can for instance search for information in the following ways:
- Where the researcher is looking for information about a specific individual, entering that person's first name, surname and the approximate period returns the results required where possible. The researcher should bear in mind that more than one individual could have a similar name in a similar time period. Where this is the case, the date associated with specific events should be checked in the full display when the resulting data from the search is clicked.
- Where the researcher is looking for details of specific events, these are referred to as encounters: battles or meetings, for example. Entering the place name, region or territory as search criteria will enable the reader to select the desired material. As with named individuals, clicking the highlighted first lines of the results will yield the full display.
- For an Advanced search, select one category and scroll through the menus for specific topic of interest; e.g. from either 'Place of Galloglass in Forces Involved' or from 'Casulties For - Dead' for a Battle/Event. This is will return the required results better than combining search criteria from more than one category.
Key to Abbreviations:- AC : Annals of Connacht
- AFM: Annals of the Four Masters
- ALC : Annals of Loch Cé
- AU : Annals of Ulster
- LCS : Leabhar Chlainne Suibhne
- [al. man.] = alia manu(s), in another hand
- p. : page
- par. : paragraph
- s. : son of
All encounters that can be localized to a county or adjoining counties are viewable on a modern county map of Ireland. It provides a rough visualization of Galloglass activity during the period.
Where a number is referred to in brackets for individual persons, this relates to the original data files; e.g. Toirdhealbhach mac Suibhne na Tuath (no. 242).
In many cases, the sources for the individuals and the events referred to here are accessible and fully-searchable on the CELT website
The following maps illustrate the distribution of both events and places mentioned in the database (click on a map to enlarge):
