The Book of Ballymote, a late 14th-century Irish manuscript, is a treasure of Irish culture, housed in the Royal Irish Academy since 1785. Written in Ballymote Castle, County Sligo, it features Irish minuscule script with decorative initials. This vellum manuscript includes Irish genealogy, saints’ lives, a key to the Ogham alphabet, and early versions of the Lebor Gabála Érenn (Book of Invasions) and a Latin account of Troy’s destruction. Handmade and handwritten, it’s a one-of-a-kind artifact showcasing Ireland’s rich literary and historical tradition.
