Thought to have been written by Cu Choigcriche O Cleirigh, one of the Four Masters, head of the Tirconnell sept of the O'Clerys (O'Donovan); held the lands of Coobeg and Doughill in the barony of Boylagh and Banagh, Co. Donegal, from 1631 to 1632, at which date he was dispossessed of his lands and removed, with other Tirconnell families, to Ballcroy, Erris barony, Co. Mayo, under the guidance of Rory O'Donnell, son of Col. Manus O'Donnell, slain at Benburb, 1646.

Carried with him his books, his most treasured possession, and later bequeathed them to his sons, Diarmait and Sean. Cu Choigcriche's son Diarmait had a son Cairbre, who removed to the parish of Drung, Co. Cavan, and was the father of Cosnahach (1693-1759). His only son Patrick O'Clery had six sons, one of whom, John O'Clery, removed to Dublin in 1817 bringing with him the Leabhar Gabhala, the Book of Genealogies, the Life of Hugh Roe O'Donnell and the Topographical Poems of O'Dugan and O'Heerin, all in the handwriting of his ancestor, Cu Choigcriche.

Later briefly in the possession of Mr. Patrick Lynch (d. 1817) and Patrick Vincent FitzPatrick of Capel St. Dublin, bookseller. Purchased by the Royal Irish Academy at the auction sale of Edward O'Reilly's Books and Irish MSS., Nov. 1830 (6pds).