Thomas of Ireland

Thomas was the author of three short works on theology and biblical exegesis, and the compiler of the Manipulus florum ('A Handful of Flowers').

Although Thomas was apparently a member of the secular clergy, his anthology was highly successful because it was "well suited to the needs of the new mendicant preaching orders ... [to] ... locate quotations ... relevant to any subject they might wish to touch on in their sermons.

"[4] Indeed, Boyer has demonstrated that very soon after the Manipulus was completed a French Dominican used it to compose a series of surviving sermons.

[7] Thomas was also among the earliest pioneers of medieval information technology that included alphabetical subject indices and cross-references.

"[4] Those finding tools are preserved, and electronically enhanced, in Nighman's online critical edition of the Manipulus florum.