Brehon Laws


Book Description

A fascinating look at the lifestyle and values of ancient Ireland Thousands of years ago, Celtic Ireland was a land of tribes and warriors; but a widely accepted, sophisticated and surprisingly enlightened legal system kept society running smoothly. The brehons were the keepers of these laws, which dealt with every aspect of life: land disputes; recompense for theft or violence; marriage and divorce processes; the care of trees and animals. Transmitted orally from ancient times, the laws were transcribed by monks around the fifth century, and what survived was translated by nineteenth-century scholars. Jo Kerrigan has immersed herself in these texts, revealing fascinating details that are inspiring for our world today. With atmospheric photographs by Richard Mills, an accessible introduction to a hidden gem of Irish heritage







The Brehon Laws: A Legal Handbook


Book Description

An exploration of the early Irish laws that defined everyday life in Medieval Ireland, as well as analysis of their history, influences, and development prior to the supplantation of English common law. First published in 1894, The Brehon Laws is Laurence Ginnell’s handbook for the history of the Irish legal system. Opening with the history of Saxon law and detailing the first written legal recordings, Ginnell enthusiastically informs the reader about the survival of Brehon law from the seventh century through to the seventeenth century when English common law took favour. The chapters featured in this volume include: - Ancient Law - Existing Remains Of Irish Law - The Senchus Mōr - Legislative Assemblies - Classification of Society - The Law of Distraining - Criminal Law - Native, Not Roman Providing insight into Gaelic society and the evolution of law and culture, this guidebook is the ideal read for those with an interest in the history of the legal system. This edition features a specially-commissioned biography of the author.




Medieval Irish Law


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Cáin Lánamna


Book Description

Cáin Lánamna "The Law of Couples", an Old Irish text dated to c. 700, is arguably the most important source of information concerning women and the household economy in early Ireland. The text describes all the recognized marriages and unions, both legal and illegal, and provides information regarding the allocation of property in the event of a divorce. The text was heavily glossed over a period of several centuries and provides insights into changes in the Irish legal system. This book provides, for the first time, an English translation of the entire text and all the accompanying glosses and commentary. It also includes an introduction to early Irish society, linguistic and legal notes, and a glossary to the tract.




Law | Book | Culture in the Middle Ages


Book Description

Law | Book | Culture in the Middle Ages takes a detailed view on the role of manuscripts and the written word in legal cultures, spanning the medieval period across western and central Europe.




Late Medieval Irish Law Manuscripts: A Reappraisal of Methodology and Content


Book Description

Late Medieval Irish Law Manuscripts: A Reappraisal of Methodology and Context challenges the long-held view that Irish law manuscripts produced in the secular law schools of the late medieval period are only the work of antiquarians. This book examines the texts in their political, social and cultural contexts, particularly in relation to the Irish revival of the fourteenth century onwards. Finnane’s examination of the manuscripts includes: legal interpretation and the role of glossing and commenting on older ‘canonical texts’ in establishing the authority of those texts in the present the use of the manuscripts in legal education the use of the past in providing legitimacy and authority, particularly in a legal context. Finnane argues that the manuscripts are the work of jurists authorising a revived legal system connected to a re-emergent Irish political elite, after more than a century of Anglo Norman invasion and rule.




Early Irish Farming


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