Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland in the Middle Ages.
Author: NICHOLLS, K. W.
Dublin: Lilliput Press, 2003. x, 238 pages. Paperback.
Contents:-
Preface to Second Edition.
Preface to First Edition.
PART I: Society and Institutions.
1. INTRODUCTION: THE BACKGROUND OF LATE MEDIEVAL IRELAND.
The Land.
Ireland a lineage society.
The expanding clans.
The Anglo-Norman settlements and their decline.
The Gaelic reconquest.
2. POLITICAL STRUCTURES AND THE FORMS OF POWER.
The Irish lordship.
Tanistry and inauguration.
Public assemblies.
The Revenues and exactions of the lords.
The right of the lords regarding land.
Monopolies and pre-emption.
Lords’ officers.
‘Buyings’ and slainte.
3. THE LEGAL SYSTEM.
The Irish legal system.
The judges.
Brehon law and English law.
Legal procedures.
Compensation and the principle of joint responsibility.
The law of land: ‘Irish gavelkind’.
Forms of partition.
Customs approaching ‘gavelkind’.
The pledge of land.
4. SOCIAL LIFE AND SOCIAL GROUPINGS.
The people.
Nomenclature.
Marriage and sexual life.
Affiliation: the ‘naming’ of children.
Fosterage.
The professional learned classes.
The poets.
Military groupings.
The galloglass.
5. THE CHURCH AND CLERGY IN SOCIETY.
The Irish Church.
The clergy.
Clerical life.
Papal provisions.
The monastic orders.
Coarbs and erenaghs.
6. ECONOMIC LIFE.
Agriculture and pastoralism.
The townland system.
Patterns of settlement.
Craftsmen and local industries.
Foreign trade and the coastal towns.
PART II: Historical Section.
7. ULSTER.
The O Neills of Tyrone.
‘Little Ulster’ and Clandeboy.
Tirconnell.
Fermanagh and Oriel.
8. CONNACHT.
The O Connors down to the Bruce invasion.
The rise of the Mac Williamships and the wars of faction.
The later period. Brefny.
The O Farrells of Annaly.
9. MUNSTER.
The O Briens of Thomond.
The Mac Carthys of Desmond.
The earls of Desmond and the Anglo-Norman lords of Munster.
The Powers.
The Butler territories.
10. LEINSTER AND MEATH.
The Mac Murroughs, kings of Leinster.
The O Byrnes and O Tooles.
Leix and Offaly.
The Westmeath lordships.
Further Reading.
Maps.
Glossary.
Index.