Medieval Ireland

A concise and accessible overview of Ireland AD 400–1500 which challenges the stereotype of medieval Ireland as a backwards-looking nation.

Clare Downham (Author)

9781107031319, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 7 December 2017

420 pages, 18 b/w illus. 5 maps
22.3 x 14.2 x 2.3 cm, 0.67 kg

'Surprisingly few histories of medieval Ireland have ever been written, almost all of which focus on either the early or the later Middle Ages. The great benefit of Downham's book is that it straddles both, and does so on the whole skilfully, knowledgeably and accurately.' Sean Duffy, Trinity College Dublin

Medieval Ireland is often described as a backward-looking nation in which change only came about as a result of foreign invasions. By examining the wealth of under-explored evidence available, Downham challenges this popular notion and demonstrates what a culturally rich and diverse place medieval Ireland was. Starting in the fifth century, when St Patrick arrived on the island, and ending in the fifteenth century, with the efforts of the English government to defend the lands which it ruled directly around Dublin by building great ditches, this up-to-date and accessible survey charts the internal changes in the region. Chapters dispute the idea of an archaic society in a wide-range of areas, with a particular focus on land-use, economy, society, religion, politics and culture. This concise and accessible overview offers a fresh perspective on Ireland in the Middle Ages and overthrows many enduring stereotypes.

Introduction
Part I. Early Medieval Ireland AD 400–1100: 1. Ireland in the fifth century
2. Land use and economy AD 500–1100
3. Society AD 500–1100
4. Politics AD 500–1100
5. Religion AD 500–1100
6. The arts AD 500–1100
Epilogue to Part I
Part II. Late Medieval Ireland AD 1100–1500: 7. Landscape and economy AD 1100–1500
8. Society AD 1100–1500
9. Politics AD 1100–1500
10. Religion AD 1100–1500
11. The arts AD 1100–1500
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Medieval history [HBLC1], British & Irish history [HBJD1]