Medieval Ireland (New Gill History of Ireland 1)

The Enduring Tradition – Ireland from the Coming of Christianity to the Reformation

Michael Richter

• Publisher: Gill Books
• Year: 2005
• Print ISBN: 9780717132935
• eBook ISBN: 9780717165759
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

Medieval Ireland – The Enduring Tradition, the first instalment in the New Gill History of Ireland series, offers an overview of Irish history from the coming of Christianity in the fifth century to the Reformation in the sixteenth, concentrating on Ireland's cultural and social life and highlighting Irish society's inherent stability in an very unstable period. Such a broad survey reveals features otherwise not easily detected. For all the complexity of political developments, Irish society remained basically stable and managed to withstand the onslaught of both the Vikings and the English. The inherent strength of Ireland consisted in the cultural heritage from pre-historic times, which remained influential throughout the centuries discussed in Professor Michael Richter's engaging and informative book. Irish history has traditionally been described either in isolation or in the manner in which it was influenced by outside forces, especially by England. This book strikes a different balance. First, the time span covered is longer than usual, and more attention is paid to the early medieval centuries than to the later period. Secondly, less emphasis is placed in this book on the political or military history of Ireland than on general social and cultural aspects. As a result, a more mature interpretation of medieval Ireland emerges, one in which social and cultural norms inherited from pre-historic times are seen to survive right through the Middle Ages. They gave Irish society a stability and inherent strength unparalleled in Europe. Christianity came in as an additional, enriching factor.

Medieval Ireland: Table of Contents

• The Celts
• 
  Part I. Early Ireland (before c. AD 500)
• Ireland in Prehistoric Times
• Political Developments in Early Times
• 
  Part II Ireland in the First Part of the Middle Ages (c. AD 500-1100)
• The Beginnings of Christianity in Ireland
• The Formation of the Early Irish Church
• Christian Ireland in the Seventh and Eighth Centuries
• Secularisation and Reform in the Eighth Centuries
• The Age of the Vikings
• 
  Part III. Ireland in the Second part of the Middle Ages (c.1100-1500)
• Ireland under Foreign Influence: The Twelfth Century
• Ireland from the Reign of John to the Statutes of Kilkenny
• The End of the Middle Ages
• The Enduring Tradition

Table of contents

• Cover 
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword by Próinséas Ní Chatháin
• Preface to the first English edition
• Preface to the second English edition
• Maps
•    Map 1 Ireland c.800, provinces and principal sites
•    Map 2 The most important Irish monasteries
•    Map 3 Ireland and western Britain c.1200
•    Map 4 Ireland c.1500
• Chapter 1 The Celts
• Part I Early Ireland (before c. A.D. 500)
•    Chapter 2 Ireland in prehistoric times
•    Chapter 3 Political developments in early times
• Part II Ireland in the First Part of the Middle Ages (c. A.D. 500–1100)
•    Chapter 4 The beginnings of Christianity in Ireland
•    Chapter 5 The formation of the early Irish Church
•    Chapter 6 Christian Ireland in the seventh and eighth centuries
•    Chapter 7 Secularisation and reform in the eighth century
•    Chapter 8 The age of the Vikings
• Part III Ireland in the Second Part of the Middle Ages (c.1100–1500)
•    Chapter 9 Ireland under foreign influence the twelfth century
•    Chapter 10 Ireland from the reign of John to the Statutes of Kilkenny
•    Chapter 11 The end of the Middle Ages
•    Chapter 12 The enduring tradition
• Abbreviations and Sigla
• Bibliography and References
• List of Irish Words
• A note on the spelling and pronunciation of Irish words and names
• Copyright
• About the Author
• About Gill & Macmillan