In this short piece marking the ancient feast of Samhain (1 November), older spelling Samain, I share some examples of early Irish Samain folklore and also outline the legal framing of Samain under the Brehon Laws. Aspects of Samain in Mythology Samain, 1 November, traditionally marked the start of Winter. It has been suggested that… Continue reading Of Swine and Samain: Aspects of Early Irish Samain Lore and Law
Tag: Early Ireland
The True Meaning of Friends: ‘Cairde’ and Cross-Border Law in Early Ireland
Ireland is an active participant in multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations, established to uphold international law, as well as having contributed to a number of (often dangerous) international peacekeeping missions. Ireland also adheres to various multinational frameworks for handling cross-border legal proceedings. This basic notion of vindicating shared legal interests across borders can,… Continue reading The True Meaning of Friends: ‘Cairde’ and Cross-Border Law in Early Ireland
The Lesser Known Patrick
Ireland's annual cultural and religious celebrations on 17 March, 'Saint Patrick's Day' (Lá Fhéila Pádraig), have been curtailed for a second year. This has been disappointing both for people at home and diaspora abroad, along with other stakeholders for whom this one day every year gives Ireland a political and commercial platform unheard of for… Continue reading The Lesser Known Patrick
Deputy or Heir? Origins of ‘An Tánaiste’
The titles of certain roles and institutions in Bunreacht na hÉireann (the Constitution of Ireland 1937) [1] have their roots in Early Ireland. One of the more interesting of these from a historical standpoint is the position of 'Tánaiste'. In this article I firstly provide an overview of the formal role envisaged for the Tánaiste… Continue reading Deputy or Heir? Origins of ‘An Tánaiste’
The Brehon Lawyer 
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