Ireland in the Middle Ages

British History in Perspective

by Seán Duffy

This book surveys Irish history in the first half of this millennium, written in a style which will make it accessible to those new to the subject, incorporating the findings of recent research, and offering a reinterpretation of the evidence. Rather than having the English invasion as its starting point, as is previous practice, the volume places it as its centrepiece, and traces in detail the pre-invasion background. While acknowledging the importance of the English invasion as the single most formative development in Irish secular affairs, this book emphasises the importance of politics in native Ireland, which has sometimes in the past been neglected.

Genres: History, Ireland, Nonfiction, Medieval, Medieval History

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not everything that happened after 1169 was caused by the Norman Invasion.

That may sound obvious, but many historians seem to overlook it. This is not due only to the focus of history as a discipline on what is new, different, and changing, but also a result of the constraints of primary sources. Compared to the English invaders, the native Irish left few written records. The Annals, our main documentary source, give the impressions that little was going on except for extensive bloodshed. This combined with the influential portrait of depravity and violence produced by Norman propagandist Gerald of Wales created a lasting conception of medieval Ireland as a microcosm of barbarism and insularity.

[Rob Keenan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book which I bought for my undergrad on October 25th, 2012. That I am only finishing it now is indicative of my work ethic throughout that period.