Brehons, Brahmins, and an Irish Scholar who made an Incredible Connection
Myles Dillon spent fifty years arguing that early Ireland and ancient India shared more than a distant ancestor — this is his story, and his case
“King and Hermit”—A 10th-century poem translated by Kuno Meyer
What follows is a 10th-century poem describing events set in the seventh century. It records an imagined conversation between King Guaire (Guare) of Connacht and his brother Marvan (Marban), a…
What Does Brehon Law Say About the Sea? Muirbretha—Sea Judgements
Muirbretha, the "sea-judgements," is the main surviving Brehon law text on maritime affairs, and it survives only because a handful of scribes thought it worth copying fragments of it into…
How Old Is The World? | The Age of the World (According to the Irish Annals)
OR, A Hypothetical Timeline of Irish History Note – Anno mundi, (Latin: “in the year of the world”), abbreviation A.M, the year dating from the year of creation in Jewish chronology, based on rabbinic calculations.…
How the Irish Got Their Language | Origins of Gaelic and Ogham
Auraicept na n-Éces, or The Scholars' Primer, is one of the most important and fascinating surviving texts from medieval Ireland. It stands as the earliest known native Irish treatise on grammar, poetics, and the philosophy of language.
The Last Fili? Osborn Bergin: The Scholar Who Carried the Name of Legend
Osborn Joseph Bergin (1873–1950) was a towering figure in Celtic studies. Read on to learn more about this veritable master of the Irish language, in all its historical forms, a brilliant philologist, an exacting editor of manuscripts, and a dedicated teacher who helped shape the next generation of scholars, including Myles Dillon.
The Defeat of the Tuatha Dé Danann – How Mere Mortals Destroyed the Old Gods
The Battle of Tailtiu, a pivotal event in Irish mythology, marked the decisive confrontation between the Milesians, the ancestral Gaels, and the Tuatha Dé Danann, the divine race that ruled…
Exploring Bretha Nemed or the “Judgments of the Privileged”: A Window into Early Irish Legal Tradition
The ancient legal texts of Ireland offer a fascinating glimpse into the minds and societal structures of our ancestors. Among these, the Bretha Nemed ("Judgments of the Privileged") stands out…
Heroic Biography: Finn McCool – A Giant of Irish Folklore and Tradition
Finn McCool, also known as Fionn mac Cumhaill, is a renowned character from Irish mythology, celebrated for his wisdom and martial prowess. His mythic narratives were passed down originally through…
Irish Legal Manuscripts: “Corus Bescna” – Contracts, Marriage, Evidence, and Inheritance Under the Brehon Law
The Corus Bescna, a remarkable text from early medieval Ireland, offers invaluable insights into the legal and social fabric of the time. As the fifth book of the Senchus Mór,…