Ancient Irish Anarchy at Hackers Congress 2016
For thousands of years, Ireland lived under a native set of laws and customs, known today as the Brehon Law. During this time, Ireland was ‘stateless’, there was no central…
3 Principles of Brehon Law That Could Improve Society
Could these 3 principles of Brehon Law lead to a better society if they were used today? 1. An open-market of competing judges. 2. Greater consequences for those of greater…
We (really) need to talk about Ireland
I remember coming across this production about two years ago and how the content struck a deep chord with me. It was the sort of production that one could imagine…
Ancient Irish Anarchy: Kevin Flanagan Coombes @ ESFL Conference, Prague 2016
For thousands of years prior to its invasion by its neighbours Ireland was under a native set of laws and customs known today as the Brehon Law. During this time…
Brehon Law on Uisneach Hill
In this video, I discuss Ireland's ancient Brehon Laws on the Hill of Uisneach, Westmeath, as a guest speaker at the Uisneach Fire Festival 2015 (uisneach.ie). 'Brehon Law' refers to…
Míse Éire – I Am Ireland: A Poem by Padráig Pearse 1912
Mise Éire: Sine mé ná an Chailleach Bhéarra Mór mo ghlóir: Mé a rug Cú Chulainn cróga. Mór mo náir: Mo chlann féin a dhíol a máthair. Mór mo phian:…
Fasting for Justice: Hunger Strike in Ancient Ireland
When we think about 'fasting for justice' today many Irish minds of a certain age would likely drift towards thoughts of Bobby Sands and the H-Block Hunger Strikers of 1981. While an important chapter of modern Irish history the principle of fasting for justice or hunger-striking is not a new one; it was practiced by the early Irish in the times of Brehon laws as a means of compelling a stronger party to justice.
Ancient Irish Olympics – The Lughnasa Games at Telltown
The Telltown or Tailtiu Games were said to have been instituted by the Gaelic god Lú Lamhfada Samildanách – Lugh the Long-Armed Master of the Arts, and are considered to…
Video: How the Irish Got their Language (and their Freckles…)
Listen to a mythological account of how the Irish got their language, and their freckles, as spoken in fluent Irish (with English subtitles) by YouTube user Feardia and read the humorous transcript…
Kevin Flanagan – Rethinking Crime and Punishment, Trinity College 2012
Kevin Flanagan puts forward a case for penal reform based on principles of jurisprudence found under the Brehon laws.