The Book of Aicill relates to the criminal law and is often discussed as being on par in significance with the Senchus Mór; although, the latter deals with civil law.

Like the mystery of Saint Patrick’s posthumous authorship of the Senchus Mór, the Book of Aicill attri...

Under the Ancient Irish Brehon Laws restitution was the favoured method for dealing with wrongdoings.

Compensations owed by offenders are given great attention in the legal manuscripts, but it is the mythological sagas that illustrate more vividly how this principle mi...

1. their worldy duties,

2. their conscience, 

3. and the Laws of Nature.

One of a large collection of 'Triads' - words of wisdom, advice, and guidance always given in triplicates. Here the wisdom of the Filí (Poets) or Brehons(Judges) sums up the basic principles of perso...

Here are the Destructions:
The Three Circuits of the House of Lir1
The Posession of Burach's House*
The Destruction2 of the House of Dumha
The Difference of Cathbhad's House*
The Destruction of Nechtain's House3
The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel
The Destruction of...

The Senchus Mór (pronounced: shen-kus moor) is one of the most important legal texts from early Ireland and it means the ‘Great Ancient Tradition’. However, the most all-encompassing word for this body of law is Fénechas which means the ‘law of freemen’ or the ‘free la...

A maxim of Irish Law first recorded in the eight century. It is a precept which underlies the phrase “All men are created equal” which appears in the American Declaration of Independence and the underlying meaning is the same.

The Brehon precept is in sharp contrast wi...

Kevin Flanagan puts forth a compelling case for penal reform based on principles of jurisprudence found under the Brehon laws. 

Take a journey into the past with this documentary. Nearly five hours long, a great way to brush up on your history and provide some context for the times when the Brehon laws were flourishing in Ireland and what happened to change that.

The beginning of the end of Irish law.