Medieval Dublin XX

Seán Duffy, editor

This volume presents a rich variety of new scholarly explorations of life in medieval Dublin, including an analysis by Bruce Campbell of the occupational profile of medieval Dubliners as revealed by records such as the famous Guild Merchant Roll; we also present Valentin Rothaupt’s analytical comparison of the spectrum of occupations and the influence of guilds in Dublin with those of Gaffeln in the German city of Cologne; Peter Crooks calls attention to the huge collection of Latin deeds surviving from the medieval city and their enormous historical value, while Sarah Hendriks discusses the records of Dublin’s late medieval guild of carpenters. The book also contains an examination by Patrick Wadden of Richard Stanihurst’s famous claim that Oxmantown began life in the year 1095 following an invasion of Dublin by ‘Easterlings’; Caitlin Ellis explores links between Dublin and the medieval earldom of Orkney in the era of the battle of Clontarf; Denis Casey offers a critical re-examination of the story of the elaborate feast held at Dublin by King Henry II at Christmas 1171; Shea Brennan discusses the famous triennial ceremonial procession through the suburbs of the city, known as the ‘Riding of the Franchises’; while the volume also hosts Bernadette Williams’s evaluation of how the Dublin chronicler John de Pembridge chose to portray contemporary English kings and their lieutenants in Ireland. Major archaeological excavations have been conducted by Edmond O’Donovan at the site of the great St Mary’s Cistercian Abbey and this volume contains his preliminary report, along with the results of Paul Duffy’s dig nearby at the abbey’s ‘Cemetary Gate’ and outer precinct wall. Franc Myles also presents results from his excavation at Keysars Lane beside St Audoen’s; Caitríona Moore discusses her excavation of a riverfront site at Strand Street Great and Abbey Street Upper; while Muireann Ní Cheallacháin describes the contents of a medieval dumping ground she found at Chancery Street in Oxmantown. Artefactual studies include John Nicholl’s report on an important assemblage of shoes and other leatherwork dating from the late tenth century onwards, excavated at Strand Street Great.


Seán Duffy is professor of medieval Irish and Insular history at TCD and chairman of the Friends of Medieval Dublin.