Mysteries and solutions in Irish legal history

Desmond Greer & Norma Dawson editors

This book is a second collection of papers arising from the work of the Irish Legal History Society and includes three lectures given at the meeting held in Belfast in 1998 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the society. As in the first collection (Explorations in Law and History) edited by Professor W.N. Osborough and published in 1995, the papers range over seven centuries and cover a variety of subjects from 'the chief legal expert of Connacht and a well-versed general master in every other art' in the early 14th century to a 'splendid lawyer' of Ulster in the 20th century who 'knew every branch of the law'. Each paper incorporates original research and the papers collectively provide valuable insights into many important facets of the history of law and legal institutions in Ireland from the 14th century on.