Medieval Irish Society, Culture, and Spiritual Life (400-1200 AD)
From Kings to Clans: The Social and Spiritual Roots of Medieval Ireland
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Discover the world of Medieval Irish Society and gain an authentic connection to the roots of Ireland's rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Understanding the intricacies of medieval Irish life is crucial for anyone exploring Irish Paganism, as it provides the essential context for our gods, ancestors, and sacred traditions.
This course will deepen your knowledge of the structures that shaped Irish identity, from the customs of kingship and kinship to the laws that governed daily life. It's not just history - it’s the foundation of the living spiritual practices we honour today.
We explore the intricate social structures of early medieval Ireland (c. 400-1200 AD). Participants will engage in a multifaceted analysis of archaeological evidence, legal codes and literary sources to reconstruct this fascinating and hugely important historical period.
The primary objective of this course is to equip students with more information about these social structures in early medieval Ireland.
Main class topics include:
- Analysing a variety of sources to understand social hierarchy, land ownership, and everyday practices.
- Utilising literary sources (epic tales, legal tracts) to illuminate social roles, family structures, and power dynamics.
- Deconstructing the seemingly rigid social order to uncover complexities within kinship networks, women's roles, and potential social mobility.
You'll gain valuable insights into social hierarchy, everyday practices, and the roles of different groups within early medieval Irish society - a crucial period when the Irish sense of 'self' was evolving.
Early medieval Irish society was more complex than a simple hierarchy of kings and peasants. This course encourages students to look beyond the surface and uncover the intricacies of this historical period. We'll explore how kinship networks functioned, the evolving roles of women in society, and the question of social mobility. As well as exploring the honoured role held by an intellectual elite. By examining these complexities, students will gain a richer and more nuanced understanding of how early medieval Irish society actually functioned.
This course not only deepens students' understanding of a specific period in Irish history, but also strengthens people's overall historical knowledge base. By examining how social structures developed and functioned, course participants will gain valuable insights into the social, economic, and cultural dynamics of this era.
What Will You Learn?
1. Briefly introduce early medieval Ireland (400-1200 AD) and its historical context.
- Highlight the importance of understanding social structures for a comprehensive historical picture. Introduce the key sources we will look at: legal codes, literary works, and archaeological evidence.
2. Multifaceted Sources: Building a Historical Picture
- Discuss the limitations and strengths of legal codes and literary works as historical sources. Introduce archaeological evidence as a complementary source, revealing material culture, settlement patterns, and everyday life. Showcase examples of archaeological finds (e.g., ringforts, metalwork, jewelry) and how they inform our understanding of social structures.
3. Legal Frameworks: A Window into Social Order
- Explain the origins and significance of early Irish legal codes. Analyse key concepts in the legal codes, such as Brehon Law, social hierarchy (kings, nobles, freemen, etc.), and land ownership practices. Showcase specific examples from the legal codes to illustrate these concepts.
4. Literary Insights: Illuminating Social Dynamics
- Discuss the diverse range of early Irish literature (epic tales, legal tracts, poetry).Explore how these texts depict social roles (warriors, poets, druids), family structures, and interactions within society. Highlight specific passages from literary sources that shed light on these aspects.
5. Beyond the Surface: Unveiling Complexities:
- Examining the idea of a rigid social hierarchy in early medieval Ireland. Discuss the role and influence of kinship networks in daily life. Analyse the evolving roles of women in society based on legal, literary, and archaeological evidence (e.g., female burials, and jewellery). Explore the potential for social mobility and its limitations.
Common Questions This Class Can Address:
- Who were the different social classes in early medieval Ireland?
- How did people interact with each other in daily life?
- What role did kinship networks play in society?
- What were the lives of women like in this period?
- Was there any social mobility in early medieval Ireland?
Common Mistakes Avoided:
- Oversimplifying social structures
- Underestimating the complexity of family networks and their influence.
- Ignoring the evolving roles of women in society.
- Taking literary descriptions at face value without critical analysis.
Practical Exercises and Activities:
- Students will be presented with excerpts from legal codes and literary works, prompting them to analyse social structures and roles.
- This course aims to encourage deeper reflection on the complexities of the period.
Full transcripts and subtitles are available on all recorded materials, for accessibility and ease of processing.
This Teaching is suitable for beginners, as well as those with more experience in this area, or in other traditions. You do not have to be dedicated to or working with any Irish Gods, Guides, or Guardians to take this class.
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU ENROLL THIS COURSE?
Your Course access enrollment includes access to:
- -- Class Presentation Slides
- -- Class Videos
- -- Class Audios
- -- Q&A Session (recorded during live class).
You will get the unique perspective of Dr. Gillian Kenny an Hon Research Associate at the Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies in Trinity College Dublin. Her specialism is women’s lives in medieval and early modern Ireland and beyond.
This is a completely self-paced online course.
When you are enrolled you get the recorded files for repeated or further study and reference. You decide when you start and when you finish.
When you enroll in this class, you are receiving lifetime access (with a full 30 day money back guarantee).
Enroll in the course, download the content, learn from the materials... and if you don't like what you've learned just email us and we'll give you all your money back. We're taking a risk by offering this - we can't get the content back, so you could just enroll, then ask for a refund, and rip us off! However, we work on an honour system with our Tuath, as did our ancient ancestors. We trust that you won't do that to us, just like you can trust that we will do our very best to make sure you have a good experience with the Irish Pagan School.
You have a 100% money back Guarantee, for a full 30 days, so you can go ahead and enroll with full confidence.
(see below - HOW TO GET ACCESS TO THIS COURSE)
Your Instructor
Dr. Gillian Kenny is an Hon Research Associate at the Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies in Trinity College Dublin. Her specialism is women’s lives in medieval and early modern Ireland and beyond. She is also interested in the lives of those considered outsiders in the medieval world and is currently researching that topic. She has taught in both UCD and TCD and has appeared in and written on various historical topics both on TV and in newspapers/magazines as well as working on her own books and papers.
"I came here to learn about my roots. There is a gap in my knowledge that needs to be filled. IPS helps fill the gap with lore and resources, and they do it in a way that makes sense. I also value how Lora and Jon's honesty when trying to place the ancient practices in historical context, and their open mindedness to adapt when new archeological discoveries are made, or when the scholars disagree on a topic. And they do this in a language the rest of us who are not archeology majors can understand."
- Rebecca Mellinger 
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"The Irish Pagan school is an invaluable resource that covers many topics within Irish Paganism. The free classes provide the resources one needs to continue their education, even if one can't afford to move on to the paid classes or purchase other materials. The teachers are well versed in the subjects they cover, from an academic as well as spiritual point. IPS is really one of the few sources regarding Irish Paganism that I trust to, not only teach information free from ideas rooted in colonization/ cultural appropration, but to also direct me to other trustworthy sources."
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Once you have enrolled for a LIVE online course...
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When you enroll in a course at the Irish Pagan School, you’ll receive a system confirmation email that contains a clickable link to the course. You can use this link to open your course, or you can type the school or course page URL into the address bar of your web browser. (www.IrishPaganSchool.com)
You'll also receive:
- Fáilte - How to Access your Course at the Irish Pagan School! This tells you how to log in, what to do if you forget your password, and how to join our Students Only facebook group (if you'd like to).
- Your Live Online Class Zoom Invite. This is the invitation to join our live event. You can also find this in the Course Curriculum, after you log in using the instructions in the email above!
If you can't attend the course teaching live (at 9pm Irish time on the Sunday), don't worry, the recorded files and presentation slides, etc. will be posted into your Course Curriculum by the following Tuesday.
HOW TO GET ACCESS TO THIS COURSE
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