The learned class formed part of the court of the native elite and they were accorded prominence in Irish society and were rewarded with hereditary tenure of land and other forms of wealth in return for their services. They maintained important schools of learning, where students were trained and manuscripts were copied. Many of them retained their privileged status down to the end of the sixteenth century.

To accompany this series, the Academy Library curated an exhibition which explored the themes of Seanchas ─ ‘the memory and narrative of Irish history as preserved and written from the early medieval period to the writing of histories of Ireland in the seventeenth century’; Filíocht ─ poetry; Reacht ─ law; Leaghas ─ medicine; and Creideamh ─ religion, as well as the stories of those who made these great books of Ireland.

To view the exhibition click here.

To listen to the lectures click here.

 

Tuesday 22 October

‘The Book or Fenagh, or an imagined life’ – Raymond Gillespie, MRIA

 

Tuesday 5 November

‘The Brehon Laws and medieval Irish society’ – Liam Breatnach, MRIA

 

Tuesday 12 November

‘Seanchas: the key to history in medieval Ireland’ – Edel Bhreathnach

 

Tuesday 26 November 

‘Cormac mac Airt in Classical Irish poetry: young and wise but not entirely flawless’ – Damian McManus, MRIA