Irish History - Brehon Law - Part 2 of 11

Irish history with Pat Flannery. This was filmed 6/4/07. A very interesting talk on the system of law that was native to Ireland and existed all the way up to the 1600's when the Gaelic nobility was finally overthrown by English forces. For more about Pat, check his website - http://patflannery.com/index.htm

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[CuchulainSaoirse1916]

@anynamewillification English law was a bastardized form of capitalism. It only recognized property rights for privileged classes, there were state protected or licensed monopolies, and feudalism was never entirely done away with. I would argue that the Brehon Laws had more respect for Private Property than did the English Law.

[CuchulainSaoirse1916]

@CuchulainSaoirse1916 or were an "Outlaw" and did not have access to the Brehons, you were shit out of luck. But all you had to do to ensure access to the Brehons was to abide by their decisions (Don't become an outlaw.)

[My understanding of this is based on "The Brehon Laws: A Legal Handbook" compiled and edited by Laurence Ginnel and "Property Rights in Celtic Irish Law" by Joseph Peden. I would refer you to these sources or to Eoin MacNeill's "Celtic Ireland". Sorry if I made any mistakes.]

[CuchulainSaoirse1916]

@CuchulainSaoirse1916 tuath were not under any obligation to protect you and your property. There was no "Criminal Law" in the way we know it today. There were no "crimes against society," from my understanding. Only crimes against individuals and their property. All Irish law, therefore, was Civil Law and all crimes were punishable by restitution, (often determined by one's honor price or the value of whatever was stolen/damaged). If you did not bring a case before the Brehon

[CuchulainSaoirse1916]

@acerb45666555 The Irish did not have a true government, therefore they relied on a system of sureties. Their law was a private law, administered by the Brehons. Their way of making sure people complied with the law was that if you refused to comply, your neighbors would end their suretyships with you. You can look at it like a contract. But in this case, the individual who refused to comply with the decision of the Brehon is the breacher of the contract, and thus the neighbors or members of the

[anynamewillification]

England's laws, with their private property and capitalism laws sent all types of Irish people to Australia where they remain today.

[acerb45666555]

4:55........but what about the law concerning Outlaws? i read that once an offender was declared an outlaw, he was outside the protection of the law! and could be killed by anyone!=capital punishment!

[hartejoseph]

exactly native south america peoples have implemented some brehon law for getting land back

[LadyJustice666]

Mother Earth and our connection to her.

[sneekymcsneek]

naa im irish Muintir meen the blood of / so its more the blood of the town / or people ,there line / the clan :)

[hlinskona]

Hmm. This concept sounds similar to what is expressed in the Elder Futhark as "odal lands" which are passed down from generation to generation. Long story.