HI1203 Ireland, c.1250-1500: Gaelic Revival and the English Pale

Module Organiser: Professor Seán Duffy
Duration: Hilary Term
Contact hours:2 lectures per week and 6 tutorials over the course of the term
Weighting: 10 ECTS
Assessment: 20% essay, 80% examination

This module examines the decline of English power in later medieval Ireland, from the accession of King Edward I in 1272 to the rebellion of Silken Thomas Fitzgerald in 1534, whose failure ushered in Henry VIII’s Protestant Reformation, often taken to mark the end of medieval Ireland. Study is made of the socio-economic consequences of English colonization; the development of Dublin and other towns; and the economy of Ireland in the age of the Black Death. The process of change in Gaelic Ireland in the late Middle Ages and the ways in which Irish and English cultures clashed and blended; and the impact of war on medieval society and government – these are among the subjects likewise teased out during the module.

The aim of this module is to survey key developments in the history of later medieval Ireland.

Bibliographical advice will be provided in the module handbook

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

• Outline chronologically the principal developments in the history of Ireland between 1250 and 1500
• Assess the reasons for Gaelic revival and for the decline of English authority
• Discuss the core features of Irish history during the later middle ages
• Analyse the impact of different aspects of political, social and cultural development on Ireland in the later middle ages
• Undertake a basic analysis and evaluation of selected primary sources in translation relating to Irish history in the later middle ages
• Present and discuss in written and oral format analysis of key questions relating to the history of Ireland in the later middle ages