The Lordship of Ireland in the Middle Ages

Book excerpt: The lordship of Ireland in the middle ages was vested in the English crown by the famous grant of Pope Adrian IV in 1155, resulting in the invasion of 1169. This book shows how that lordship developed and the heritage it passed on to later generations. It is not wholly a narrative but is thematic in its approach, examining the emergence of the Anglo-Irish identity, the growth of separatism both politically and culturally, and the survival of Gaelic Ireland. The resulting conflict between the two traditions helped to create the situation out of which modern Ireland was to emerge. Professor Lydon's book, presented here in a new annotated edition with full apparatus, is a highly readable and scholarly overview of four centuries of Irish political history.