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Foreword

...this highly developed political organization was the Irish. It is undoubtedly true that Ireland was not entirely unaffected by Roman civilization, or even by the earlier civilizations of other Mediterranean nations in pre-Christian times. However, that influence was not enough to deeply change the laws or customs of the people. Because of this, we should find in them a precious mine of information regarding the political and social organization of Europe before the rise of Roman power. Fortunately, in the surviving Irish language, poetry, laws, and other records, we possess such a mine—and in greater detail than is found in other branches of the Indo-European original: "Aryan" race, except for Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin.”

Twenty years have passed since all these sources of knowledge were made available to the reader in both Irish and English. They are contained in the six volumes of the Ancient Laws of Ireland, which I have already referred to as the “Great Book.” This very small book attempts to give a brief, but I hope “provocative,” account of that work, dealing with each of the main subjects involved. Since it was written by someone who has not studied law professionally, but whose life's work has made her a student of human nature, its appeal is directed toward the Irish people of the twentieth century—and especially toward the men and women of the Irish countryside.

P.S.—In conclusion, the author offers one word of advice to the reader: you will find it wise not to wait until the end before reading any of the appendices or consulting the glossary and index.