The Bolton Library

The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary holds probably the most significant grouping of ecclesiastical buildings surviving from the medieval period in Ireland. Its largest building, the cathedral, was abandoned in the 1750s and the medieval parish church at the opposite end of the town was upgraded to cathedral status, being itself replaced by the … Read more

A pope emeritus?

‘Christ did not come down from the cross’ was the late Pope John Paul II’s response when questions were raised about his failing health and painfully obvious public suffering in the latter years of his pontificate. So how do we explain the surprise resignation announcement of his successor, Benedict XVI, in contravention of papal tradition (some exceptional medieval cases notwithstanding)? The ‘rules were made to be broken’ adage seems to apply—with the evolution of medical science people are living longer, but not necessarily with their full mental or physical faculties. But the same argument could apply to the evolution of social attitudes and the Church’s line on homosexuality, clerical celibacy and women priests.

Read more

Leaving Cert history case studies

Leaving Certificate Curriculum: Document Case Studies & relevent HI articles   EARLY MODERN IRELAND   Topic 1: Reform and Reformation in Tudor Ireland, 1494-1558:   The Plantation of Laois/Offaly:   James Lyttleton, ‘Seventeenth-century West Offaly: Accommodating the new realities (Vol. 12.1, Spring 2004)   Michael Quinn, ‘Francis Cosby (1510-80), Stradbally, Queen’s County and the Tudor … Read more

Curriculum list for future coverage

NB: these are the special topics for both history curriculums that have not received any coverage in the magazine:     Leaving Certificate Curriculum: Document Case Studies     EARLY MODERN IRELAND     Topic 1: Reform and Reformation in Tudor Ireland, 1494-1558:   Women and marriage under Gaelic law     Topic 2: Rebellion … Read more