Why was Ireland the only region in Europe which successfully rejected a state-imposed religion during the confessional era? This book argues that the anomalous outcome of the Reformations in Ireland was largely due to an unusual symbiosis between the Church and the old bardic order. Using sources ranging from Gaelic poetry to Jesuit correspondence, this study examines Irish religiosity in a European context, showing how the persistence of traditional culture enabled local elites to resist external pressures for reform.

The Peoples of the British Isles examines the conflicts and commonalities among the peoples of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales from prehistoric times to the present. The series focuses throughout on the lives of real people-how they made a living, organized their society and institutions, related to each other, and understood themselves and their world.
The new edition of these books features a fuller treatment of the Celtic countries and expanded and integrated content on both popular culture and the changing roles of women in society throughout history. Volume I covers the...