Description

Uncover the vibrant, hidden history of Ireland’s capital city during a period of massive transition. Social Life in Pre-Reformation Dublin, 1450–1540 by esteemed historian Peadar Slattery provides an unparalleled, granular look at urban life in the decades leading up to the English Reformation. Utilizing a vast array of contemporary primary sources, including municipal records, churchwardens’ accounts, and legal disputes, Slattery reconstructs the physical and social landscape of a late-medieval walled city.

This academic yet highly readable volume explores how ordinary Dubliners lived, worked, played, and prayed. Readers will gain deep insights into the rigorous trade guild structures, the influential roles of religious fraternities, the administration of civic charity, and the festive calendar that dictated public recreation. Slattery also examines the complex interactions between the Anglo-Irish administration of the Pale and the Gaelic Irish population living just beyond the city limits.

An indispensable resource for academic researchers, medievalists, and anyone with a passion for Irish civic history, this book offers a fascinating window into a world on the brink of profound religious and political upheaval.