Val from Sydney wonders “did Peter Tremayne make this up or did Brehon law actually see women as being individual, valued members of society?
We asked Peter to respond. “I can fully understand why people are amazed when they come across Brehon law and look at the rights accorded to women in 7th Century Ireland. We are, after all, the product of many centuries of propaganda against the ancient Irish and their society and this has had an effect on our concepts – and, of course, our concepts not just of the Irish, but the Celts in general. So I don’t blame people for asking the questions. I am only irritated with some reviewers attempt to disguise their ignorance in glib and derisory sneers, implying that I am guilty of some fabrication, such as a recent reviewer in Kirkus Reviews. Fortunately – over the years – they can be counted on the fingers of one hand and most reviewers are more professional. To respond to Val of Sydney: no, I do not make anything up when related to Brehon law. It would be more than my reputation as a scholar is worth, even when writing fiction, to start changing the concepts of Brehon law. There are man
We asked Peter to respond. “I can fully understand why people are amazed when they come across Brehon law and look at the rights accorded to women in 7th Century Ireland. We are, after all, the product of many centuries of propaganda against the ancient Irish and their society and this has had an effect on our concepts – and, of course, our concepts not just of the Irish, but the Celts in general. So I don’t blame people for asking the questions. I am only irritated with some reviewers attempt to disguise their ignorance in glib and derisory sneers, implying that I am guilty of some fabrication, such as a recent reviewer in Kirkus Reviews. Fortunately – over the years – they can be counted on the fingers of one hand and most reviewers are more professional. To respond to Val of Sydney: no, I do not make anything up when related to Brehon law. It would be more than my reputation as a scholar is worth, even when writing fiction, to start changing the concepts of Brehon law. There are man
