McDowell warns against new Poynings’ Law

 

The latest work by Dr - James Kelly, Historian, was launched at Old House of Lords, College Green, on 11 October 2007.  Poynings’ Law and the making of law in Ireland 1660-1800 examines the impact of Poynings’ Law particularly between the Restoration and the Act of Union.   This important study is published by Four Courts Press in association with the Irish Legal History Society.     

Poynings’ Law 1494 was introduced by Sir Edward Poynings, Lord Deputy.  It required the Lord Deputy and Counsel to seek the King’s permission to summon an Irish Parliament and his approval of proposed draft bills.  In the succeeding centuries, it had varying significance and was re-interpreted in new and unexpected ways. 

Launching the book, former Minister for Justice and Tánaiste, Michael McDowell congratulated Dr Kelly on his prodigious scholarship.  He suggested that the story of Poynings’ Law provided a salutary reminder about the dangers of the erosion of parliamentary democracy in our own time.  It was possible, he said, that developments in Europe might erode the sovereignty of the Irish constitution and parliament.

Dr James Kelly is Head of the History Department, St Patrick’s College.

ISBN – 978-1-84682-078-6

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: Monday October 15 2007