It was a time of repression, a time of peril, a time of terror. It was the year 1640, and the place was Ireland. At that time and place, to be Irish and Catholic was to be an outcast in one’s own country. It began when the Normans came as conquerors in 1170. After initial settlements, the visitors were absorbed; they dressed Irish, spoke Irish, married Irish and adopted Irish laws and customs. To the crown this was a threat to their dominance and in 1366, the Statutes of Kilkenny were passed forbidding Normans to adopt Irish ways. It was the first of many laws passed to distinguish the … [Read more...] about A Priceless Relic of Faith and Determination