An interesting fact about the Brehon Laws. You can learn more about these early…

An interesting fact about the Brehon Laws. You can learn more about these early Irish laws during Feile Brian Ború 2014 in July with Mogh Roith Historical Re-enactment Group!


Timeline Photos
Early Irish Law – Pregnant women's cravings were covered by Brehon Law. Hard to believe, but it's true. If a pregnant woman craved carrots and her husband had none but went and stole some for her, he was exempt from the law. He could satisfy her cravings, within reason, and not be prosecuted for theft!

Maternity leave was also a feature of Medieval Ireland. The Brehon Laws state that in the case of a pregnant servant of the household who was unable to fulfil her workload the man who caused the pregnancy had to provide relief for the pregnant woman by means of a replacement worker. The prescribed time period granted was one month ante-natal leave with a further month for post-natal recuperation.

c.f. Ni Chonaill, B. Child-centred law in medieval Ireland. In Davis, R. and Dunne, T. (Eds) The Empty Throne: Childhood and the Crisis of Modernity. Cambridge University Press (2008)