In ancient Ireland - from the dawn of history until the coming of the Normans - marriage customs and sexual mores were very different from those that held sway in other European countries - and especially from the 'Christian' customs that the Norman conquerors sought to impose on the Irish. Liberal and humane, they allowed for divorce and remarriage and acknowledged the status of women as independent individuals. This riveting account, based on heroic, historical and legal sources, makes surprising and entertaining reading.