The law of the innocents: Ireland’s medieval precursor to the Geneva conventions.
24 August 2026
The Geneva conventions, which were signed in the aftermath of the horrors of WW2, are generally accepted as the gold standard of international humanitarian law.
But they were preceded by more than 12 centuries by a law drawn up by a monk amid the violence of seventh-century Ireland.
But they were preceded by more than 12 centuries by a law drawn up by a monk amid the violence of seventh-century Ireland.