Aspects of the literary activity of the Irish Franciscans in Prague, 1620-1786

The battle of Kinsale, 1601, fought during the Nine Years War of 1594–1603, marked a turning point in Irish history. However, although the political power of the Gaelic nobility was broken and royal authority in the kingdom was enhanced, Ireland remained strategically important for other European powers, especially Spain and, later, France. Therefore, when political, social and religious changes at home caused many Irish to migrate, temporarily or permanently, they headed for Habsburg and Bourbon territories.

The essays in this collection explore the motivation for migration in the early 17th century. They chronicle
important aspects of migrants' integration into European networks of influence and they indicate the role of the European influence in modernizing the migrant communities and the country that produced them.

Contributors: Thomas O'Connor (NUI Maynooth), Cian O'Scea (European University Institute, Florence), Hector MacDonnell (ind.), Karin Schüller (University of Cologne), Jan Parez (Librarian, Strohov Library, Prague), Micheál MacCraith (NUI Galway), David Worthington (NUI Maynooth), Samuel Fannin (ind), Sébastien Jahan (University of Poitiers), Patrick Clarke de Dromantin (ind.), Priscilla O'Connor (NUI Maynooth).