This is a well written discussion of the Irish Penal Laws. I am impressed by the fact that it covers not only the Penal Laws themselves, but also reviews the history of Irish law from its conception so that we can gain an insight into what sort of system the Penal Laws were born. This is obviously important. It covers the relevant topics and explains them well with factual examples which allow the reader to see into the world of the Irish Catholic citizen oppressed by the Laws.
The author's examination of the Brehon Laws is especially interesting, and the understanding of these, which the author provides, makes for a much greater understanding of the Penal Laws and their effect. I wonder, however, why the author goes into such detail about their formation. I don't think the reader has a need to be told about St. Patrick's influence and the decision to Catholicize the old system of verbal laws. Perhaps this would be useful if the author made a connection between the Catholicization of the Brehon Laws and the Protestantization of the Penal Laws the discourse on St. Patrick would be more useful. As it stands, though, the reader is left to make his own conclusions. All facts raised should be used in support of a well articulated thesis, another item which this essay lacked.
Another topic which the author neglects to cover is the English side of the story. The reader is lead to no understanding of what circumstances lead up to the Penal Laws and what the British were trying to accomplish with them. A discussion of this would allow the author to maintain the essay's Irish sympathy, but would give it some credence. Without it, the reader has no information on which to base an informed decision. He can only assume that the author ignores this topic because it contains facts which he cannot counter effectively and still maintain his position.
Also, the reader wonders what lead up to the repeal of the Penal Laws and the enactment of the Relief Laws. The author mentions these, but not why they occurred. We wonder what effect this had on the Irish people. It seems that life was greatly improved, but, at the same time, the author seems to say that it remained intolerable. Have those restrictions remaining after the Relief Laws been lifted, or are they still in effect In the conclusion, the author brings up questions concerning the future of Irish law, but doesn't bring us up to the present day in the discussion before the conclusion. How can we consider questions about the future when we haven't been provided knowledge about the present? I understand that this was not intended to be a dissertation on the history of all of Irish law from its inception to the present day, but the conclusion should be limited to the same topics as the discussion. I would hate to see the author further limit the discussion, however. I enjoyed reading the history leading in, and the questions asked in the conclusion are thought provoking. I find myself wishing I were provided a larger background with which to answer them.
On the whole the essay was interesting and well written. I enjoyed the global approach to the topic, but I would like to have seen some more details filled in. A follow on paper would be nice to see. Perhaps a future student would like to undertake the task?