Bretha: new casesThe old law of Ireland, one case at a time.https://bretha.ie/2026-10-06T00:00:00ZBretha The Body-Finehttps://bretha.ie/cases/body-fine/2026-10-05T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA free man is killed. Who is paid, and by whom? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Wife’s Groundshttps://bretha.ie/cases/wifes-grounds/2026-10-05T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA husband strikes his wife to correct her. When may she divorce him? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The King and the Axehttps://bretha.ie/cases/kings-axe/2026-10-05T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA king takes up an axe and does a day’s work with his own hands. What becomes of his honour-price? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Surety Beyond His Meanshttps://bretha.ie/cases/surety-beyond-means/2026-10-05T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA man stands surety for a debt larger than his honour-price. Does his suretyship hold? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Bargain Made in Drinkhttps://bretha.ie/cases/bargain-in-drink/2026-10-05T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA man sells his best mare at a feast, while drunk. Is the sale binding? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Felled Oakhttps://bretha.ie/cases/felled-oak/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-04T00:00:00ZA man cuts down an oak that stands on his neighbour’s land. What does he owe? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Bee That Blinded a Kinghttps://bretha.ie/cases/bee-king/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA bee blinds a man in one eye, and no one can say which of the beekeeper’s hives it came from. What does the law do? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. Nine Days’ Carehttps://bretha.ie/cases/nine-days/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA man is wounded in a quarrel and cannot work. Who nurses him, and who pays? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. Fasting upon a Lordhttps://bretha.ie/cases/fasting/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA lord’s cattle are driven across a woman’s land, and the lord will not pay the fine. What can she do? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Smith’s Forgehttps://bretha.ie/cases/smiths-forge/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA boy creeps up to a smith at work and is burned. Does the smith pay? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Cravinghttps://bretha.ie/cases/craving/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA pregnant woman takes a handful of her neighbour’s barley. Is it theft? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Poet’s Warninghttps://bretha.ie/cases/poets-warning/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA lord will not pay what he owes. When may a poet lawfully turn to satire? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The King Who Was Satirised and Praisedhttps://bretha.ie/cases/satirised-king/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA king is satirised, and then a praise-poem for him is published. Is his honour still harmed? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Dog on the Neighbour’s Landhttps://bretha.ie/cases/dogs-mess/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA dog fouls a neighbour’s field. What does its owner owe? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Rooting Pigshttps://bretha.ie/cases/rooting-pigs/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA neighbour’s pigs tear up your field. How does the law decide when you can graze it again? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Woodcutter’s Shouthttps://bretha.ie/cases/woodcutters-shout/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA felled tree strikes a passer-by. Does the woodcutter pay? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Neighbour’s Appleshttps://bretha.ie/cases/neighbours-apples/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-04T00:00:00ZAn apple tree on one man’s land drops its fruit on his neighbour’s. Whose is the fruit? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Swarm in the Greenhttps://bretha.ie/cases/swarm-in-the-green/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-04T00:00:00ZA man finds a stray swarm of bees. Whose is it? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Overloaded Ferryhttps://bretha.ie/cases/overloaded-ferry/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA ferry sinks and a passenger drowns. Does the ferryman pay? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Boys’ Gameshttps://bretha.ie/cases/boys-games/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA boy is hurt at a game. Who owes him? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. Distraint on the Physicianhttps://bretha.ie/cases/physicians-lancet/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA physician owes a debt and will not pay. What does the plaintiff do? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Gap in the Fencehttps://bretha.ie/cases/gap-in-the-fence/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA neighbour’s oxen break through a poor fence and eat your barley. Can you claim? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Pet Wolfhttps://bretha.ie/cases/pet-wolf/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA tame wolf goes over the hedge and kills a neighbour’s hen. Who answers for a wild thing that has been made a pet? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said. The Cow That Had Just Calvedhttps://bretha.ie/cases/cow-calved/2026-10-04T00:00:00Z2026-10-06T00:00:00ZA creditor drives off a cow that has just calved. Is that lawful distraint? Hear the quarrel, give your own judgment, then see what the law said.