The Government has announced that it intends to participate in an international year in 2027 to celebrate Norman culture and the 1,000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror.
Minister for Housing James Browne, himself of Norman heritage, said the year will acknowledge the huge impact that the Normans had on Ireland and other parts of Europe.
However, Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh described the plans as “offensive” given the “legacy of William’s successors invading and subjugating Ireland in the name of his English crown”.
So who is right and who is wrong?
The Irish Times sought the views of four experts:
- Seán Duffy is professor of medieval Irish history in…