Páirliment Chloinne Tomáis

Irish literature

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July 23, 2026

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Páirliment Chloinne Tomáis (Parliament of Clan Thomas) is a significant work of Irish satire from the 17th century. It is notable for its prose style and its sharp critique of both the ruling class and the rural poor.1

The piece is thought to be by a representative of the bardic order, employing a style similar to earlier forms of Irish verse but with a greater emphasis on prose. This satire is considered an interesting development in Irish prose during a period when the language and its literary traditions were undergoing significant change due to English rule.1

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Celtic literature
Late period
…prose style was the satire Páirliment Chloinne Tomáis (“Parliament of Clan Thomas”). It appears to be by a representative of the bardic order, for it attacked with equal savagery the new ruling class and the native rural poor, using a style close to that of the earlier crosánacht but with…
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…prose style was the satire Páirliment Chloinne Tomáis (“Parliament of Clan Thomas”). It appears to be by a representative of the bardic order, for it attacked with equal savagery the new ruling class and the native rural poor, using a style close to that of the earlier crosánacht but with…
Read More