daer tenure

ancient Irish law

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June 25, 2026

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The term "daer tenure" refers to a type of landholding in ancient Ireland under the Brehon laws. These laws, written in an archaic form of the Gaelic language, date back to the 7th and 8th centuries.1

Under daer tenure, whether for cattle or grazing rights, the tenant's joint family was liable for any payment defaults. This differed from saer tenure, where the tenant had more freedom and no liability was imposed on their joint family. The Brehon, an ancient Irish judge, acted as an arbitrator and expounder of these laws, though they lacked modern enforcement powers. The clan was the fundamental unit of this society, with kinship determining rights and obligations.12

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Brehon laws
…and hiring: saer (“free”) and daer (“unfree”). The conditions of saer tenure were largely settled by the law; the clansman was left free within the limits of justice to end the relationship, and no liability was imposed on the clansman’s joint family. On the other hand, daer tenure, whether of…
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…and hiring: saer (“free”) and daer (“unfree”). The conditions of saer tenure were largely settled by the law; the clansman was left free within the limits of justice to end the relationship, and no liability was imposed on the clansman’s joint family. On the other hand, daer tenure, whether of…
Read More