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The Brehon Laws governed everyday life and politics in the Kingdom of Ireland until the Norman invasion of 1171. After that Ireland was divded into Norman controlled zones, one English controlled zone (The Pale, which was basically only Dublin) and native Irish kingdoms, and the laws fell into disuse. Under those laws Ireland had the most sophistocated and democratic legal system of the Dark Ages; the rights of women were protected, the Brehon Laws outlined the duty of parents towards adopted children, and created a frame work for the operation of government.

Ireland was divided into four provincial kingdoms (Laighin, Ulaidh, Muman, and Connachta)each with a king, each King excercized some power over his provincial domain, but all were forced to hold allegiance to the High King who ruled all of Ireland from the country's capital, Tara in the "fifth royal province" of Meadh. Today each of the provinces are known by their Norman names, the Norse word Stadr (which means place) was added onto the end of each name, Laighin became Leinster, Ulaidh became Ulster and Muman became Munster, Connaught although changed slightly in name was the only province not to under go that type of change.

Although, the Norman barons eventually adopted Irish culture and the Irish language and Norman settlers began intermarrying with the Native Irish, Ireland would still remain divided between Norman-Irish kingdoms and Gaelic-Irish kingdoms, and the Brehon Laws would never be readopted on an official basis. In 1541 the King of England was proclaimed by himself as the "King of Ireland" and the English began a campaign to complete their conquest. After English rule became final in 1603, the English enforced their draconian fuedal laws on Ireland. In 1801, Ireland was forced into the "Act of Union" which made the country a "member" of the United Kingdom, after an independence war that was set off by a rebellion in 1916, Irish independence was won in 1921. Although the six counties of the north (Northern Ireland) remained part of the U.K. causing a long, bitter conflict.

In the new independent country comprised of the 26 counties of the south, first called the Irish Free State (1921-1948), later the Republic of Ireland (since 1948) a new legal system based off of some aspects of British and French common law but also comprising modernized concepts of the old Brehon Laws has been adopted.