The persuasive power of a mother's breast: the most desperate act of the Virgin Mary's Advocacy

Depictions of the Madonna and Child, which for centuries have adorned Catholic churches and burial grounds, tend to evoke warm responses from the majority who choose to behold what appears to be an idyllic and peaceful scene. A variation of this theme, such as the portrayal of the Virgin Mary breast-feeding her Divine Son, although less common, has also claimed great popularity among iconographers from the first centuries of Christianity. However, some popular late-medieval interpretations of the latter depiction suggest that far from being a representation of a serene mother and child at one, the iconography depicts a veritable battle of wills. The mother (Mary) suckles her Son (Christ) in a desperate effort to appease His anger, thus hoping to offset the terrible judgement He plans to impose on humanity

Popular Religion in Gaelic Ireland 1445 - 1645

Increased interest in the area o f ‘popular religion’ among historians is a relatively recent phenomenon. John Bossy traces its origins to the school o f ‘religious sociology’ which was inaugurated in France in 1931 by the canon law historian, Gabriel le Bras. 1 It is certainly true that historians o f the Francophone world have proved themselves to be forerunners in this field o f research, publishing widely, from a relatively early stage, on the experiences o f the laity in late medieval and early modem France.2 The term itself, however, is fraught with difficulty and any historian who might naively consider attempting to definitively unravel its meaning, faces a minefield o f objections

Examining Knowledge-Based Information Technology Management Competencies of Business Executives

This paper examines IT management competencies of business executives, and analyzes how IT management competencies of business executives impact IT governance capabilities. A (knowledge-based) model interrelating explicit and tacit IT management competencies of business executives with IT governance capabilities is developed. Following a multi-method research design, preliminary results indicate that IT management competence is a multidimensional construct, in which explicit and tacit knowledge regarding IT and IT management are essential for building IT governance capabilities

How to Communicate Lateran IV in 13th Century Ireland: Lessons from the Liber Exemplorum (c.1275)

The Liber Exemplorum, a collection of preachers’ tales, was compiled c.1275 by an English Franciscan working in Ireland, and is the earliest Franciscan example of its type. Out of 213 exempla which survive in this manuscript, some 26 of these are found in no other source, and are drawn either from the compiler’s own experience or from his having heard of them second hand; these often mention Irish place names and feature Irish Christians as the main protagonists. The collection was compiled some 60 years after the calling of the Fourth Lateran Council, whose decrees would significantly shape the lives of medieval Christians for centuries. This article examines the manner in which some of the principal concerns of Lateran IV appear prominently as themes in this collection of preachers’ tales, and, furthermore, how such tales played a crucial role in the popular dissemination of the reforms envisaged by the council fathers. The tales themselves also offer a unique window on popular religious practice and ideas, both real and imagined, in late-13th-century Ireland

What Should the Business Know About Information Systems?

This paper presents an exploratory study of Information Systems (IS) competencies of business managers in Europe. Following resource-based theory and a knowledge-based view of IS competencies, an extensive review of the literature is conducted to identify a comprehensive list of IS competencies of business managers. In order to validate the business IS competence model, a Delphi study is conducted using two panels consisting of general managers and IS managers. The results indicate that IS competencies of business managers involve a fluid mix of both explicit and tacit knowledge components, and suggest that ‘core’ IS competencies of business managers involve knowledge and experience in the strategic management of IS. Core business IS competencies involve having knowledge about IS strategy, IS investment management, IS resource allocation, IS sourcing options, IS relationship management and IS change management, and professional experience in IS projects and managing IS. This paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings and provides several directions for future research

New wine in old bottles”: implementing Trent in early modern Ireland

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New wine in old bottles”: implementing Trent in early modern Ireland

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Wily women of God in Cavan’s late medieval and early modern devotional collections

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The new papal saints and their relations with Orthodox Christianity

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Sparks through the Stubble - Re-imagining Ireland's 'Golden Age' of Christianity

The clergyman was in a bit of a bind - he himself knew that he hadn't got a squeaky-clean past. In fact, he had committed a certain sin in his younger days that now seemed to be coming back to haunt him. He had shared this indiscretion with a very close friend years ago but that friend had now betrayed him and the result was that some powerful figures in the Church were using it in a smear campaign against him. Where could he turn? And how could he defend himself