There are several good places to start regarding Ireland. K.O. Nicholls,
Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland in the late Middle Ages (Dublin, 1974), and
his Land, Law, and Society in Sixteenth Century Ireland (Dublin, 1976). (I
think it is the O'Donnell Lecture at Galway that year.) G.A. Hayes- McCoy also
has two valuable works which will be of interest: Scots Mercenary Forces in
Ireland (Dublin, 1937) and "Gaelic Society in Ireland in the 16th Century,"
Historical Studies, 4, 1963. Nicholas Canny's The Elizabethan Conquest of
Ireland and Steven Ellis' Tudor Ireland are more recent. Most recently there
is an article by Mary O'Dowd, "Gaelic Economy and Society," in Natives and
Newcomers, edited by Brady and Gillespie, (Dublin, 1986).
Hope this helps,
Bill Palmer
Marshall University
Hst005@marshall.wvnet.edu