This public event will examine combat in the late Middle Ages (14th–16th centuries), setting Ireland within the broader European context.

-Mr Dave Swift (Claíomh – Irish Living History and Military Heritage) will present archaeological and historical evidence for the weapons and armour of medieval Ireland—swords, axes, shields, helmets—alongside high-quality replicas.
-Dr Jacopo Bisagni (University of Galway) will introduce medieval fighting manuals, focusing on the earliest known example: the I.33 manuscript, a unique sword-and-buckler treatise from early 14th-century Germany (the talk will be followed by a practical demonstration of some of its techniques).
-Dr Andrew Ó Donnghaile (University College Dublin) will examine the development of medieval Irish cavalry, from the light hobelar horsemen to the Gaelic Irish cavalry of the 16th century.

By combining material culture, manuscripts, and martial practice, the event will offer a vivid insight into the complex and sophisticated art of combat of the late Middle Ages, in Ireland and beyond.