"Sept" is the word used in early Ireland to refer to a large family kin group, usually a collection of families with various surnames although descending from a single great common ancestor.

The smaller kin groups were referred to as "fine" (pr. finna or finny), and these were categorised in degree of closeness of relatives who shared a common grandfather (gel-fine), great-grandfather (derb-fine), or great-great-grandfather (iar-fine). A sept was essentially a much wider kin grouping that comprised of several fine who shared a common distant great ancestor - who served as a progenitor of the tribe, so to speak.

The book is authored by N.C. Macnamara, a fine that descends from the Dalcasian sept, the same sept which Brian Boru descended from.

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00:00 Intro

13:27 Part I: Origins
In chapter 1 we learn about the origins of our main sept, the Macnamara's of Co. Clare. From the author's perspective, the people of west Ireland share a direct genetic connection to the Basque's, and this has been suggested by later researchers. We will also learn about the "Celtic invasions" of Ireland, the nature of the Celtic people, and how these differed from that of the Fir Bolg's whom the author assumes descent from.

1:11:25 Part II: Law and Society
Building on the foundations laid in chapter 1 "origins", N.C. MacNamara begins to outline the nature of the society of early Ireland under the Brehon laws. While brief, the content discussed in chapter 2 "law and society" is essential for developing a keener understanding of the social structure, the laws, the brehons, which will be built upon in subsequent chapters. In addition to this, we will also learn about the clothes, dress, furniture, and housing of early Ireland.

2:08:22 Part III: Education, Military, Land and Rank
In chapter 3, we continue our journey into early Ireland taking a stop to meet our famous bards and their schools.
The nature of military service along with the four sacred injunctions binding Na Fianna. Next, we'll briefly visit a house of hospitality learning about the important position of the hospitallers.
We'll learn about physicians, medicine, and care for the poor.
We will go deeper into the topic of land ownership considering how it related to status, along with the rights and duties owed between land-leaser and tenant. Finishing our journey up with a pleasant tale about a man who gave his year's salary to poet.

2:48:34 Part IV: Spiritual Beliefs
In chapter 4, we learn about the spiritual opinions of the early Irish taking account of both its druidic and Christian beliefs. Transmigration of the soul or reincarnation. The early Irish church. How St. Patrick 'engrafted' Christianity onto the native beliefs.

We'll also meet an Irish high-king, Cormac Mac Art, we'll learn about the advice of Finn McCool to his grandson, a Fianna warrior, and we'll meet three significant Irish philosophers along the way.

Stick around to the end for a more in-depth discussion about some of the topics and we'll consider what it is the druids truly believed...

3:52:05 Part V The Rise of the Dal Cas
In part 5 we learn about the rise of the great dynasty known as the Dalcassians.

4:23:12 Part VI Brian Boru and the Vikings
Brian Boru and the Vikings: Battle of Clontarf 1014. We conclude our journey into the Story of an Irish Sept with chapter 6. Among other things it deals with the rise, success, and death of the great high-king Brian Boru and the pivotal Battle of Clontarf, 1014.

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