The Coming Of Christianity
The christianization of Ireland began as early as the fourth century AD, well before the arrival of St Patrick (whose existence is now the subject of some controversy). Vestiges did survive of the previous religion of the Celts, but after the collapse of the Roman Empire, Ireland assumed a position at the very forefront of European Christianity. (Also around this time the people of Ireland took the name Goidil - Gaels - for themselves from the Welsh Gwyddyl.) In the sixth century, the early Christian leaders successfully adapted established church organization to suit the scattered and tribal nature of Gaelic society by setting up monastic foundations. The country became a haven for religious orders, the only sources of learning at this time. The sheer impassability of much of the landscape supported monastic development, and many of the great Irish monasteries, such as St Enda's on the Aran Islands, Clonmacnois in County Offaly and Clonard in County Meath, date from this period. Ogham , the Celtic line-based writing system seen on standing stones, was rapidly supplanted by the religious scholars, who introduced Latin. The first - and best-known - of their richly illuminated Latin manuscripts, the Book of Kells , can be seen in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. The traditional view of these times as "Dark Ages" of terror and chaos throughout Europe is not supported by events in Ireland. Although intertribal warfare was constant, the country enjoyed relative cultural and religious stability. Alongside this, well-established diplomatic and trading contact along the Atlantic seaboard encouraged the development of a strong missionary impulse in Irish Christianity. Between 500 and 800 the Irish church spread the gospel widely across the Continent. The most prominent of the many missionaries was St Columban, who founded monasteries in France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, and at Bobbio in Italy - where he died in 615
Your Tip for Ireland
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Ireland - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Ireland - visit the main Ireland forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Ireland webguide section below! Thanks.
|
