Early Christian Ireland

• Christianity


  Came to Ireland during the time of the Celts, who were pagans. Their spiritual figures were the Druids.
• Arrival of Palladius, the earliest official source of Christianity in Ireland


  AD 431
• St. Patrick worked in Ireland, converting the pagan Celts to Christianity


  AD 432 - 461
• Monasteries


  • Built, becoming centers of learning. The earliest known Irish monastery was Inis Mór, founded by St. Enda around AD 500.
• Monks


  • Lived in small stone huts called beehive huts
• Notable monasteries


  • Clonmacnoise
  • Skellig Michael
  • Glendalough
• Life in an Irish monastery

  • Oratory
  • Scriptorium
  • Refectory
  • Round tower
  • Guest house
  • Cemetery
  • External circular wall
• Oratory


  Building where monks attended Mass or prayed
• Scriptorium


  Where manuscripts were copied and illustrated
• Refectory


  Where monks ate their meals
• Round tower


  Served as a bell tower and a safe place during attacks
• Guest house


  Provided accommodation for travelers
• Cemetery


  Where monks were buried in simple graves
• External circular wall


  Provided protection
• The Art of Early Christian Ireland

  • Early monasteries created art to honor God and demonstrate their importance
• Manuscripts


  • Book of Kells, written on parchment or vellum, decorated with Celtic patterns and bright colors
• Metalwork


  • Crosses, bells, brooches, belts, cups, and chalices like the Ardagh Chalice
• High Crosses


  • Stone crosses with detailed carvings from the Bible to teach those who could not read