Early Christian Ireland

Early Christian Ireland

When Christianity first arrived in Ireland

First bishop

Palladius, 431 AD

Most famous bishop

St Patrick, 432-461 AD

First monastery

Inis Mór, founded by St Enda, 6th century

Example of a monastery

Clonmacnois, founded by St Ciarán

Art created by monks

Manuscripts, metalwork and high crosses

A manuscript

Book of Kells, Kells, 800AD

Metal work

Ardagh Chalice, 8th century

High cross

Cross of the scriptures, Clonmacnois, late 10th century

Vikings in Ireland

Raided and settled 8th century onwards. Evidence found in Wood Quay, Dublin

Pagan

Someone who worships various gods, often with a focus on nature/ the earth

Druid

A spiritual figure similar to a priest in pre-Christian Celtic Ireland

Monastery

A closed religious community living by the rules of an order

Monk

A man dedicated to a religious order and life in a monastery

Beehive hut

An early Christian stone hut, shaped like a beehive, where monks slept

Oratory

Where monks attended mass or prayed

Scriptorium

A room where manuscripts were copied by hand or illustrated

Manuscript

A book written by hand, often in Latin, on sheepskin parchment or vellum (calfskin)

Refectory

A hall where monks ate their meals

Round tower

A bell tower for monks and treasures to hide if the monastery came under attack

High cross

A free-standing stone cross, usually with elaborate carvings showing biblical scenes

Longship

A Viking boat, capable of crossing stormy seas but still shallow enough to sail up rivers

Longphort

A Viking camp by the water, used as a base for raids