1st Year - Early Christian Ireland

Question 1

When did Christianity come to Ireland?

Answer 1

5th century

Question 2

What are monasteries?

Answer 2

Monasteries are buildings in which monks and priests pray to God

Question 3

What were the main buildings in a monastery?

Answer 3

The church, the abbots house, the refectory, the scriptorium, the cells and a round rower (the larger ones)

Question 4

What were round towers used for?

Answer 4

As a bell tower

Question 5

What did monks do?

Answer 5

They followed strict rules. They wore long tunics with woollen cloaks and leather shoes or sandals. The main activity was prayer (6-8 services a day) and they also worked in fields to produce food for the monastery (ploughing, harvesting, milking)

Question 6

Christianity brought a lot of changes to Ireland, but what remained the same?

Answer 6

• People still lived in ring-forts, crannógs, hill-forts and promontory forts
• Farming remained the most important type of work