Early Christian Ireland Flashcards
When and what was the first official source about Christianity?
In the year 431, when a bishop named Palladius was sent to the Irish to convert to Christianity.
Who was the most famous bishop to travel to Ireland.
St. Patrick
What did St. Patrick do?
He founded many churches and he brought Christianity to Ireland by spreading the word of God.
How do we know about what St. Patrick did?
St Patrick’s Confessio
What religion were Ireland before Saint Patrick converted them?
They were Pagan Celts.
Who were monks?
Christians who chose to live apart from the rest of society in a closed religious community, or MONASTERY, to devote their lives to God.
What was the first Irish monastery called?
Inis Mór, founded by St Enda.
Give two examples of a monastery.
St Colmcille in Derry
St Brendan in Clonfert
What did Ireland become known as?
‘ the Land of Saints and Scholars’
What was a guest house used for in a large monastery?
Travellers and visiting tradesmen.
What were the fields used for in a monastery?
To grow crops and graze animals.
Describe a beehive hut.
A beehive hut was a small stone hut, where monks slept, it has a corbelled roof.
What was the refectory in a monastery?
Where the monks ate their meals.
Who was the head of the monastery?
The Abbott
What was an oratory?
It was made of wood or stone, it was there the monks attended Mass or prayed.
What was the scriptorium?
It was where manuscripts were copied by hand and illustrated, the monks who did this were called scribes.
What’s a manuscript?
Paragraphs or sections from the Bible.
What was a Round Tower?
A bell tower and a safe place for people (and treasure) if the monastery was under attack eg. Glendalough.
How did you enter a round tower in a monastery?
A round towers door was many meters above ground, its few windows were very high up, so that a lookout could spot attackers and access would be very difficult.
What language were manuscripts written in and what were they written on?
They were written in Latin, on parchment made from sheepskin or vellum.
How were manuscripts decorated?
With Celtic patterns in vivid colours made from berries, for pens, monks used quills.
What kind of metalwork did monks make?
Chalices, brooches, bells, cups and belts.
What did the monks decorate silver with?
Gold, amber, enamel and coloured glass. They also made intricate gold writing called filigree.
Give an example of metalwork that Celtic designs can be seen in.
The Ardagh Chalice
What did gifted stonemason monks carve?
High crosses
What’s a high cross?
A free standing stone cross, usually with elaborate carvings showing biblical scenes.
Give an example of a high cross?
The Cross of the Scriptures
Give 5 impacts of Early Christian Ireland.
- Contribution to art
- Reading and writing
- St Patrick’s Day
- Christian culture developed
- Links with Europe
How was Contribution to Art an impact of Early Christian Ireland?
Scribes created manuscripts, carved high stone crosses, metal work.
How was reading and writing an impact of Early Christian Ireland?
Christianity brought reading and writing to Ireland. Eg. Before the Ogham alphabet was used, after Latin alphabet was used.
Monks taught people in the local community.
How was St Patrick’s Day an impact of Early Christian Ireland?
17th March is a national holiday. It’s celebrated nationally and internationally. It’s part of our cultural identity.
How is Links with Europe an impact of Early Christian Ireland?
Some Irish Monks were abroad as missionaries. St. Colmcille set up a monastery on Iona, Scotland.
Give an example of a manuscript.
The Book of Kells.
Give an example of a stone cross?
Muirdeachs cross
What’s the Irish Diaspora?
People abroad that see themselves as Irish or part Irish.
