In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish, from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the EnglishThis engaging book traces the history, archaeology, and legends of ancient Ireland from 9000 B.C., when nomadic hunter-gatherers appeared in Ireland at the end of the last Ice Age to 1167 A.D., when a Norman invasion brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. So much of what people today accept as ancient Irish history-Celtic invaders from Europe turning Ireland into a Celtic nation; St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland and converting its people to Christianity-is myth and legend with little basis in reality. The truth is more interesting. The Irish, as the authors show, are not even Celtic in an archaeological sense. And there were plenty of bishops in Ireland before a British missionary called Patrick arrived. But In Search of Ancient Ireland is not simply the story of events from long ago. Across Ireland today are festivals, places, and folk customs that provide a tangible link to events thousands of years past. The authors visit and describe many of these places and festivals, talking to a wide variety of historians, scholars, poets, and storytellers in the very settings where history happened. Thus the book is also a journey on the ground to uncover ten thousand years of Irish identity. In Search of Ancient Ireland is the official companion to the three-part PBS documentary series. With 14 black-and-white photos, 6 b&w illustrations, and 1 map. |
Contents
1 The First Irish | 3 |
2 The Age of Bronze | 25 |
3 Ireland and the Celtic Culture | 51 |
4 Pagan Celtic Religion and Laws | 74 |
5 St PatrickPatron Saint of the Irish | 96 |
6 The Rise of Celtic Spirituality | 113 |
7 Saints and Scribes | 132 |
8 Irish Monasteries and Scholars | 159 |
9 Raiders from the Sea | 184 |
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Common terms and phrases
abbot Amlaib ancient annals Annals of Ulster archaeologists Armagh attack battle became bishop boat Brehon Brehon Law Brian Boru Brigid Britain Bronze Age built Cashel Celtic Celts cen tury century A.D. Chulainn Clonmacnoise coast Colmcille con death Dermot Dermot MacMurrough Donnchadh druids Dublin dynasty early Irish Europe feast Feidlimid goddess gods high-kingship hundred important invaders invasion Ire land Irish Christianity Irish church Irish history Irish kings Irish monasteries Irish Sea Irish society king of Leinster kingdom kingship language later legends Leinster Leo Eaton lived lona Lough MacMurrough Medb Mesolithic monasteries monastic monks mound Munster Neolithic Norse Northern pagan Pat Wallace Patrick poet pre-Christian probably raids religion religious Riada ritual River Shannon rivers Roman Ross Island sailed saint scholars Scotland ships sixth century slave stone story Tara thousand tombs town Ui Neill Ulster Viking warriors women