EaRlY ChRiStIaN IrElAnD


3 1. Written sources


Ancient Celtic myths and legends were recorded in writings after AD 400 by Christian monks. An example of these stories is Táin Bó Cúailnge which tells the story of a queen in Connacht who schemes to steal a sacred bull from an enemy in Ulster. The warrior Cúchulainn is also an important part of the tale. It is an epic saga and was composed in the seventh or eighth century AD. It was first written down in a manuscript called The Book of the Dun Cow in the twelfth century AD by monks at Clonmacnoise, County Offaly. Other manuscripts written by monks include The Book of Leinster, also from the twelfth century, and the Yellow Book of Lecan from the fourteenth century. These books include stories, poems, information about people, and history about places and families. Historians use these written sources to learn about clothing, farming, food, weapons, battles and important families among many other things.


Monks and nuns also wrote books or religious texts. St Patrick wrote about his life in The Confession. The Cathach, which contains a copy of the Psalms (one of the books within the Bible), was written in Latin around the late sixth century and is Ireland’s oldest surviving book. The Book of Durrow and the Book of Kells are also important sources from this period that show the artistic style of the Early Christian period.


A. How Do We Know about Early Christian Ireland? Weblink


To view images from some of the written sources mentioned here, search for: ria – cathach – st – Columba


Fig 3.1 Portrait of St John, The Book of Kells. 59


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