What do you think?
Rate this book
Celtic Wisdom: Treasures from Ireland
A bevy of classic Celtic wisdom that reveals the authentic core of Celtic spirituality is gathered in this inspirational anthology. A background on the history of Ireland as well as St. Patrick, Brigid, and the Twelve Apostles of Erin is provided along with sayings, stories, prayers, and proverbs that reveal the traditions and customs of Celtic prayer and learning. Beautifully illustrated with evocative images of Ireland, this is an intimate guide to putting the ancient wisdom of the Celts into practice.
- GenresNonfiction
96 pages, Hardcover
First published November 21, 2008
5 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Thomson
22 books145 followersCindy Thomson is the author of both fiction and nonfiction, including her newest novel, Enya’s Son, third in the Daughters of Ireland series based on ancient legends. Being a genealogy enthusiast, she has also written articles for Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy Today magazines, and children’s short stories for Clubhouse Magazine. She has also co-authored a baseball biography. Most everything she writes reflects her belief that history has stories to teach. Cindy and her husband live in central Ohio near their three grown sons and their families.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 20, 2024
Audiobook: I enjoyed this audiobook. I was amazed at the depth of study that was obvious within the manuscript. I was surprised by some of the information which increased my knowledge regarding the subject matter. I thought Brendan Curran's narration was fine as his performance was easy to follow and his voice was pleasant to hear. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.
February 21, 2023
I listened to Celtic Wisdom. The narrator was very good with a soothing voice, but not so soothing that it lulled you to sleep.
Author Cindy Thomson has put together a lovely book. It is full of history, legend, poems, hymns, and Irish sayings that form a wonderful picture of Ireland in the listener's mind.
Author Cindy Thomson has put together a lovely book. It is full of history, legend, poems, hymns, and Irish sayings that form a wonderful picture of Ireland in the listener's mind.
May 23, 2016
The Roots of Irish Wisdom
Learning from Ancient Voices
By Cindy Thomson
The Roots of Irish Wisdom explores not only the influence that Christianity had upon Ireland and her development as a nation, but the Christian influence that Ireland shared with the rest of the world - especially Western Europe.
The Irish fascination with the triad made the idea of the Trinity a well received truth. This also resulted in many facets of Christianity being presented within the aspect of the triad. Due to the isolated nature of Ireland as an island state Christianity flourished there while in the majority of Europe it was stifled during the Dark Ages. This was the Golden Age of Christianity as it was presented directly to the Irish people.
Roots takes a close look at both the saints of Ireland and the traditions that not only promoted the spread of Christianity across the island but helped return it to the people of Europe after the Roman Empire fell to its own instability. Patrick's influence is well known - born in the 4th century he never embraced his Christian upbringing until he was taken as a slave to Ireland. There having lost everything he opened his heart, his, mind and his eyes to all that Christ offered him. But it wasn't until he returned to the land that enslaved him that he shared the message of God to a land ready to hear and embrace the gift of salvation. Patrick's return brought a time of upheaval and chaos as the old pagan ways struggled against this Christian God - a God who was a Trinity. Patrick's influence on the whole of Ireland is honored and celebrated by both Catholics and Protestants.
The second saint Roots looks at is Brigid who lived in the late 5th / early 6th century. Brigid, a woman shrouded in mystery, was known for her giving to the poor. She cared for the refuges who came to Ireland from the instability that was consuming both the Roman Empire and Western Europe - no small feat at the time in which she lived. This giving spirit came from the belief the that the Lord resided within all who were poor. A good deed is never forgotten and this is the legacy of Brigid's life.
Some lesser known saints and their lives and influences as missionaries from Ireland to the rest of Europe are explored. Irish monasteries nurtured the Christian faith - these centers housed and trained thousands who helped spread Christianity from Ireland into the darkened regions of Europe who had fallen under pagan influences with the collapse of Rome. Learning Scripture was of vital importance and these centers were where Scripture was recorded and preserved - the most noted being The Book of Kells. The monasteries were also known for their high crosses - stone crosses which were carved to share the Biblical story with the common person who could not read.
This is a book that packs a great deal of information into a few pages. For those who are interested in either Irish history or Church history this is a fount of information that you'll want to turn to again and again. I was especially intrigued with the accounts of the Book of Kells, the high crosses and prayer. It is amazing how the very isolation that first kept Christianity from Ireland was the very thing that kept its message safe while the rest of Europe fell into the Dark Ages.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review.
Learning from Ancient Voices
By Cindy Thomson
The Roots of Irish Wisdom explores not only the influence that Christianity had upon Ireland and her development as a nation, but the Christian influence that Ireland shared with the rest of the world - especially Western Europe.
The Irish fascination with the triad made the idea of the Trinity a well received truth. This also resulted in many facets of Christianity being presented within the aspect of the triad. Due to the isolated nature of Ireland as an island state Christianity flourished there while in the majority of Europe it was stifled during the Dark Ages. This was the Golden Age of Christianity as it was presented directly to the Irish people.
Roots takes a close look at both the saints of Ireland and the traditions that not only promoted the spread of Christianity across the island but helped return it to the people of Europe after the Roman Empire fell to its own instability. Patrick's influence is well known - born in the 4th century he never embraced his Christian upbringing until he was taken as a slave to Ireland. There having lost everything he opened his heart, his, mind and his eyes to all that Christ offered him. But it wasn't until he returned to the land that enslaved him that he shared the message of God to a land ready to hear and embrace the gift of salvation. Patrick's return brought a time of upheaval and chaos as the old pagan ways struggled against this Christian God - a God who was a Trinity. Patrick's influence on the whole of Ireland is honored and celebrated by both Catholics and Protestants.
The second saint Roots looks at is Brigid who lived in the late 5th / early 6th century. Brigid, a woman shrouded in mystery, was known for her giving to the poor. She cared for the refuges who came to Ireland from the instability that was consuming both the Roman Empire and Western Europe - no small feat at the time in which she lived. This giving spirit came from the belief the that the Lord resided within all who were poor. A good deed is never forgotten and this is the legacy of Brigid's life.
Some lesser known saints and their lives and influences as missionaries from Ireland to the rest of Europe are explored. Irish monasteries nurtured the Christian faith - these centers housed and trained thousands who helped spread Christianity from Ireland into the darkened regions of Europe who had fallen under pagan influences with the collapse of Rome. Learning Scripture was of vital importance and these centers were where Scripture was recorded and preserved - the most noted being The Book of Kells. The monasteries were also known for their high crosses - stone crosses which were carved to share the Biblical story with the common person who could not read.
This is a book that packs a great deal of information into a few pages. For those who are interested in either Irish history or Church history this is a fount of information that you'll want to turn to again and again. I was especially intrigued with the accounts of the Book of Kells, the high crosses and prayer. It is amazing how the very isolation that first kept Christianity from Ireland was the very thing that kept its message safe while the rest of Europe fell into the Dark Ages.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review.
July 6, 2016
This is the kind of book that makes you fall in love with history again. The kind where you can picture the characters walking across the hills described, or scribbling out their thoughts on preserved pages that have survived hundreds of years.
The author portrays a love for the country of Ireland, and its history, that makes the book eminently easy to read. The book is full of information and new terms, but the text is explained and easy to read. Each section provides more perspective on how Ireland and its Christians came to be, and the influence still exerted today.
I read the book a chunk at a time, drinking in the details of unknown saints and monasteries. The way these monks and saints lived out their lives is inspiring. I also loved reading the included poems written so long ago, but still applicable today.
I recommend this book for those who love Ireland, are interested in another facet of Christian history, or who simply want to add more to their history collection. It's well written, easy to read yet informative, and makes for an enjoyable afternoon or two.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The author portrays a love for the country of Ireland, and its history, that makes the book eminently easy to read. The book is full of information and new terms, but the text is explained and easy to read. Each section provides more perspective on how Ireland and its Christians came to be, and the influence still exerted today.
I read the book a chunk at a time, drinking in the details of unknown saints and monasteries. The way these monks and saints lived out their lives is inspiring. I also loved reading the included poems written so long ago, but still applicable today.
I recommend this book for those who love Ireland, are interested in another facet of Christian history, or who simply want to add more to their history collection. It's well written, easy to read yet informative, and makes for an enjoyable afternoon or two.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 19, 2009
Celtic Wisdom is about how christaianity came to a mostly pagan Ireland. "Christians believe that God is in all things, not that all things are gods." It spotlights the saints of Ireland giving not only myths and legends associated with each saint but also true facts about them. Most of you might be like me and have only heard of St Patrick. I found it very interesting reading about the other saints that are apart of the Irish rich religious history and their everyday lifes. The stories are short and interesting. I loved the celtic prayers that are in the book and the stories about how they came about, what they represent, and how they are still used today.
I loved many things about this book from the size, the way the book was broken up, the Irish sayings/blessings that are found on top of some of the pages, and the beautiful photographs.
I found it to be a very interesting & beautiful little treasure of a book.
I loved many things about this book from the size, the way the book was broken up, the Irish sayings/blessings that are found on top of some of the pages, and the beautiful photographs.
I found it to be a very interesting & beautiful little treasure of a book.
December 17, 2009
Celtic Wisdom by Cindy Thompson truly is a treasure of Eire. Thompson gives background information on the saints well known from Ireland: Patrick, Brigid, and Columba, as well as several others who helped encourage Christianity to grow across the country. The Celts had a very unusual form of Christianity that challenged Rome but was loved by its people. It focused on seeing God in nature and worshiping Him on a very personal level. The book is filled with glorious photographs that will make the reader want to catch the next flight on Aer Lingus. I filled several pages in my journal with the beautiful prayers and quotations from Celtic saints and monks. The famed Book of Kells is also discussed along with other ancient tomes of the faith. It's a perfect sampler for anyone interested in learning more about the Christian faith of the Celts and how it has influenced generations.
September 18, 2016
Come away to ancient Ireland...
I don't usually read a lot of non-fiction but The Roots Of Irish Wisdom really appealed to me for three reasons; it features a lot of history, it's by a great author that I like, AND it is all about Ireland. Just Ireland is enough to grab me and get me to read it. This is a great book that explains much about early Christianity in Ireland. You learn more about the Irish saints, ancient learning and schooling, art, their books, and of course their strong belief in prayer. Cindy Thomson has presented a fascinating history where legend and fact come together and illustrated by some very lovely photographs of Ireland. If you are an Irish-nut like me you won't want to miss The Roots Of Irish Wisdom from Cindy Thomson.
(I received a copy of this e-book from the author in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.)
I don't usually read a lot of non-fiction but The Roots Of Irish Wisdom really appealed to me for three reasons; it features a lot of history, it's by a great author that I like, AND it is all about Ireland. Just Ireland is enough to grab me and get me to read it. This is a great book that explains much about early Christianity in Ireland. You learn more about the Irish saints, ancient learning and schooling, art, their books, and of course their strong belief in prayer. Cindy Thomson has presented a fascinating history where legend and fact come together and illustrated by some very lovely photographs of Ireland. If you are an Irish-nut like me you won't want to miss The Roots Of Irish Wisdom from Cindy Thomson.
(I received a copy of this e-book from the author in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.)
June 23, 2016
The Roots of Irish Wisdom explores not only the influence that Christianity had upon Ireland and her development as a nation.
Roots takes a close look at both the saints of Ireland and the traditions
Fascinating read. If you love history, and specifically Irish history, you'll love this book. Thomson does a great job of telling the story details of past Irish saints, of the readiness of Ireland for learning about Christ, and providing pictures to whet your interest.
I received this book for free in return for a honest review.
May 20, 2016
The Roots of Irish Wisdom: Learning from Ancient Voices is a lovely read. Within the pages, a reader will learn about Irish heritage. This includes historical Irish figures, proverbs, stories and prayers. I really enjoyed it and learned about my heritage with inspiration.
Highly recommended.
5 plus stars.
Highly recommended.
5 plus stars.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews