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Sun Dancing: A Medieval Vision
In this remarkable feat of imagination and reconstruction Moorhouse shows how the medieval monastic community of The Great Skellig, an island off Ireland's southwest coast, worshipped and survived from 500 bc to ad 1200. The first part of the book is a fictional description of the austere life of the monks beginning with their arrival on the island, withdrawing from the world to a life of prayer, fasting, hardship, and danger. Subsequent scenes depict aspects of Celtic spirituality, a dangerous Viking raid, and spiritual crises. Finally, the abbot and his aging disciples abandon the island following a severe storm. The second part is a collection of short essays describing the many features of medieval monastic life.
258 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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702 people want to read
About the author
Geoffrey Moorhouse
43 books14 followersGeoffrey Moorhouse, FRGS, FRSL, D.Litt, was an English journalist and author. He was born Geoffrey Heald in Bolton and took his stepfather's surname. He attended Bury Grammar School. He began writing as a journalist on the Bolton Evening News. At the age of 27, he joined the Manchester Guardian where he eventually became chief feature writer and combined writing book with journalism.
Many of his books were largely based on his travels. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society in 1972, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1982, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Warwick. His book To The Frontier won the Thomas Cook Award for the best travel book of its year in 1984. He had recently concentrated on Tudor history, with The Pilgrimage of Grace and Great Harry's Navy. He lived in a hill village in North Yorkshire. In an interview given at the University of Tuebingen in 1999, he described his approach to his writing.
All three of Moorhouse's marriages ended in divorce. He had two sons and two daughters, one of whom died of cancer in 1981. He died aged 77 of a stroke on 26 November 2009 and is survived by both sons and one daughter.
Many of his books were largely based on his travels. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society in 1972, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1982, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Warwick. His book To The Frontier won the Thomas Cook Award for the best travel book of its year in 1984. He had recently concentrated on Tudor history, with The Pilgrimage of Grace and Great Harry's Navy. He lived in a hill village in North Yorkshire. In an interview given at the University of Tuebingen in 1999, he described his approach to his writing.
All three of Moorhouse's marriages ended in divorce. He had two sons and two daughters, one of whom died of cancer in 1981. He died aged 77 of a stroke on 26 November 2009 and is survived by both sons and one daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
November 15, 2020
I read this book very quickly - I think it was the quirkiness.
I am a bit of a Geoffrey Moorhouse fan, and would probably not have picked up a book on Irish Monastic history had it been another author.
So the quirkiness - The book is split into two parts. Part One, titled The Tradition consists of seven chapters of narrative, stand alone, but inter-related as they plot a history over the years AD588 to AD1222. The history they plot is of the creation, operation and ultimately withdrawal from Skellig Michael, a rocky crag some 12 kilometres offshore from County Kerry on the west coast of Ireland.
Moorhouse is quick to point out that his narrative chapters are based on evidence gathered, but have been woven into short stories to present that evidence. The chapters are are set one per decade approximately, and between them cover out practically all aspects of life as a monk on a remote outcrop, from their chores and rituals, the coming of the vikings, the visits from pilgrims, to reinforcing their numbers and maintaining their way of life.
Part Two, titled The Evidence consists of many (almost 40) short chapters on specific topics. These are non-fiction, cite references and sources and explain in more detail the events occurring in the narrative chapters of part one. Titles include people (characters and other influencers in the narrative) - the Desert Fathers, the Irish Kings and Tara, Cu Chulainn, Brian Boru; history of certain fragments - Irish Monasticism, Three Martyrdoms, the Vikings ; rituals and elements of life - fasting, penance, soul-friends, the buildings, Celtic metalwork.
Each chapter is numbered by the page number in the narrative where it is raised. The quirkiness is such that by the time you get to page 10 in the narrative, you have read 51 pages of 'evidence'.
So running two bookmarks, and flicking from front to back every few pages was how I started with the book, but it did disrupt the narrative chapter. After a couple of chapters, I found it preferable to read the narrative chapter, then go to read all the evidence related to that before progressing to the next narrative chapter.
Moorhouse says in his introduction that this book is 30 years in the making, and the meticulous research and detail bears that out. All the intricacies in the narrative is backed up with evidence - for example the careful description of the rocky path to their place of safety when the vikings arrive, or the Hermitage constructed just under the peak of the island - all real and not embellished.
Very good, and the quirkiness was worth another star bringing this to 4 stars from me.
I am a bit of a Geoffrey Moorhouse fan, and would probably not have picked up a book on Irish Monastic history had it been another author.
So the quirkiness - The book is split into two parts. Part One, titled The Tradition consists of seven chapters of narrative, stand alone, but inter-related as they plot a history over the years AD588 to AD1222. The history they plot is of the creation, operation and ultimately withdrawal from Skellig Michael, a rocky crag some 12 kilometres offshore from County Kerry on the west coast of Ireland.
Moorhouse is quick to point out that his narrative chapters are based on evidence gathered, but have been woven into short stories to present that evidence. The chapters are are set one per decade approximately, and between them cover out practically all aspects of life as a monk on a remote outcrop, from their chores and rituals, the coming of the vikings, the visits from pilgrims, to reinforcing their numbers and maintaining their way of life.
Part Two, titled The Evidence consists of many (almost 40) short chapters on specific topics. These are non-fiction, cite references and sources and explain in more detail the events occurring in the narrative chapters of part one. Titles include people (characters and other influencers in the narrative) - the Desert Fathers, the Irish Kings and Tara, Cu Chulainn, Brian Boru; history of certain fragments - Irish Monasticism, Three Martyrdoms, the Vikings ; rituals and elements of life - fasting, penance, soul-friends, the buildings, Celtic metalwork.
Each chapter is numbered by the page number in the narrative where it is raised. The quirkiness is such that by the time you get to page 10 in the narrative, you have read 51 pages of 'evidence'.
So running two bookmarks, and flicking from front to back every few pages was how I started with the book, but it did disrupt the narrative chapter. After a couple of chapters, I found it preferable to read the narrative chapter, then go to read all the evidence related to that before progressing to the next narrative chapter.
Moorhouse says in his introduction that this book is 30 years in the making, and the meticulous research and detail bears that out. All the intricacies in the narrative is backed up with evidence - for example the careful description of the rocky path to their place of safety when the vikings arrive, or the Hermitage constructed just under the peak of the island - all real and not embellished.
Very good, and the quirkiness was worth another star bringing this to 4 stars from me.
January 11, 2013
I found the subject fascinating, although I didn't gain as much as I'd hoped to from this book. If I were reading it again, I would read one chapter from the beginning section (the fiction) followed by the matching chapter from the second section (the historical background). By the time I got to the end, I'd forgotten too much about the stories to make the histories as useful as they could have been.
March 19, 2012
Maybe Five Stars is too many for this book. But I really liked how quirky it is. Moorhouse starts out by explaining just how sketchy the information is on his subject, so everything in the book has to be taken with a grain of salt. He then launches you into a series of short stories (yes, complete fiction!) concerning life in an Irish monastary in the sixth through 12th centuries, about one story per century. The second half of the book is a glossary of sorts, 2-5 page essays on a variety of subjects, meant, as the author says, for reflection and meditation more than factual info. It's not a wholly reliable tool for information, but it does whet the appetite so enjoyably that I had fun reading it, and that's the most important thing here. De-romanticising Irish history is difficult, but Moorhouse does it without condescension. --or maybe he does it by over-romanticising, and telling you upfront that this is what he's doing, but that there are kernels of truth in his quest.
August 21, 2017
Really enjoyed this book. The first half is a fictionalized account of life in a Medieval monastery established on a rock off the western coast of Ireland. Each chapter is set in a different century and written from a different monk's point of view. The chapters in the second half of the book each expand on a different aspect of the research the author did in order to imagine the narrative. As a reader you could skip any chapter that didn't interest you because they are each independent, but I read the book from cover to cover, finding it fascinating from a number of perspectives - illuminating my Irish heritage, my Catholic heritage and the influence of the Irish monastic system on Western culture. Also the fictionalized portion just makes a very good story. Very readable. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in history or wants to know more about the above topics.
June 9, 2016
This fascinating book offers a two-pronged approach to understanding the history of the community on Skellig Michael between the sixth and twelfth centuries. The first part contains a series of self-contained short stories set at different times throughout the monastery's development. The second part contains what are essentially endnotes for each of those short stories, explaining how the author extrapolated details from various historical sources and archeological evidence, clarifying what is known, what is speculated, and what can only be imagined. The wealth of detail about the island (including diagrams!) and the daily lives of those who lived there proved very satisfying to me.
March 26, 2023
I found this book rewards a slow reading, not so much the 'evidence' section but the narrative first section, to immerse oneself in the harsh environment of the Skellig Michael and to get to know the characters; their lives, their troubles, their visions.
The narrative fiction part is divided into seven short stories spanning just over 600 years. Each story is typically centered around one individual and usually during Lent. Throughout these stories you learn about life on the Skellig in detail; what they ate, community life, and the physical struggles that come with living in a place so remote (though sometimes not nearly remote enough cue Vikings and pilgrims) and unforgiving.
The numbers above each chapter in the second part refer to pages in the first part, though you could well be flicking back and forth, the flow is not too much disrupted. The chapters are topics relating to specific stories but have a broad significance so can be read in one go, as they are quite concise.
One thing that troubled me, was that Moorhouse was sometimes too speculative in the evidence part. For example, relating the Greek word for fish (ikhthus) to the Maori 'ika' (p.178). For me, that was too speculative in an evidence-based part. I also felt that though there is a good sized bibliography, acknowledging primary sources throughout would have been useful. However, this is all just personal preference!
The narrative fiction part is divided into seven short stories spanning just over 600 years. Each story is typically centered around one individual and usually during Lent. Throughout these stories you learn about life on the Skellig in detail; what they ate, community life, and the physical struggles that come with living in a place so remote (though sometimes not nearly remote enough cue Vikings and pilgrims) and unforgiving.
The numbers above each chapter in the second part refer to pages in the first part, though you could well be flicking back and forth, the flow is not too much disrupted. The chapters are topics relating to specific stories but have a broad significance so can be read in one go, as they are quite concise.
One thing that troubled me, was that Moorhouse was sometimes too speculative in the evidence part. For example, relating the Greek word for fish (ikhthus) to the Maori 'ika' (p.178). For me, that was too speculative in an evidence-based part. I also felt that though there is a good sized bibliography, acknowledging primary sources throughout would have been useful. However, this is all just personal preference!
January 10, 2018
Excellent book full of information about life on Skellig Michael in particular and monastic life in medieval Ireland in general. The first half of the book is made up of chapters dealing with different times covering the years AD 588 to 1222. Each is based on a historical person/legend with the story built around a particular event. The second half of the book is a very well written section with details about the people or times mentioned previously, such as Fionan, the legendary founder of Skellig Michael, a chapter about the Vikings, right on to the withdrawal of the monks from the skellig. This could have been a massive tome like an encyclopedia, but the author managed to condense information into easy to read articles. It's the perfect book for someone who is interested in Celtic spirituality and the life of the monks.
August 21, 2015
On one day a year, on Saint Patrick's Day, people around the world celebrate their Irish heritage, even if they have none. Parades, parties and the Wearin-of-the Green are ubiquitous. It may not be a stretch to state that those who celebrate Saint Patrick's Day the hardest, know the least facts about the man and the land that adopted him as their Patron Saint. He drove the snakes from Ireland, likely myth. He brought Christianity to the Irish (partially true).
Patrick was appointed Bishop to Ireland and can be rightfully credited with spreading and securing Christianity throughout the land, but he was not the first Christian missionary to set foot on the Emerald Isle.
There are tales of Coptic monks from Egypt who traveled to Ireland and the legend of a Roman soldier named Althus, who was present at Christ's Crucifixion. He too is credited with first bringing Christianity to the Irish shores. The actual facts are lost in time and blurred with myth. These are illuminated, like the manuscripts, in the book Sun Dancing by Geoffrey Moorhouse.
Sun Dancing uses historical fiction to present the life of the men who lived and prayed on the skeilics, the precipitous rock islands littered about the coast of Ireland. The first part of the book uses historical narrative while the remainder presents short essays of the men and the culture that have impacted the entire world.
Men sought the isolation of the skeilics too better commune with God. On these pinpoints of land that some saw as the end of the world, Irish monasticism developed. Here they copied the ancient books and developed a way of living and praying. Despite the cruelties of self-mortification, nature and invasion, they survived and flourished. In years later they journeyed from the skeilics and spread throughout Europe the ancient knowledge that would otherwise have been lost during The Dark Ages.
The narrative spans the years 588 A.D. to 1222 A.D. and depicts the monks in their beehive shaped stone huts, in Irish called clochain. They survived by fishing and nurturing vegetables from the rocky ground. Their ascetic practices are graphically described and are not to be copied by the modern reader.
For the modern reveler who raises a Guinness; the Scourge used to subdue the carnal desires will seem alien. Instead of voices raised in raucous song; faces drop onto the cold stone floors in oratories for prayer. For the person who meticulously plans their day, the peregrinatio, the traveling where the wind, waves and God takes you, will seem more folly than faith.
Here is Patrick, Brendan the Navigator and Brian Boru. Here is Olaf Trygvasson - the Viking who embraced Christ. Read about the Culdees, the Scoti and the Dancing Sun on Easter Morn.
More than Saint Patrick, the entire scope of Irish monasticism and life in the sixth through thirteenth centuries is presented. Here is disease and monsters, invaders and saints. Here is life lived explicitly on the edge of a cliff looking ever outward and upward to an horizon that the soul not the eyes can see.
Embrace your Irish heritage and drink deep from Sun Dancing as from a fine pint.
Patrick was appointed Bishop to Ireland and can be rightfully credited with spreading and securing Christianity throughout the land, but he was not the first Christian missionary to set foot on the Emerald Isle.
There are tales of Coptic monks from Egypt who traveled to Ireland and the legend of a Roman soldier named Althus, who was present at Christ's Crucifixion. He too is credited with first bringing Christianity to the Irish shores. The actual facts are lost in time and blurred with myth. These are illuminated, like the manuscripts, in the book Sun Dancing by Geoffrey Moorhouse.
Sun Dancing uses historical fiction to present the life of the men who lived and prayed on the skeilics, the precipitous rock islands littered about the coast of Ireland. The first part of the book uses historical narrative while the remainder presents short essays of the men and the culture that have impacted the entire world.
Men sought the isolation of the skeilics too better commune with God. On these pinpoints of land that some saw as the end of the world, Irish monasticism developed. Here they copied the ancient books and developed a way of living and praying. Despite the cruelties of self-mortification, nature and invasion, they survived and flourished. In years later they journeyed from the skeilics and spread throughout Europe the ancient knowledge that would otherwise have been lost during The Dark Ages.
The narrative spans the years 588 A.D. to 1222 A.D. and depicts the monks in their beehive shaped stone huts, in Irish called clochain. They survived by fishing and nurturing vegetables from the rocky ground. Their ascetic practices are graphically described and are not to be copied by the modern reader.
For the modern reveler who raises a Guinness; the Scourge used to subdue the carnal desires will seem alien. Instead of voices raised in raucous song; faces drop onto the cold stone floors in oratories for prayer. For the person who meticulously plans their day, the peregrinatio, the traveling where the wind, waves and God takes you, will seem more folly than faith.
Here is Patrick, Brendan the Navigator and Brian Boru. Here is Olaf Trygvasson - the Viking who embraced Christ. Read about the Culdees, the Scoti and the Dancing Sun on Easter Morn.
More than Saint Patrick, the entire scope of Irish monasticism and life in the sixth through thirteenth centuries is presented. Here is disease and monsters, invaders and saints. Here is life lived explicitly on the edge of a cliff looking ever outward and upward to an horizon that the soul not the eyes can see.
Embrace your Irish heritage and drink deep from Sun Dancing as from a fine pint.
July 15, 2014
An old book, but still on the shelves of my library.
Moorhouse's book is about the monastic community on Skellig Michael. It's curiously constructed. The first half comprises 7 episodes which tell the story at points in its existence, from 588 AD to 1222 AD. These stories are based on what few facts are known, but are beautifully imagined and written. The second half consists of 96 short pieces which fill in the factual background to the earlier episodes. Does it work? Not really, but I don't know how else he could have done it.
Moorhouse's book is about the monastic community on Skellig Michael. It's curiously constructed. The first half comprises 7 episodes which tell the story at points in its existence, from 588 AD to 1222 AD. These stories are based on what few facts are known, but are beautifully imagined and written. The second half consists of 96 short pieces which fill in the factual background to the earlier episodes. Does it work? Not really, but I don't know how else he could have done it.
November 1, 2016
Unique reading experience ! What was it like to live on the edge of western Europe as part of a small monastic community? The author takes us on a multi century journey into the everyday challenges of life on this isolated mountain peak (Skellig Michael) situated 6 miles off the coast of County Kerry. The assaults from ocean storms, Viking raids and human companion give the reader insight into what it was like to spend time there.
July 4, 2020
"The Irish Monks of the Middle Ages have been credited with saving Western civilization. But what is known of their day-to-day lives -- the spiritual struggles and triumphs or the unbelievable physical hardships they endured? Exploring the origins of Ireland's religious traditions, acclaimed writer Geoffrey Moorhouse travels back 1,400 years to re-create life on Skellig Michael, a cruel rock island of Ireland's west coast and home to a community of monks for over six hundred years. Sun Dancing's imaginative stories not only capture a particularly intense form of monastic life, they illuminate one of the most mysterious yet important chapters of Celtic history. Entertaining and enlightening, Sun Dancing makes medieval Ireland come alive."
~~back cover
I became interested in the Skelligs after seeing the island of Skellig Michael, along with the neighbouring Little Skellig Island, featured prominently in the 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Episode VIII) movie. Absolutely gorgeous and seemingly impossible to live on. "Skellig Michael (or Great Skellig; Irish: Sceilig Mhór) is a twin-pinnacled crag 7.2 miles west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The island is named after the archangel Michael, while "Skellig" is derived from the Irish language word sceilig, meaning a splinter of stone. Its twin island, Little Skellig (Sceilig Bheag), is smaller and inaccessible.
"Skellig Michael consists of approximately 54 acres of rock, with its highest point, known as the Spit, 714 feet above sea level. The island is defined by its twin peaks and intervening valley (known as Christ's Saddle), which make its landscape steep and inhospitable. It is best known for its Gaelic monastery, founded between the 6th and 8th centuries. The island is of especial interest to archaeologists, as the monastic settlement is in unusually good condition. The rock contains the remains of a tower house, a megalithic stone row and a cross-inscribed slab known as the Wailing Woman. The monastery is situated at an elevation of 550 to 600 feet, Christ's Saddle at 422 feet, and the flagstaff area at 120 feet above sea level.
"The monastery can be approached by narrow and steep flights of stone steps which ascend from three landing points. The hermitage on the south peak contains a dangerous approach. Because of the often difficult crossing from the mainland and the exposed nature of the landing spots, the island is accessible only during summer months." ~~Wikipedia
"The chilling facts of the monks' penitent lives are real enough to send a shiver down an Irish Catholic's spine ... Enchanting" Which gives the reader an idea of how difficult the skellig is to live on, with supplies being brought very infrequently. The monks planted a small garden, robbed the birds' nests for eggs, and erected a small net to catch fish. And struggled to lead a life dedicated to being at one with Christ. I read this book slowly, a small chapter at a time, in awe and amazement, and fascination. Such devotion and faith are almost unknown today, and reading about their lives gives the reader a glimpse of complete belief, and devotion typical of the early days of Christianity in the Celtic world.
~~back cover
I became interested in the Skelligs after seeing the island of Skellig Michael, along with the neighbouring Little Skellig Island, featured prominently in the 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Episode VIII) movie. Absolutely gorgeous and seemingly impossible to live on. "Skellig Michael (or Great Skellig; Irish: Sceilig Mhór) is a twin-pinnacled crag 7.2 miles west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The island is named after the archangel Michael, while "Skellig" is derived from the Irish language word sceilig, meaning a splinter of stone. Its twin island, Little Skellig (Sceilig Bheag), is smaller and inaccessible.
"Skellig Michael consists of approximately 54 acres of rock, with its highest point, known as the Spit, 714 feet above sea level. The island is defined by its twin peaks and intervening valley (known as Christ's Saddle), which make its landscape steep and inhospitable. It is best known for its Gaelic monastery, founded between the 6th and 8th centuries. The island is of especial interest to archaeologists, as the monastic settlement is in unusually good condition. The rock contains the remains of a tower house, a megalithic stone row and a cross-inscribed slab known as the Wailing Woman. The monastery is situated at an elevation of 550 to 600 feet, Christ's Saddle at 422 feet, and the flagstaff area at 120 feet above sea level.
"The monastery can be approached by narrow and steep flights of stone steps which ascend from three landing points. The hermitage on the south peak contains a dangerous approach. Because of the often difficult crossing from the mainland and the exposed nature of the landing spots, the island is accessible only during summer months." ~~Wikipedia
"The chilling facts of the monks' penitent lives are real enough to send a shiver down an Irish Catholic's spine ... Enchanting" Which gives the reader an idea of how difficult the skellig is to live on, with supplies being brought very infrequently. The monks planted a small garden, robbed the birds' nests for eggs, and erected a small net to catch fish. And struggled to lead a life dedicated to being at one with Christ. I read this book slowly, a small chapter at a time, in awe and amazement, and fascination. Such devotion and faith are almost unknown today, and reading about their lives gives the reader a glimpse of complete belief, and devotion typical of the early days of Christianity in the Celtic world.
August 24, 2022
Like many introverts, I’ve always thought a secluded, monkish lifestyle would be preferable to the loud people-stew in which public school immersed me. When I was learning world history in school, I admired the monks in the scriptoriums. I’ve seen Ireland in films that assure me the mainland and its islands are stunning. Few of these landscapes compare to the sheer rock faces sweeping out of the North Atlantic Ocean on Skellig Michael.
Moorhouse examines the medieval monastery on this remote rock in an uncommon format. Since we know little to nothing about the individuals who lived and worshiped there for hundreds of years, Moorhouse uses his research to develop seven stories. The first is set in 588 (or thereabouts), when the first monks landed on the island. They continue throughout the centuries, ending in 1222 when he estimates the inhabitants abandoned the island permanently. His stories are surreal. The strangeness of their outlook only matched the hardships the monks faced. To a person in the 21st century, they seem pretty odd.
In the second half of the book, Moorhouse explains the research he used to create the stories in short essays. He bases everything on his findings about Viking raids, monastery practices, and Irish culture at the time. The result is a fascinating mosaic that helps readers immerse themselves in the time and the place. As a result, he convinced me that my years of romanticizing this life were misguided.
While it’s not your typical history book, I would highly recommend Sun Dancing to anyone interested in the history of Ireland, Celtic Christianity, or Medieval history.
Moorhouse examines the medieval monastery on this remote rock in an uncommon format. Since we know little to nothing about the individuals who lived and worshiped there for hundreds of years, Moorhouse uses his research to develop seven stories. The first is set in 588 (or thereabouts), when the first monks landed on the island. They continue throughout the centuries, ending in 1222 when he estimates the inhabitants abandoned the island permanently. His stories are surreal. The strangeness of their outlook only matched the hardships the monks faced. To a person in the 21st century, they seem pretty odd.
In the second half of the book, Moorhouse explains the research he used to create the stories in short essays. He bases everything on his findings about Viking raids, monastery practices, and Irish culture at the time. The result is a fascinating mosaic that helps readers immerse themselves in the time and the place. As a result, he convinced me that my years of romanticizing this life were misguided.
While it’s not your typical history book, I would highly recommend Sun Dancing to anyone interested in the history of Ireland, Celtic Christianity, or Medieval history.
July 17, 2019
Challenging a traditional book format, Sun Dancing is a collection of historical fiction short stories which focus on the monastic tradition at Skellig Michael but is also a collection of Irish history organized topically.
The opening fiction is inspiring and beautiful and resists the temptation of waxing poetic.
The closing historical information is optional but equally as moving in it's representation of the human story.
Moorehouse paints a picture of ascetism, peregrinatio, and the cult of the sacred.
The opening fiction is inspiring and beautiful and resists the temptation of waxing poetic.
The closing historical information is optional but equally as moving in it's representation of the human story.
Moorehouse paints a picture of ascetism, peregrinatio, and the cult of the sacred.
August 2, 2020
One of my favorite books about the history of Celtic Christianity. The first half tells a fictional account of generations of monks living on Skellig Michael. The second half goes into details about Celtic Christianity through the centuries. People usually start historical looks at Celtic Christianity with "How the Irish Saved Civilization" but this is the book I usually point them towards to start with. Mostly because it uses story to teach instead of just lecturing.
August 27, 2022
Something this educational is not usually as easy to read.
A fascinating insight into the early history of the church in Ireland from the late 6th century to the Middle Ages. Much is fact, some is conjecture but all fascinating.
The monks of Skellig Michael and their extremely austere lives is beyond belief in the world 1500 years later.
A fascinating insight into the early history of the church in Ireland from the late 6th century to the Middle Ages. Much is fact, some is conjecture but all fascinating.
The monks of Skellig Michael and their extremely austere lives is beyond belief in the world 1500 years later.
January 11, 2024
I did not expect to like this book because I always roll my eyes at anything "Celtic Christianity," especially from the 90s. Someone I respect loaned it to me so I read it, and lo and behold, a quick and convicting New Year's read largely concerned with how spiritual pride kills. A new destination for my bucket list as well.
December 12, 2021
Super interesting read on life on the island Skellig and the monastery that was on it. I especially like how it's split between a fictional aspect of what may have happend, and a historical aspect of what has been found on the island.
January 10, 2022
Really enjoyed the first half of the book which imagined what life would have been like on a desolate irish monastery. Vignettes covered the centuries where itish monks lived on the island. Fascinating and super interesting.
Second half was all facts and dates and was a real slog.
Second half was all facts and dates and was a real slog.
October 30, 2024
Loved how this was broken into parts. The first an imagining of the harsh life of an early monk and then a long view of how the people who chose that life of isolation reached a vast audience through their writing.
July 5, 2017
Bleak and beautiful.
December 10, 2021
What a fun, meandering story of monastic life on one of the most dramatic, remotest of Irish rocks around!
December 2, 2022
Great book about Celtic Christianity.
February 10, 2023
Fails to grab.
September 18, 2023
Well written I just didn't like it. Too catholic-y.
October 21, 2023
Got a bit obsess with this book just because I found the topic to be so unique
October 20, 2024
Over a year since I read it but this book has stayed in my imagination.
quit-reading
December 17, 2025I’m not gonna finish this one,
April 12, 2025
2025 (5 stars): I really enjoyed this most recent read through. I picked this as a potential reread for Historathon quarter two, but was planning to keep it on the back burner since I'd read it so recently. However, one of my viewers mentioned a fiction novel about Skellig Michael (Haven by Emma Donahue) so I decided to go ahead and bump it up after obtaining a copy of the Donahue novel.
I love this book and I love the way it’s organized. What frustrated me before about the fiction being at the front and the evidence at the back was solved when I stopped after each fiction chapter to read the corresponding evidence chapters. This made for a much nicer reading experience. I learned a lot and found I could much better keep up with the progression of events.
I've also had the benefit of spending the last five years in a somewhat closeted communities of Torah observant Christian believers who attempt to live a very firm and unwavering faith. While I've not changed much about my beliefs since leaving that fellowship 5 months ago, I've found that I can not live so isolated from the rest of society--- church Christians and otherwise. When we isolate ourselves, even with the best of intentions, we are prone to falling into cult like mentalities. Once we are spiritually stable, we need other perspectives and opposing voices to further our spiritual growth. That was the downside I could also see about skellig life in this book.
The harshness in this story, for me, was not so much about the living conditions---it was about the harshness of the religious practice. It’s so sad the things people think they need to do to please God and gain His favor and forgiveness. The people who teach these lies will have a rude awakening someday. Many times throughout, I found myself feeling both compassion and disgust at the same occurances.
I'm really looking forward to Donahue's fictional take on skellig life in the middle ages. I read her book on a fasting girl during the time of Florence Nightingale and found it to be fantastically done.
2020 (4 stars): I purchased this book as a college student in 2009 and only read the first part for class. I put it aside to someday read later.
I read this over the last couple weeks and enjoyed it, for the most part. The first half is a fictional imagining of life at the monastery over the centuries. The second half gives the evidence he found for his imaginings. The second half got overwhelming after awhile and some of the explanations didn't actually answer or clarify what it was supposed to be addressing.
I think photos or drawings would have helped me imagine the setting a little better. I did Google quite a bit and that helped, but it would have been nice to have some descriptive images to go with stories like the shockingly daring building feats described in the part two chapter on the Culdees.
I love this book and I love the way it’s organized. What frustrated me before about the fiction being at the front and the evidence at the back was solved when I stopped after each fiction chapter to read the corresponding evidence chapters. This made for a much nicer reading experience. I learned a lot and found I could much better keep up with the progression of events.
I've also had the benefit of spending the last five years in a somewhat closeted communities of Torah observant Christian believers who attempt to live a very firm and unwavering faith. While I've not changed much about my beliefs since leaving that fellowship 5 months ago, I've found that I can not live so isolated from the rest of society--- church Christians and otherwise. When we isolate ourselves, even with the best of intentions, we are prone to falling into cult like mentalities. Once we are spiritually stable, we need other perspectives and opposing voices to further our spiritual growth. That was the downside I could also see about skellig life in this book.
The harshness in this story, for me, was not so much about the living conditions---it was about the harshness of the religious practice. It’s so sad the things people think they need to do to please God and gain His favor and forgiveness. The people who teach these lies will have a rude awakening someday. Many times throughout, I found myself feeling both compassion and disgust at the same occurances.
I'm really looking forward to Donahue's fictional take on skellig life in the middle ages. I read her book on a fasting girl during the time of Florence Nightingale and found it to be fantastically done.
2020 (4 stars): I purchased this book as a college student in 2009 and only read the first part for class. I put it aside to someday read later.
I read this over the last couple weeks and enjoyed it, for the most part. The first half is a fictional imagining of life at the monastery over the centuries. The second half gives the evidence he found for his imaginings. The second half got overwhelming after awhile and some of the explanations didn't actually answer or clarify what it was supposed to be addressing.
I think photos or drawings would have helped me imagine the setting a little better. I did Google quite a bit and that helped, but it would have been nice to have some descriptive images to go with stories like the shockingly daring building feats described in the part two chapter on the Culdees.
December 4, 2013
Part history, part imaginative recreation, Geoffrey Moorhouse's 'Sun Dancing' about the island of Skellig Michael off the coast of Ireland is a fascinating glimpse at Celtic Christianity and the growing influence of Rome on the isolated community of monks living on the rocky isle.
Each chapter in the first half of the book tells of an episode in the life of the community, from its very beginnings, in AD 588 until the 13th century. The second half, and for me the more interesting part, deals with the actual evidence for the lives - and lifestyle - Moorhouse has fictionalized in the first half.
Everything from the early Irish monastic fathers and famous saints to such mundane things as monkish clothing is discussed in dedicated chapters in the latter half of the book. Moorhouse also looks at the lives of those who influenced the monks - in particular the Desert Fathers of the Holy Lands.
"Sun Dancing" provides an opportunity to discover the legacy Celtic Christianity bequeathed to the world, with its distinct traditions, artistic expression and isolated outposts - like the seemingly inhospitable Skellig Michael.
Just be prepared for the fact that, if you read and enjoy this book, you may just want to put this hard-to-reach wave lashed rock on your travel wish list!
Each chapter in the first half of the book tells of an episode in the life of the community, from its very beginnings, in AD 588 until the 13th century. The second half, and for me the more interesting part, deals with the actual evidence for the lives - and lifestyle - Moorhouse has fictionalized in the first half.
Everything from the early Irish monastic fathers and famous saints to such mundane things as monkish clothing is discussed in dedicated chapters in the latter half of the book. Moorhouse also looks at the lives of those who influenced the monks - in particular the Desert Fathers of the Holy Lands.
"Sun Dancing" provides an opportunity to discover the legacy Celtic Christianity bequeathed to the world, with its distinct traditions, artistic expression and isolated outposts - like the seemingly inhospitable Skellig Michael.
Just be prepared for the fact that, if you read and enjoy this book, you may just want to put this hard-to-reach wave lashed rock on your travel wish list!
May 3, 2009
Part "historical novel" part history- this book tells through real history & supposition the story of the Celtic Church & their fight not to be a part of the Roman Church. It also tells the story of the monastery on Skellig Michael off the Irish coast. The book is put together oddly, starting with a short historical novel about one of the key players & the start of the monastery on Skellig Michael. Then moving on to real history in the second & third parts. Skellig Michael is not so much an island as it is a large rock with no fresh water & very little in the way of arable earth, this part was really fascinating to me.
If you are interested in the religious aspects of medieval Ireland than this book will really satisfy.
If you are interested in the religious aspects of medieval Ireland than this book will really satisfy.
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