Churches in Early Medieval Ireland: Architecture, Ritual, and Memory

by Tomás Ó Carragáin

This is the first book devoted to churches in Ireland dating from the arrival of Christianity in the fifth century to the early stages of the Romanesque around 1100, including those built to house treasures of the golden age of Irish art, such as the Book of Kells and the Ardagh chalice. Ó Carragáin's comprehensive survey of the surviving examples forms the basis for a far-reaching analysis of why these buildings looked as they did, and what they meant in the context of early Irish society. Ó Carragáin also identifies a clear political and ideological context for the first Romanesque churches in Ireland and shows that, to a considerable extent, the Irish Romanesque represents the perpetuation of a long-established architectural tradition.

Genres: Nonfiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2010

Reviews

[Kristin Gleeson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lavishly illustrated book is a groundbreaking work in shifting the ideas of early medieval Irish monks and their life. Using thorough surveys of all existing sites the author is painstaking in his interpretation of the evidence and creates a plausible picture of how the early churches were used and in what context. Monks, it seemed didn't seek out secluded sites to commune with God, but built monasteries near communities, a strategy necessary to survive a climate that was often harsh.