Page 16 - IRISH HISTOEY - CHAPT 1_Neat

A Bare Bones History of Ireland Chap 1

Irish Monks in Europe

Many dioceses in France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Italy have an Irish
Saint as their Patron. The list of monks found active across Europe in the 7th century
is worth recounting: -
• Columbanus, from Leinster, in • the scholar Donatus, scottorum
France and later in Bobbio, sanguine creatus, was bishop of
Northern Italy Fiesole, Tuscany from 826 to 877;

• Fiachra or Fiacre left Kilkenny and • Fursa, the Visionary, travelled from
could claim to have opened the first Ireland to East Anglia, then to Lagny,
Irish-run B&B in France when he just east of Paris, and Peronne, which
established a priory and a guest would be known in time as Peronna
house in the village of Brueil (now Scottorum, Peronne of the Irish and
St. Fiacre), about 50 km east of City of Fursey;
Paris.

• Finbar or Redrian in Lucca; • Caidoc and Fricor advanced on
Picardy;

• Killian, from Mullagh in Co. Cavan, • Rufus in Val d’Aosta; Gall,
in Wuerzburgh, Germany Columbanus best friend, founded St.
Gallen in Switzerland;

• Fergal or Vergil, the surveyor and • Columcille or Columba from Derry,
satirist, from Kilkenny, and his prince of Tirconell, went to
colleague Colman, as Patrons of Lindsfarne, Northumbria, to Iona in
Salzburg and the province of Lower Scotland and then to Iceland;
Austria respectively.

• Wendel in Saarland, one of the 16 • Cathaldus, from Canthy, in Taranto,
regions of Germany; South Italy.
• Willibrod in Luxembourg;

These amazing pioneers brought an Irish style of Christianity to Europe and had an
important role in preserving and propagating their indigenous cultural heritage. So,
while the Roman Empire was fading, literary culture was blooming in Ireland in places
such as Armagh, Inis More, Kildare, Clonard, Clonmacnoise, Bangor, Clonfert,
Durrow, Derry, Glendalough, Lismore… that made Ireland, the land of “Saints and
Scholars”.

The Vikings

We can only wonder at the cultural
shock that must have exploded
amongst the people of Ireland when in
795 AD the Viking invaders first
appeared on their shores. They were a
fierce warrior tribe from Scandinavia
who arrived by sea and engaged
mainly in coastal raids. As their
Viking Warrior Viking Ship

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