Early Christian Ireland

5th 8th Centuries

Early Christian Ireland (5th-6th C.)

Society based on kinship tuath (tribe) Trade barter. Illiterate society oral tradition apart from ogham script. Roman Empire in decline in Britain (dep. 406AD) Irish raiders took over areas of Wales and Scotland.

Arrival of Christianity
431 AD Pope Julius I sent Bishop Palladius to Ireland. St Patrick and others followed. Monastic system local king and abbot from same family (same tuath). Monastic way of life originated in the eastern Mediterranean. Scotland became a political colony of Ireland Scot Roman for Irish man. Columba used Iona as post to convert Scotland.

Early Monastries
Enclosing wall, church/oratory, cemetary, perimeter of enclosure domestic dwellings. Made of wood / wattle and daub. West of Ireland/ some costal islands stone. Plainness of churches austerity of Christian monks.

Skellig Michael
Off the Kerry Coast. 640 790 AD Well-preserved monastic settlement. Dome and rectangular shaped corbellled buildings. Some as large as 9m in diameter and 4.5m tall.

Gallarus Oratory
Dingle peninsula, Co. Kerry. 640-790AD Best preserved and most complete of rectangular corbelled oratories on the mainland. Doorway inclined jambs. Larger stones at corners and base, increasing smaller going up the structure.

Stone Carving
Stone not used much in 5-6 Cen.

Development of stone monuments several centuries.

Earliest vertical stone from Christian period: Ogham Stones (4-5 Cen).

Ogham Stones
Mainly found in South of country. Irish origin. Some examples in Britain (Irish colonies). Ogham form of Latin script. Function: commemorate a deceased important person their name and fathers name carved. Latin inscriptions and cross designs also found.
Dingle, Co. Kerry

Reask Pillar
Place: Reask, Dingle, Co. Kerry. Date: 7th Century. Form: pillar shape. Technique: dressing, low relief carving. Decoration: maltese cross, surrounded by circle, pattern of spirals, pelta shape, letters DNE (latin word domine Lord). Design elements relate to late La Tene style.

The Golden Age (7-8th Century)

Europe more politically stable. Political and monastic dynasties strengthened in Ireland. Growth of importance of monastries centres of learning, place of refuge. Austerity of early monastries replaced by wealth and power. Interlace (Coptic influence), Zoomorphic designs, human forms evolved.

The Fahan Mura Slab

Place: Co. Donegal Date: 7th Centutry AD Height: 2.10m Techniques: Trimming, dressing, Low relief carving. Form: Rectangular slap with pointed top. Arms of cross slightly projecting. Design: Ribbon interlace (reflecting Pictish slabs Scotland), human forms, boss in middle of cross.

The Carndonagh Cross

Place: Carndonagh, Co. Donegal. Date: 7/8th Century. Height: 2.53m Techniques: Trimming, dressing, low relie carving. Form: Free standing cross, small pillars either side. Decoration: Ribbon interlace, triskele of birds in crook, cruciform scene on shaft, 3 figures at base. Pillars depict scenes from bible (pg. 117)