Early Christian Ireland
Did the Romans invade Ireland? Did they have any impact on Irish culture? Was there any contact with Roman Britain? This is something that archaeologists still debate today. Ogham, an early native script, can be found on standing stones which dot the Irish landscape, is also found in Britain. Ogham Stones are associated with the many Irish tribes that settled on the west coast of Britain in the early centuries AD.
Christianity, which was well established in Ireland before St. Patrick arrived, had a massive impact on Ireland. There were a lot of monasteries whose ruins can still be seen across the countryside. The remains of ringforts and cashels are also numerous. It’s reckoned that between 40,000-50,000 built across the Island of Ireland. A great many Irish place names contain the words ‘Rath’ or ‘Lios’, which indicates there was a ringfort or cashel in that area at one time. Cattle were the backbone of the Irish economy at this time. While there were no towns, some monasteries were starting to take on the appearance of towns and were amassing great wealth. This period saw not only the rise of Christianity in Ireland, but also significant developments in agriculture and technology.
What’s On
It’s always worth checking the calendar to see what’s coming up at The Irish National Heritage Park. Better still, why not join our mailing list and receive regular updates? There’s always something going on – you could say we’re making history every day!
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Birds of Prey
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Easter egg hunt
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Daily Life in the 10th Century
Book Tickets
Booking your tickets on line before you arrive is convenient and it secures your place.
