Celtic Christianity

Celtic Ireland was divided into as many as 100 chiefdoms, though these often owed allegiance to kings of larger provinces such as Munster or Connaught. At times, there was also a titular High King based at Tara. Ireland became Christian in the 5^th century AD, heralding a golden age of scholarship centred on the new monasteries, while missionaries such as St. Columba travelled abroad. At the end of 8^th century, Celtic Ireland was shattered by the arrival of the Vikings.

400

400 Pope sends first Christian missionary Palladius.

432 Start of St Patrick’s mission to Ireland.

455 St Patrick founds church at Armagh

500

c.550 Beginning of golden age of Celtic monasticism

563 St Columba (Colmcille), the first Irish missionary, founds monastery of Iona in the Hebrides

600

615 St Columbanus dies in Italy after founding many new monasteries on the Continent

664 Synod of Whitby decides that Irish Church should conform with Rome over date of Easter

c.690 Book of Durrow completed

700

795 First Viking invasion of coastal monasteries

800

807 Work starts on Kells Monastery

841 A large Viking fleet spends the winter at Dublin

900

967 Irish warriors sack Limerick and begin military campaign against Viking overlords

999 Sitric Silkenbeard the Viking king of Dublin, surrenders to Brian Ború.

1000

1014 High King Brian Ború of Munster defeats joint army of Vikings and the King of Leister at Clontarf

1100

1134 Cormac’s Chapel is built at Cashel

1142 Ireland’s first Cistercian house founded at Mellifont

1166 Dermont McMurrough, King of Leister, flees overseas