The Voice of the Irish: The Story of Christian Ireland2,000 years of Irish Christianity, from St. Patrick to the Peace Process From early Celtic culture to St. Patrick, from everyday monks to the people now engaged in the Peace Process, this sweeping history of Irish faith offers a balanced account of the religious, social, and political life of the Irish people. Michael Staunton shows us the human face of Ireland, from the monk who wrote an ode to his cat in the margin of his illuminated manuscripts, to the dying friar who, in the midst of the Black Death, left a message for anyone surviving what he called the end of the world. The author traces 2,000 years of Irish Christianity, how it both evolved and differed from the Celtic culture of Ireland, and how it survived in its changing forms in the midst of the known Christian world through centuries of strife. This engaging, accessible book provides: * a meticulously researched account of Irish Christianity. * the social, political, and religious panorama of a country in conflict. * fascinating facts and little-known tales of everyday monks struggling to survive major world changes. * cultural and literary Ireland, and the significance of W.B. Yeats and other writers and reformers during the "Irish Troubles." * a fair and balanced account of the present-day Peace Process in Ireland. + |
Contents
| 5 | |
| 6 | |
| 9 | |
| 13 | |
| 19 | |
| 26 | |
| 29 | |
ARMAGH AND THE LEGEND OF ST PATRICK | 36 |
THE ASCENDANCY | 135 |
RADICAL POLITICS | 142 |
THE 1798 REBELLION | 146 |
THE MAKING OF MODERN CHRISTIANITY | 153 |
POPULAR RELIGION | 154 |
EMANCIPATION AND THE LIBERATOR | 161 |
THE FAMINE | 169 |
THE IRISH IN AMERICA | 174 |
SAINTS AND SCHOLARS | 45 |
BRIGID AND BRENDAN | 46 |
COLMCILLE AND COLUMBANUS | 53 |
MONASTIC LIFE AND LEARNING | 59 |
THE VIKINGS | 63 |
THE ANGLONORMAN CHURCH | 71 |
TWELFTHCENTURY REFORM | 73 |
ST MALACHY AND THE NEW RELIGIOUS ORDERS | 78 |
THE COMING OF THE NORMANS | 83 |
THE DECLINE OF THE NORMAN CHURCH | 88 |
REFORMATION AND REVOLUTION | 97 |
THE TUDOR REFORMATION | 98 |
COUNTERREFORMATION AND CONQUEST | 104 |
PROTESTANT IDENTITY | 111 |
WARS OF RELIGION | 117 |
CATHOLIC PROTESTANT AND DISSENTER | 127 |
THE PENAL ERA | 128 |
RELIGIOUS REVOLUTIONS | 177 |
THE CHURCHES AND POLITICS | 181 |
THE UNION AND THE NATION | 191 |
IRISH NATIONALISM | 198 |
CATHOLIC IRELAND | 207 |
THE DIVIDED PROVINCE | 216 |
INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM | 225 |
A RELIGIOUS CONFLICT? | 232 |
EVER FAITHFUL? | 238 |
PEACE IN THE NORTH? | 247 |
THE END OF CATHOLIC IRELAND | 253 |
CONCLUSION | 259 |
ENDNOTES AND FURTHER READING | 263 |
PICTURE CREDITS | 276 |
INDEX | 277 |
Common terms and phrases
abbot amongst Anglican Anglo-Norman archbishop Armagh authority became began Belfast bishops Brendan Brigid Britain British Catholic Church Catholicism Catholics and Protestants Celtic Celts century Christian Church of Ireland Cistercian clergy Clonmacnoise Cogitosus Colmcille Columbanus communities Connacht constitutional County culture decades dominated druids Dublin early emerged England English established Europe faith Famine Fenian Fianna Fáil force Gaelic Gaul hierarchy Home Rule houses Ibid Irish church Irish monks island Kildare king kingdom land large numbers legend Leinster Limerick majority Malachy ment mission monastery monastic monasticism movement Munster nation nationalist Norman Northern Ireland O'Connell Orange Order pagan Palladius papal parliament Parnell Party Patrick peace penal percent played political pope population position Presbyterian priests prosperity province reform religion religious remained Republic republican role Roman Rome saint sectarian Sinn Féin social society Synod tion Tuatha Dé Danann Uí Néill Ulster Union Unionist United Irishmen Vikings W. B. Yeats wrote
Popular passages
Page 129 - Catholics of this kingdom shall enjoy such privileges in the exercise of their religion, as are consistent with the laws of Ireland : or as they did enjoy in the reign of king Charles the Second : and their majesties, as soon as their affairs will permit them to summon a parliament in this kingdom, will endeavour to procure the said Roman Catholics such further security in that particular, as may preserve them from any disturbance upon the account of their said religion.
Page 167 - Christ, at or after the consecration thereof, by any person whatsoever ; and that the invocation or adoration of the Virgin Mary, or any other saint, and the sacrifice of the Mass, as they are now used in the Church of Rome, are superstitious and idolatrous.
Page 139 - For First, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the Number of Papists, with whom we are Yearly over-run, being the principal Breeders of the Nation, as well as our most dangerous Enemies...
Page 60 - He, too, plies his simple skill. 'Tis a merry thing to see At our tasks how glad are we, When at home we sit and find Entertainment to our mind. Oftentimes a mouse will stray In the hero Pangur's way; Oftentimes my keen thought set Takes a meaning in its net.
Page 215 - State recognises the special position of the Holy Catholic Apostolic and Roman Church as the guardian of the Faith professed by the great majority of the citizens. 3° The State also recognises the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Religious Society of Friends in Ireland, as well as the Jewish Congregations and the other religious denominations existing in Ireland at the date of the coming into operation of this Constitution.
Page 122 - I am persuaded that this is a righteous judgment of God upon these barbarous wretches, who have imbrued their hands in so much innocent blood; and that it will tend to prevent the effusion of blood for the future, which are the satisfactory grounds to such actions, which otherwise cannot but work remorse and regret.
Page 248 - British government, that they have no selfish strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland. Their primary interest is to see peace, stability and reconciliation established by agreement among all the people who inhabit the island...
Page 209 - Ireland shall make any law so as either directly or indirectly to endow any religion or prohibit or restrict the free exercise thereof or give any preference or impose any disability on account of religious belief or religious status...
Page 249 - The achievement of peace must involve a permanent end to the use of, or support for, paramilitary violence. They confirm that, in these circumstances, democratically mandated parties which establish a commitment to exclusively peaceful methods and which have shown that they abide by the democratic process...