Christianity was well established throughout Ireland by the 6th century AD, and with it came the spread of monasticism. Irish Christianity was strongly inclined towards monasticism, and in its turn Irish monasticism took on a unique Celtic flavour as it adapted to the structures of Irish society. There were no towns or cities in 6th century Ireland, so monasteries became the primary ecclesiastical and administrative centres of Irish society, and abbots frequently took on the role of bishop.

Celtic monasticism as developed in Ireland was quite distinct from the regulated and ordered monastic orders which developed in mainland Europe. From the beginning it took on a strongly ascetic and solitary outlook, and always remained more loosely organised, following the example of hermits such as St Anthony of Egypt and the Desert fathers, rather than the more communal rule of St Benedict. The Irish monks were more inclined to a life of isolation and penance, and the typical monastery would take the form of a collection of individual monkish dwellings and a shared church, a place where the spiritual life could be pursued individually as well as communally. A 10th century Irishman prayed for "a secret hut in the wilderness that it may be my dwelling.....a few sage disciples" This was the wish of many a Celtic holy man.

In keeping with this search for the ascetic and solitary life of holiness, monks were constantly searching for more remote and therefore more suitable sites for their homes. In this the famous island monasteries at Iona and Lindisfarne are typical. Celtic monks settled Iceland before the Vikings, and there is still argument as to whether they may have reached North America. One of the best preserved of these remote communities is Skellig Michael off the south west coast of Ireland, a rocky outcrop scattered with the remains of monk's beehive-shaped huts.

A remote hidden little cabin, for forgiveness of my sins;
a conscience upright and spotless before holy Heaven.
Making holy the body with good habits, treading it boldly down;
weak tearful eyes for forgiveness of my desires.

The Hermit, from A Celtic Miscellany, Kenneth Hurlstone Jackson

It is this quality which makes the spirituality of the Celtic monks so attractive today. Living close to nature, and being of a culture which had already a closeness to the natural world, these monks and hermits could not help but see God in the beauty around them. Their fondness for nature is obvious in their writings, in their choice of homes, and in their graphic art with its well observed animals and plants close entwined.

Large communities did grow up around the great monasteries on the Irish mainland, attracting scholars and laymen as well as hermits. The modern city of Armagh is one such, and ruins of others can be seen at Glendalough in County Wicklow and Clonmacnoise on the banks of the Shannon. These establishments were often the source of the rich artwork of the period, the beautiful manuscripts, the intricate metalwork, the sculptured crosses, and also of the missionaries and saints who went forth to spread the Gospel and found monasteries in other lands.

Monasticism was the vehicle by which Celtic Christianity spread. While mainstream western Christianity was reintroduced into the south of England by St Augustine of Canterbury, the Celtic variety was firmly planted in the north and Scotland by the likes of Columba, Ninian, and Aidan. It was not until the Synod of Whitby in 664 AD that the Celtic Church in England began to give way to the rites of Rome.

 [ Celtic homepage | Prayers | Links | Iona | Bookshop ]