Excerpt from Early Christian Ireland In much the same wav, amid the scholastic discus sions to which the personality and work Of St. Patrick have given rise, the only Patrick Of whose identity there can be no doubt has been lost sight Of. The Patrick who wrote those invaluable Confessions which are still in our hands may not be as striking a personality to the popular mind, or come with such professed cre dentials, as the numerous Shadowy St. Patricks who have been substituted for him. Yet he is at least a real man; and a man who, amid deep discouragements and opposition from both foes and friends, accomplished, according to his own showing, a great work. We have allowed this real St. Patrick to speak in his own words with as little addition as possible from later and more doubtful authorities. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Early Christian Architecture in Ireland ResuAbout the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Pre-Christian Ireland It is true that the connexion of Ireland in remote times with the East was pointed out by Dr. Keating, and by the annalists of ancient Eire, but the narrative in the stream of facts thus flowing down did not seem to fall in with the clear current of historic truth gathered together from other known sources of the world as a whole. Hence like many sons of Eire and others not Irish, but who have studied our early national history, he was obliged to look upon those early records as partly imaginative or mythic, with some groundwork of fact on which the edifice of fable and myth had been erected. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Early Christian Art in Ireland, Vol. 1 The subject of the following chapters is what has been often mis-named Celtic, anglo-saxon, or Runic Art, whereas the style is Irish. The term Celtic belongs to the arts of bronze and gold and enamel practised in Britain before the Roman occupa tion, and in Ireland before the introduction of Christianity in the fifth century. It also embraces the great stone forts that line the western coasts of the country, such as Dun Aengus and Dun Conor, as well as the chambered tombs of New Grange. The late Celtic style in Great Britain, the bronzes of which are marked by distinct characteristics in decoration, prevailed from about two hundred years before the birth of Christ to the time of the Roman occupation. It lingered to a much later date in Ireland. Early Celtic goes back much farther into a pre historic region in which we cannot trace similar peculiarities of decorative design. The early Christian Art of Ireland may well be termed Scotic as well as Irish, just as the first missionaries from Ireland to the Continent were termed Scots, Ireland having borne the name of Scotia for many centuries before it was trans ferred to North Britain; and foreign chroniclers of the ninth century speak of Hibernia, island of the Scots, when referring to events in Ireland regarding which corresponding entries are found in the annals of that countryfi. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

A fully documented history of Ireland and the Irish from the fifth to the ninth centuries.

Excerpt from Saint Patrick, and the Early Church of Ireland Was there ever such a man as Saint Patrick? It was wise to consider this question before attempting to write his life. By some it has been doubted, by a few others denied. But in such cases there has usually been a strong party feeling, or an ignorance of certain original sources of history. There is a distinction to be made between the myth and the man. Imagination has given us a Robinson Crusoe; the real man was Alexander Selkirk. The Saint Patrick of the ordinary Irish heart is certainly very mythical. The portrait of him was drawn from imagination; the colours are not those of the fifth, but those of the twelfth or fourteenth century. The deeds are manufactured to order and by the job, and the life is made of the baldest legends. This Patrick is a fully-developed Papist of the time, when certain errors pre vailed, which he could not have known in the fifth century. He is constantly working miracles, some of them very trifling, and some of them astounding, beyond all that was ever recorded of a mere man. For his especial benefit divine revelations are made to him, which cause a greater amazement than any ever made to Moses or Paul. He is too wonderful to be real. The myth business was entirely overdone. The manufacturers did not perceive that com mon sense might some time be restored to the human race. In the Middle Ages it was customary with the monks to exercise their scholars in writing the lives of imaginary saints; asserting that it was a pious and very improving way of exercising the imagination! L The best of these fanciful biographies were laid aside for future use; and after the lapse of a few ages, when their statements could not be disproved, were produced and published as genuine. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Saints of Erin: Legendary History of Ireland The study of Irish history finds more votaries now; the treasures long locked up in manuscript are now beginning to be presented to the reading public; but a prejudice due to the rationalistic spirit of the last century weighs on the early lives of the Irish saints. Most frequently they are spoken of only with contempt. Moore, in his History of Ireland, made a feeble vindication, sheltering his rashness under the names of a Gibbon and a Montesquieu the writer of the following pages has done more; he has drawn from them pictures full of interest and beauty. He views the whole legend as a Christian artist, not as an antiquarian or an historian. The credibility of accounts does not enter into his sphere; he takes up any that suits the woof of the tapestry which he weaves, and which we trust our readers will find as pleasing as we have, done. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.