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Religion -- the justification for hundreds of wars, millions
of death, torture, love, sacrifice and grace.
In Ireland, religion is more than just a dying gasp of the age
of faith -- it is political, it is national pride, and it is still
very strongly felt by many of the population.
The time of 'The Troubles' is not that far past, but rest assured
that travel in Ireland is safe. Definitely safer than many US
cities! Northern Ireland, particularly Belfast, has done much
to counter it's bad reputation, and has become a have for tourism
and industry alike.
Due to the turbulent history of Ireland, it has a unique pattern
and pride in its peoples' religious affiliation and strength of
feeling.
Pre-Roman Irish followed a pagan religion led by Druids. Druids
were traditionally required to undergo 20 years of education,
memorizing histories, lore, law and music for their people. They
were the judges, the historians, the entertainers, and the teachers.
They held an office of great honor, and were the King's chief
advisors. Bardlaw dictated that Druids (a bard is a type of Druid)
are always given the best meal, drink, and warm seat by the hearth
when visiting. No King was considered complete without a Druid
advisor.
All the tales were oral, and they wrote nothing down, save on
gravestones. When St. Patrick came through in the 5th century,
he started writing all the legends, stories and histories down...
but sadly, later denounced these tales as pagan heresy, and had
them all burned. A great loss to Irish cultural history!
During the dark ages, when all of Europe was regressing to pre-Roman
barbarism, Ireland was a shining light of literacy and history.
The monastic communities of Ireland kept the illuminated texts,
and kept learning and knowledge alive while Europe slogged along,
waiting for the Renaissance.
During this time, the branch of Christianity called Celtic Christianity
came into its own, during what is called the Age of the Saints
in Ireland. This was a different brand of religion than what Rome
had, and was deeply influenced by the pre-Christian Druids that
still held some sway over the country. Priests could still marry
well into the 19th, even 20th, centuries, and many other items,
like the celtic cross, were prevalent.
Now, we fast-forward to the English -- multiple invasions from
Normans and Tudors injected the English into Irish society, sometimes
more successfully than others. With the Tudor invasion came Protestantism
-- and Cromwell. This is the main root of the Protestant Orange
versus the Catholic Green -- which is still talked about today.
His cruelty and mercilessness still echoes in the present day.
When the Protestants of Northern Ireland were settled, the Catholic
Irish were either killed or exiled, and that area of the country
is firmly rooted. Therefore, when the rest of Ireland broke off
from England, and established the Republic of Ireland, that portion
remained English. This is the main bone of contention for the
IRA (Irish Republic Army), who wish the northern part of the country
to rejoin the southern in one, whole country.
Today, the Irish are proud of their religion, whichever one they
love. Their monastic communities are havens for students of religious
history, architecture, and lovers of the sheer beauty that Celtic
Christianity has shared.
Older religious buidlings, such as Newgrange or the Gallus Oratory,
are still revered as precious sites, as they should be. Treasures
such as the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript from the
8th century, are housed in honor at Trinity College, for all to
marvel at.
No matter what your faith, the Irish have a strong love of god
and beauty.
For travel information and advice, please choose
from the following:
ACCOMMODATION
DINING
DRIVING
FINANCE
HISTORY
GEOGRAPHY
LANGUAGE
MYTHS AND LEGENDS
PEOPLE
PHOTO GALLERY
PUBS/DRINKING
RELIGION
TRIVIA
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