The Irish in England and on the Continent in the Seventh Century: Part I

The standard interpretations of the history of the Irish on the continent in the seventh century were laid down in the nineteenth century, in the context of the French catholic revival and its enthusiasm for Daniel O’Connell. Little was known of the state of religion and culture in Francia at the time of Columbanus’ arrival. It is, therefore, necessary to reassess the impact of the Irish in the light of our current understanding of the religious and cultural history of Merovingian Francia. The evidence from Anglo-Saxon England provides a useful point of comparison. This first lecture deals with the question of the Irish impact on Merovingian monasticism; the Irish contribution to continental scholarship will be the focus of the second.