Page 41 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

THE HIST OR Y OF IRELAND  39

Where to See Early
Christian Ireland
Important early monastic sites
besides Glendalough include
Clonmacnoise and Devenish
Island. Churches from this period
can also be seen at Gallarus
Viking Raids and Settlements (see p161), Clonfert (p219) and
The first longships reached Ireland in 795. Though notorious for the Rock of Cashel (pp200–201),
pillaging monasteries, the Vikings introduced new farming methods while High Crosses (p247) and
and coinage. They also founded walled cities such as Dublin, round towers (p24) survive all
Waterford and Limerick. over Ireland. Dublin’s National
Museum – Archaeology (pp70–
71) has excellent ecclesiastical
(and Viking) artifacts and Trinity
College (pp66–8) houses the
finest illuminated manuscripts.
Garryduff Gold Bird
Irish metalwork in the early Christian era
was of very high quality. See this gold
ornament, a wren crafted around the
7th century, at the Cork public museum.
Cathedral
Guesthouse
Gatehouse and stables
Monks’ dwellings
and barns Devenish Island has a fine 12th-
century round tower and enjoys
a peaceful setting on Lower Lough
Erne (p275).

St Kieran’s Church Clonmacnoise (pp254–5) lies on
and other important the east bank of the Shannon. This
churches were built The Crozier of the Romanesque doorway is part of the
of stone, but most Abbots of Clonmacnoise ruined Nuns’ Church.
buildings were wood. This 11th-century bishop’s staff
is decorated with an ornate
silver casing. The incised pat-
terns show Viking influence.

Viking silver brooch 1166 Dermot McMurrough,
967 Irish warriors 999 Sitric Silkenbeard, King of Leinster, flees overseas
sack Limerick and the Viking king of
795 First Viking begin military Dublin, surrenders 1134 Cormac’s Chapel
invasion of coastal campaign against to Brian Ború is built at Cashel (see
monasteries Viking overlords pp200–201)
700 800 900 1000 1100
841 A large Viking 1014 High King Brian Ború 1142 Ireland’s
fleet spends the of Munster defeats joint first Cistercian
winter at Dublin army of Vikings and the house founded
King of Leinster at Clontarf at Mellifont
807 Work starts on Kells (see p249)
Monastery (see p245) Viking coin

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