Monastery na wyspach u zachodnich wybrzeży Irlandii

Monasteries on Irish western off-share islands

Summary: Monasteries on Irish western off-share islands constitute an extremely fascinating phenomenon, the development of which is dated for the period between the late fifth till the ninth century. Monasticism was the greatest support for the Celtic Church. In Ireland it had the characteristics of Eastern eremitic monasticism, based on a strict rule. Insular monasticism is a special type of monasticism which is connected with sailing western waters, i.e. the ocean. Monk sailors undertook expeditions to the islands directly from the mainland, but they also embarked on such journeys moving from one island to another. A description of similar voyages is contained in Navigatio Brendani, an account of the famous sea voyage of St. Brendan. Because of the natural geographic conditions, the isles were an ideal place for the purpose of eremitic life; therefore, monastic settlements were started there. The highest number of foundations is ascribed to St. Columba and St. Brendan. With time, these places became important pilgrimage centres, which are visited till the present day. Monastic settlements were surrounded by a stone wall, and their area usually embraced lodgings, oratories, numerous stone slabs covered with relief decorations, burial places, one grave (probably of the monastery's founder) situated at a distance from other graves, and sacred wells of reportedly miraculous healing properties. The present study quotes a description only of some selected islands included in the register, which served as a starting point, among others, to work out an inventory of historical monuments on the listed islands as well as to develop a conservation strategy for these monuments. These were the tasks faced by the participants of the international camp based on Clare Island, Ireland, in the summer of 1996.

Peregrinus Cracoviensis, 1998, z.6, s. 61-85.

Instytut Geografii i Gospodarki Przestrzennej UJ

ISSN 1425-1922, ISBN 83-907568-5-4

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