How the Irish Saved Civilization : The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role From the Fall of Rome to the Rise ofMedieval Europe

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Summary: A marvelous book.
Review: At the beginning of the dark ages, there was a strong and physically secure monastic movement in Ireland where books were imported and copied. Later, monks reintroduced the books into Europe, founding monasteries, training monks and even advising "barbarian" chieftains. This short, marvelous book provides details, but much more. There is a religious/moral history of Ireland, beginning in pre-literate iron age times, reconstructed from writings based on the oral tradition as well as archaeology. There are discussions of the thought and character of St. Augustine and St. Patrick, relating the former to earlier Greek and Roman thought, and the latter to Irish as well as early Christian thought. No final conclusion is made about the fall of Rome, but there is a discussion of the state of Roman political leadership from a different perspective, focusing on the writings of a successful man of letters and politician. Cahill does a wonderful job of making connections, of utilizing quotes from original sources, of presenting a coherent, moral point of view, while always being interesting, even to the reader who might think he/she has little interest in religious thought or history.

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Summary: Irish monks play crucial role in history
Review: Don't let the overly long title frighten you. This is a mustread! For anyone who cares about the wellspring of our culture, namelythe Greco-Roman tradition, from Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey" to Virgil's "Aeneid", from classical mythology to the early versions of the Bible, you need to know the story of how the Irish monks carefully and lovingly preserved these masterpieces after the sack and fall of Rome.

Author Thomas Cahill blends his genuine enthusiasm for the Irish with many interesting nuggets of historical scholarship to unravel this obscure period of history. He somehow manages to tie together Ireland's epic "The Tain," the "Confessions" of St. Augustine and the life of St.Patrick himself into a cohesive narrative about how Irish scribes preserved and protected many of our most cherished literary heirlooms. No small feat this, as the monks had to labor by candlelight in such inauspicious places as a stone church on a rocky crag (Skellag Michael) , all the while avoiding piratic raids and marauding Visigoth hordes. fter I read this book, the "Dark Ages" lightened up quite a bit! Now you go read the book and we can join in celebrating the Irish, who saved the seeds of Western thought. Erin go Bragh!

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Summary: Engaging but superficial....
Review: I enjoyed Cahill's book very much, but had (still have!) a nagging sensation that this is history lite.

Not that that's a bad thing -- good, readable popular histories are all too rare -- but I get the feeling that Cahill skipped over some important historical developments in order to support his thesis.

We are told that Irish missionary bishops and monks treasured --and ultimately, reintroduced -- Greek and Roman classics to Western Europe. This is fine as far as it goes, but there's a gaping hole in the heart of this thesis -- southern Spain, ruled by Muslims, home of great Muslim and Jewish philosphers (who incorporated much neo-Platonic thought in their respective brands of philosphy and mysticism). I highly doubt that any of this came about as a result of itinerant Irish monks!

Another reviewer mentioned Charles Martel, as follows:

"During the 6th and 7th Centuries, the Irish built monasteries throughout continental Europe, propogating their love of learning and books. According to Cahill, if not for the philosophical substance that the Irish brought to Europe, the Arab/Muslims would have swallowed Europe (I'm not so sure, it was Charles Martel who stopped the Muslims in 711, grandpappy of Charles the Great, and he was the Merovingian who enthusiastically brought the Irish to France)."

The truth of the matter is that Charles Martel's efforts in driving Andalusian Muslims back into the Iberian Pensinsula was -- and still is -- a VERY big deal. I learned about this in grade school and don't understand why this topic is ignored by US-based school systems.... It was a true turning point in Western Euopean history. (My intention isn't to be disrespectful toward Muslims -- rather, it's to highlight the clash of cultures that affects all of us right up to the present.)

I'm no expert on medieval history by a long shot, but I'd like to suggest that interested readers do a bit of poking around in order to get a more detailed understanding of the inappropriately-named Dark Ages. Cahill's right about literacy rates and more, but he skips many historical/cultural developments that were taking place in the latter part of the "Dark Ages." The why of it is a mystery to me....

So enjoy the book, but keep a sharp lookout for material that covers the period more thoroughly...

One last thought: endnotes or footnotes would have been nice, though I suspect Cahill's publisher wasn't willing to pay for them. More's the pity!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: I'm 18 years old and many people wouldn't expect someone my age to read something like this. But this is one of the best and even entertaining books that i have ever read. This book offers historial facts with out making it seem boring and long winded as some others can potray history. I read it from cover to cover, when i usually look for only parts that interest me. The author Thomas Cahill bring his personality into the passages so it seems more of a discussion rather than a one sided lecture. Cahill also brings hummor into it and makes the concepts understandable while bringing the big picture along for support. It seem that Cahill has done an amazing about of research for this book and personally i think that's amazing while considering its an enjoyable book. The suject of this book is so interesting and its a new way to this about the Irish culture. I can't begin to tell you how much i live this book! Its worth the money a thousand times over!!!!!

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Summary: Irish Milestone of Saving Literature & Christian History
Review: Thomas Cahill's 'How the Irish Saved Civilization' vol. I, part of a soon-to-be 5 volume set of the Hinges of History series. So far Cahill has written 'The Gifts of the Jews,' vol. II and 'Desire of the Everlasting Hills,' vol. III. The Irish tale is how Ireland took a heroic place after the Fall of Rome to help save the ancient history and culture of early Christianity. After the rise of Charlemagne and the "dark ages" all learning and culture nearly disappeared. The heritage of about 1600 years of Western civilization of Greek and Roman to Jewish and Christian works would have been lost. If it were not for the holy mean and women of at that time a primitive Ireland. One such holy man, Saint Patrick was to preserve and transmit classic literature and evangelize Europe. His influence at the time of his slavery was the publication of Saint Augustine's 'Confessions.' At the time of Augustine's death, Patrick arrived in Ireland about 432 A.D. and revolutionized the Celtic land with the Gospel. After Patrick's death soon came the decline of the Roman Empire in the west. In c. 500 Brigid founds Kildare, into the next century Aidan founds Lindisfarne an important area where the monks set up their mission. Not only were the Irish conservers of civilization but mind-shapers placing their stamp on Western culture. Cahill does a great job in uncovering sources that point to the contribution of the Irish to save early books and documentation of ancient history.

...If you want more earlier sources try, Abe Hood's 'St. Patirck: His Writings and Muirchu's "Life",' E.A. Thompson's 'Who was Saint Patrick?,' Robert Van de Weyer's 'Celtic Fire' (Brigid of Kildare), Alwyn Rees and Brinley Rees' 'Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales,' Walter Horn's 'The Forgotten Hermitage of Skellig Michael,' and Kathleen Hughes' 'The Church in Early Irish Society.' Cahill has been helpful for me especially if you're staring out with ancient history, Irish culture and Christianity and how they tie into with each other. This maybe a good place to start. There's some pretty good diagrams of maps of ancient lands (Roman Empire in early 5th century and western Europe in early 6th century) and the important centers of Irish-Christian influence from the British Isles (Britian, Picts & Irish) to what is now present day France (Gaul), Germany (Frisians, Franks & Alemens) and Italy. This offers some good starting points in early history. My thumbs up!

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Summary: Irish Impact on the West Cannot Be Overlooked
Review: When thinking of the Irish, people unfamiliar with their history are prone to pointing out their negative stereotypes. Thomas Cahill's "How the Irish Saved Civilization" challenges the negative images characteristic of the Irish.

Cahill's book begins with a retelling of the Roman Empire and how its fall precipitated the perfect situation for the Irish to contribute to society. The Middle Ages ensued upon the fall of the Roman Empire; this age is also referred to as the Dark Ages because of its relative lack of artistic and literary accomplishments. Almost everybody during this time was illiterate...that is, on the European continent.

During the height of the Roman Empire up to its fall, Ireland was mainly a nomadic land with few, if any, cities. Paganism was prevalent because of limited Roman influence (England received more attention from the Romans than Ireland). As Cahill explains, the spark behind the burgeoning of Irish influence was, ironically, a man from England who was kidnapped and brought to Ireland-Patricius, later known as St. Patrick.

The Irish monks should be known not only for preserving the great texts of the past but also for converting thousands upon thousands of pagans and animists to Christianity. Aside from their contributions to literature, if they had not held such aspirations to spread their religion, one can only wonder how much of Europe would have been converted to Islam in the seventh and eighth centuries.

Civilizations studied in high school and college usually have at least one defining characteristic, yet the Irish civilization of the first few centuries A.D. does not seem to possess any identifiable traits without extensive knowledge of it. Ironically, if it were not for the Irish monks, we today would not know of most of the great civilizations of the past.

This book can be read by anyone because Cahill does not presuppose the reader possesses a great deal of background information about the Irish. He writes for an audience that might never have even known Irish monks existed.

Cahill makes the reader look past all the negative stereotypes of the Irish to appreciate them and even to relate to them. It is hard to find a culture that has not gone through both periods of richness (whether economically or artistically) and of hardships, and certainly the Irish are not to be excluded from this category.