[Illustration: ANCIENT IRELAND, shewing the Ancient Schools and Principal
Territorial Divisions before the Anglo-Norman Invasion.
_Sealy, Bryers & Walker, Lith., Dublin._]
INSULA SANCTORUM ET DOCTORUM
OR,
IRELAND'S ANCIENT SCHOOLS AND SCHOLARS
BY THE MOST REV. JOHN HEALY, D.D., LL.D., M.R.I.A.,
BISHOP OF CLONFERT; COMMISSIONER FOR THE PUBLICATION
OF THE BREHON LAWS; EX-PREFECT OF THE DUNBOYNE
ESTABLISHMENT, MAYNOOTH COLLEGE.
SIXTH EDITION.
DUBLIN:
SEALY, BRYERS & WALKER,
86 MIDDLE ABBEY STREET.
M. H. GILL & SON,
50 UPPER O'CONNELL STREET.
LONDON: BURNS & OATES, LIMITED,
28 ORCHARD STREET, W., AND 63 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C..
NEW YORK, CINCINNATI AND CHICAGO:
BENZIGER BROTHERS.
1912.
PRINTED BY
SEALY, BRYERS AND WALKER,
MIDDLE ABBEY STREET,
DUBLIN.
PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.
Some smaller inaccuracies in the previous Editions have been corrected in
this Edition; but no other changes have been made.
✠ JOHN HEALY, D.D.,
Bishop of Clonfert.
MOUNT ST. BERNARD,
_October, 1902_.
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
The FIRST EDITION of this work has been very favourably received both by
the critics and by the public. It was exhausted nearly twelve months ago;
but other engrossing occupations left the author little time to revise the
text and prepare a new edition. In this SECOND EDITION many errors of the
press have been corrected; several explanatory notes have been added, and
some few inaccuracies have been rectified. Maps of the Aran Islands and
Clonmacnoise have been inserted, and the _Index_ has been greatly
enlarged. It is hoped also, that the lower price of the present edition
will bring it within the range of a wider circle of readers, and still
further carry out the author's purpose of vindicating and enlarging the
just renown of Ireland's ancient Saints and Scholars.
✠ JOHN HEALY, D.D.
MOUNT ST. BERNARD,
_Easter, 1893_.
PREFACE.
In the following pages it has been the author's purpose to give a full and
accurate, but at the same time, as he hopes, a popular account of the
Schools and Scholars of Ancient Ireland. It is a subject about which much
is talked, but little is known, and even that little is only to be found
in volumes that are not easily accessible to the general reader. In the
present work the history of the Schools and Scholars of Celtic Erin is
traced from the time of St. Patrick down to the Anglo-Norman Invasion of
Ireland. The first three centuries of this period is certainly the
brightest page of what is, on the whole, the rather saddening, but not
inglorious record, of our country's history. It was not by any means a
period altogether free from violence and crime, but it was certainly a
time of comparative peace and security, during which the religious
communities scattered over the island presented a more beautiful spectacle
before men and angels, than anything seen in Christendom either before or
since. It is an epoch, too, whose history can be studied with pleasure and
profit, and in which Irishmen of all creeds and classes feel a legitimate
pride.
It has been questioned, indeed, if the Monastic Schools of this period
were really so celebrated and so frequented by holy men, as justly to win
for Ireland her ancient title of the INSULA SANCTORUM ET DOCTORUM--the
Island of Saints and Scholars. The author ventures to hope that the
following pages will furnish, even to the most sceptical, conclusive
evidence on this point. It has been his purpose to show not merely the
extent, the variety, and the character of the studies, both sacred and
profane, pursued in our Celtic Schools, but also the eminent sanctity of
those learned men, whose names are found in all our domestic
Martyrologies.
Perhaps the most striking feature in their character, speaking generally,
was their extraordinary love of solitude and mortification. They loved
learning much, it is true; but they loved God and nature more. They knew
nothing of what is now called civilization, and were altogether ignorant
of urban life; but still they had a very keen perception of the grandeur
and beauty of God's universe. The voice of the storm and the strength of
the sea, the majesty of lofty mountains and the glory of summer woods,
spoke to their hearts even more eloquently than the voice of the preacher,
or the writing on their parchments.
The author has sought throughout to put all the information, which he
could collect in reference to his subject, in a popular and attractive
form. At the same time he has spared no pains to consult all the available
authorities both ancient and modern; and he has always gone to the
original sources, whenever it was possible to do so. He does not pretend
to have avoided all mistakes in matters of fact, nor to be quite free from
errors in matters of opinion. But he can say that he has honestly done his
best to make the study of this portion of our Celtic history interesting
and profitable to the general reader. And there is no doubt that the study
of the holy and self-denying lives of our ancient Saints and Scholars will
exercise a purifying and elevating influence on the minds of all, but more
especially of the young; will teach them to raise their thoughts to higher
things, and set less store on the paltry surroundings of their daily life.
With the single exception of Iona, which may be considered as an Irish
island, this volume deals only with our Monastic Schools at home. Irishmen
founded during this period many schools and monasteries abroad; but it
would require another volume to give a full account of those monasteries
and their holy founders.
There are many friends to whom we owe thanks for assistance; but we have
reason to believe that they would prefer not to have their names mentioned
in this preface.
In conclusion, we have only to add, that these pages have not been written
in a controversial spirit; because in our opinion little or nothing is
ever to be gained by writing history in a spirit of controversy, which
tends rather to obscure than to make known the truth. It is better from
every point of view to let the facts speak for themselves; and hence not
only in quoting authorities, but also in narrating events, we have, as far
as possible, reproduced the language of the original authorities.
A few of the papers here published have appeared in the _Irish
Ecclesiastical Record_, but they are now presented in a more popular form.
✠ JOHN HEALY, D.D.
PALMERSTON HOUSE, PORTUMNA,
_May, 1890_.
[Gaelic]
"May the tongue of Sage and Saint be lasting."
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. PAGE
STATE OF LEARNING IN IRELAND BEFORE ST. PATRICK.
I.--THE DRUIDS 1
Learning of the Druids 1
Religious Worship 2
Sacrifice of Human Victims 3
Worship of the Elements 3
Enchantments 4
Acquaintance with Letters 4
Sun-Worship 5
II.--THE BARDS 7
The Files 7
The Ollamh-Poet 7
Historic Poet 8
Neidhe 9
Ollioll Olum 10
Ossian 10
III.--THE BREHONS 11
Office of Brehon thrown open to all possessing necessary
qualifications 11
Morann 12
Their Course of Instruction 12
IV.--THE OGHAM ALPHABET 13
Inscribed Stones 13
Invention of the Ogham 14
Letters of the Ogham Alphabet 15