Christianity and Ireland

2.  Christianity spread through Europe in the centuries after
Christ’s birth
 By 431 AD, there were Christians in Ireland and Ireland had
it’s first bishop – a man named Palladius
Statue of Palladius

3.  Patrick was the son of a Roman Official in Britain
 He was kidnapped by Irish pirates and brought as a slave to
County Mayo – Croagh Patrick is named after him
 Escaped from captivity and returned to Britain
 Years later he returned to Ireland to preach Christianity
 Spent most of his time working in Co. Down and Co. Armagh.
Statue of Saint Patrick

4. A Letter to the
Soldiers of King
Coroticus – Patrick
wanted Coroticus to
stop kidnapping
Irish people for
slavery
Patrick’s Confession –
an explanation of why
he came to Ireland in
the first place

5. Palladius County where Patrick was kept
Patrick Where Patrick worked
Coroticus Mountain where Patrick lived
Roman Empire First bishop in Ireland
Slave Patron Saint of Ireland
Mayo What Patrick called himself
Croagh Patrick A British king
Armagh Christianity spread through this
Sinner Patrick’s first “job” in Ireland

7.  Both were remote places where Christians were free of
distraction if they wanted to pray
 Monasteries were for Men (monks)
 Convents were for women (nuns)
 Some monasteries were in very remote places – like Skellig
Mhichil (off the Kerry coast)

8.  Clonmacnoise is a monastery in Co. Offaly which was not
remote – instead it was near a crossing on the river Shannon