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The Historical Background [TOP]
The spread of Christianity in Europe, the decline of the Western Roman Empire and the resurgence of European cultural and religious life provide the broad canvas and context for the Age of Saints. The section is an expanded version of The Historical Themes page of this web site, covering the period from the accession of Constantine the Great to the crowning of Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor.
St. Patrick & St. David: Sources and Observations [TOP]
A review of sources and traditions which traces the development of the cults of Patrick and David from earliest mentions to their elevation as national icons. Research and text have been commissioned from Dr. Thomas O'Loughlin and Dr. Jonathan Wooding of the University of Wales Lampeter, and Dr. Dagmar Ó Riain-Raedel of the University of Cork, and includes extensive bibliographies. While other elements of the programme contribute to a wider view of the subject matter, this material provides a tight focus on the two Patron Saints.
Selected Sites
A selection of relevant sites from the eastern seaboard of Irleand and the the western seaboard of Wales. The sites are to some extent supplementary to those included in our tour intineraries, and have been selected to provide a flavour of broader cultural development, ranging from neolithic burial chambers to the Gothic cathedrals that were the highest artistic expression of the Middle Ages.
Prose & Poems [TOP]
Readings of poetry and poems, from the ancient to the contemporary, that give varying and sometimes surprising perspectives on our subject matter. The anthology includes an extract from Rhygyfarch, the most important text on the Life of David, together with pieces taken from anonymous Gaelic texts and from more recent writers, including W.B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, A.G. Prys-Jones and Alison Bielski. Many of the readings are complemented by music from the Celtic West, and the anthology includes a unique reading by Gillian Clarke of her poem The Rocking Stone, set against the music of the contemporary Welsh group Ar Log.
Chronologies
Tables of key dates with accompanying commentaries add greater detail to The Historical Background and the sweep of historical events between 300 AD and 800 AD. The Chronological Tables contain around 500 individual entries. To view an extract from the period 400 AD to 476 AD, go to Chronologies.
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