Summary: Irish Monasteries
Key dates:
Monasteries sprang up all over Ireland. Within the, often high, walls was a variety of buildings, mainly in stone. There was at the centre a church building with its altar. This was surrounded by monks’ cells which were small, beehive shaped and very sparsely furnished and equipped. Most settlements had a tower which became very useful as a place of refuge when Viking attacks began from the late 8th century. Many monasteries had their own wells and gardens which helped them achieve a degree of self-sufficiency.
Monasteries were also important for the work which they did in teaching and in the transcription of Biblical and other religious texts.
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