Rath Melsigi was an Anglo-Saxon monastery in Ireland. A number of monks who studied there were active in the Anglo-Saxon mission on the continent. The monastery also developed a style of script that may have influenced the writers of the Book of Durrow.
A number of ecclesiastical settlements were established in 7th century Ireland that accommodated European monks, in particular Anglo-Saxon monks. Around 668 Bishop Colman, resigned his see at Lindisfarne, and returned to Ireland. Less than three years later he erected an abbey in County Mayo, exclusively for the English monks in Mayo, subsequently known as Maigh Eo na Saxain ("Mayo of the Saxons").[1]
Many Anglo Saxons and Franks were educated at Irish monasteries, such as Mellifont Abbey, including King Alfred of England, Oswald of England & Dagobert II of France. Many of the early Anglo-Saxon manuscripts such as the Lindisfarne Gospels were written in Irish script either directly by Irish monks based in Britain or by Anglo-Saxon monks who were trained by Irish monks.[2]
In the plague of 664, Bede tells, the monks of Rath Melsigi were almost all carried off by the disease. One of those taken ill was the twenty-five year old Ecgberht of Ripon. Most of his companions from Northumbria, including Æthelhun, died.
Ecgberht vowed that if he recovered, he would become a peregrinus and lead a life of penitential prayer and fasting. According to Henry Mayr-Harting, Ecgberht was one of the most famous ‘pilgrims’ of the early Middle Ages,.[4] and occupied a prominent position in a political and religious culture that spanned northern Britain and the Irish Sea.[5] Ecgberht would later organise the first missions to Frisia.
Illuminations of the Book of Durrow show the varied origins of the Insular style. These include animal interlace that draw from the Germanic Migration Period Animal Style II, as found in the Anglo-Saxon jewellery at Sutton Hoo. While one hypothesis posits that the book may have been written at Iona, a second suggests that, given similarities to manuscripts at Echternach associated with Willibrord, who spent twelve years at Rath Melsigi, "the script developed at Rath Melsigi was employed in the creation of our manuscript at Durrow, probably in the eighth century."[6]
^Grattan-Flood, William. "St. Colman." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 23 April 2019 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^Ó Cróinin, Dáibhí. ‘The first century of Anglo-Irish relations AD 600 – 700’; "The O’Donnell Lecture 2003", National University of Ireland, Galway
^"Book of Durrow", Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia, (John T. Koch, ed.), ABC-CLIO, 2006, ISBN9781851094400
^Mayr-Harting, Henry. "Ecgberht (639–729)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004
^Costambeys, Marios. "Willibrord [St Willibrord] (657/8–739)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2011, accessed 24 Jan 2014
^Werner, Martin. "Durrow, Book of", Celtic Culture: A-Celti. ABC-CLIO, 2006, p. 635 ISBN9781851094400
External linksedit
Orschel, Vera. "Maigh Eo na Sacsan"
Mulligan, Dermot. "St. Willibrord, Patron Saint of Luxembourg & the Carlow connection"
Ó Cróinín and Fanning. "Rath Melsigi, Willibrord, and the earliest Echternach manuscripts", [1]
Further readingedit
Adomnan of Iona: Sharpe, Richard, Adomnán of Iona: Life of St. Columba, (London, 1995:349).
May 04, 2024
rath, melsigi, anglo, saxon, monastery, ireland, number, monks, studied, there, were, active, anglo, saxon, mission, continent, monastery, also, developed, style, script, that, have, influenced, writers, book, durrow, contents, overview, history, also, referen. Rath Melsigi was an Anglo Saxon monastery in Ireland A number of monks who studied there were active in the Anglo Saxon mission on the continent The monastery also developed a style of script that may have influenced the writers of the Book of Durrow Contents 1 Overview 2 History 3 See also 4 References 5 External links 6 Further readingOverview edit nbsp Mayo Abbey A number of ecclesiastical settlements were established in 7th century Ireland that accommodated European monks in particular Anglo Saxon monks Around 668 Bishop Colman resigned his see at Lindisfarne and returned to Ireland Less than three years later he erected an abbey in County Mayo exclusively for the English monks in Mayo subsequently known as Maigh Eo na Saxain Mayo of the Saxons 1 Other monasteries for Saxon monks include Tullylease County Cork Rigair location uncertain Cluain Mucceda location uncertain Tech Saxan Tisaxon Athenry County Galway Tech Saxan Tisaxan Kinsale County Cork Many Anglo Saxons and Franks were educated at Irish monasteries such as Mellifont Abbey including King Alfred of England Oswald of England amp Dagobert II of France Many of the early Anglo Saxon manuscripts such as the Lindisfarne Gospels were written in Irish script either directly by Irish monks based in Britain or by Anglo Saxon monks who were trained by Irish monks 2 History editRath Melsigi was located in what is now the townland of Clonmelsh County Carlow Among those known to have studied there were Willibrord 3 and Swithbert Adalbert of Egmond and Chad of Mercia Others studied at Irish monasteries at Armagh Kildare Glendalough and Clonmacnoise In the controversy over the keeping of Easter Rath Melsigi accepted the Roman Easter In the plague of 664 Bede tells the monks of Rath Melsigi were almost all carried off by the disease One of those taken ill was the twenty five year old Ecgberht of Ripon Most of his companions from Northumbria including AEthelhun died Ecgberht vowed that if he recovered he would become a peregrinus and lead a life of penitential prayer and fasting According to Henry Mayr Harting Ecgberht was one of the most famous pilgrims of the early Middle Ages 4 and occupied a prominent position in a political and religious culture that spanned northern Britain and the Irish Sea 5 Ecgberht would later organise the first missions to Frisia Illuminations of the Book of Durrow show the varied origins of the Insular style These include animal interlace that draw from the Germanic Migration Period Animal Style II as found in the Anglo Saxon jewellery at Sutton Hoo While one hypothesis posits that the book may have been written at Iona a second suggests that given similarities to manuscripts at Echternach associated with Willibrord who spent twelve years at Rath Melsigi the script developed at Rath Melsigi was employed in the creation of our manuscript at Durrow probably in the eighth century 6 See also editChristianity in Anglo Saxon England Anglo Saxon missionReferences edit Grattan Flood William St Colman The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 4 New York Robert Appleton Company 1908 23 April 2019 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain o Croinin Daibhi The first century of Anglo Irish relations AD 600 700 The O Donnell Lecture 2003 National University of Ireland Galway Book of Durrow Celtic culture a historical encyclopedia John T Koch ed ABC CLIO 2006 ISBN 9781851094400 Mayr Harting Henry Ecgberht 639 729 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004 Costambeys Marios Willibrord St Willibrord 657 8 739 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 online edn Jan 2011 accessed 24 Jan 2014 Werner Martin Durrow Book of Celtic Culture A Celti ABC CLIO 2006 p 635 ISBN 9781851094400External links editOrschel Vera Maigh Eo na Sacsan Mulligan Dermot St Willibrord Patron Saint of Luxembourg amp the Carlow connection o Croinin and Fanning Rath Melsigi Willibrord and the earliest Echternach manuscripts 1 Further reading editAdomnan of Iona Sharpe Richard Adomnan of Iona Life of St Columba London 1995 349 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rath Melsigi amp oldid 1219120193, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
