Carmel McCaffrey

For someone who is only removed genealogically from Ireland by three generations I often find myself feeling ignorant of much of Ireland's history. I know the typical events - the potatoe famine that decimated the population, St. Patrick's Christianizing the country, and th Book of Kells' illumination - but I was unaware of many of the more subtle historical themes. Unlike much of Europe, Ireland never developed a tradition of inherited high-kingship (instead opting for smaller regional tribes led by elected rulers), yet the Irish were often early adopters and promoters of European culture. They seem to have taken everything from Christianity to Viking art styles to using the Latin alphabet to record the Gaelic vernacular (the first in Europe to do so!) and made it distinctly "Irish" in nature. I must find the accompanying PBS documentary to this book, as well as delve into some more historical narratives about my ancestral homelands!… (altro)