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British Academy/Royal Irish Academy Joint Symposium

Anglo-Saxon/Irish Relations before the Vikings

Aspects of the ecclesiastical network in pre-Viking Ireland in light of comparisons with Anglo-Saxon England

Tomás Ó Carragáin (UCC)

This paper reviews some of the archaeological evidence for the origins and early development of the ecclesiastical network in Ireland. It will focus in particular on the foundation of church sites and will also consider the relationship between church sites and tribal/family cemeteries. Comparisons with Anglo-Saxon England are illuminating because of the similarities they throw up, including the paucity of evidence in both regions for church sites developing from earlier cemeteries. Equally interesting are the striking contrasts that emerge, most notably the relatively early development of a local church network in Ireland. The paper concludes with a consideration of the implications of these patterns for our understanding of Irish/Anglo-Saxon interactions.