Patrician and Early Christian Architecture

c. 450 to 1111 CE

The earliest architecture in Ireland is that associated with the Celtic church, established by St.Patrick about the middle of the fifth century, which flourished for over 600 years until the early 1100s. Written records testify to the existence of at least 103 monastic and other Christian communities throughout the country. At the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111, the Irish decided to adopt continental patterns of service and church administration which though they brought the Celtic church into line with Europe also meant an end to its independence.

Though modest in scale, early Irish monasteries were normally formed out of a combination of four distinctive architectural elements: a small single-cell, stone-built church; a detached round tower; a monumental high cross; and an enclosing wall or ditch of oval or circular form.

In Ireland a large circular enclosure, a cashel, rath or ring fort, had provided the characteristic form for any settlement from the Bronze Age onwards. The Celtic church simply took over this form for its own use. An important monastery might include several individual churches and crosses. Monasterboice founded by St. Buite in Co. Louth is a fine example. Glendalough, founded by St.Kevin in Co. Wicklow, and Clonmacnoise, founded by St.Ciaran in Co. Offaly, are among the most impressive.