Irish Writers And Religion

Irish writing has been influenced by religion from the beginning; indeed it was the arrival of Christianity which brought Latin orthography, which men of learning adopted. Pagan beliefs were assimilated into Christianity, but not entirely so: a theme which is dealt with in the essay on writing in early Ireland. The relationship between the various Irish Churches and writers in the 18th and 19th centuries is examined as is the influence of folk religion in modern Irish literature. There follow essays on: ghosts, Yeats, Synge, Joyce and Beckett; and on the poets Macneice, Kavanagh and Desmond Egan. Contributors: Lance St. John Butler; Peter Denman; Desmond Egan; Ruth Fleischmann; A. M. Gibbs; Barbara Hayley; Eamonn Hughes; Anne McCartney; Seamus MacMathuna; Joseph McMinn; Nuala ni Dhomhnaill; Mitsuko Ohno; Daithi O Hogain; Alan Peacock; Patricia Rafroidi and Robert Welch. Irish Literary Studies Series No. 37.

The struggle between Catholic and Protestant has shaped Irish history since the Reformation, with tragic consequences up to the present day. But how do Catholics and Protestants in Ireland see each other? And how do they view their own communities and what these communities stand for? Tracing the history of religious identities in Ireland over the last three centuries, Marianne Elliott argues that these two questions are inextricably linked and that the identity of both Catholics and Protestants is shaped by the way that each community views the other. Cutting through the layers of myths, lies, and half-truths that make up the vision that Catholics and Protestants have of each other, she looks at how mutual religious stereotypes were developed over the centuries, how they were perpetuated and entrenched, and how they have defined modern identities and shaped Ireland's historical destiny, from the independence struggle and partition to the Troubles of the last four decades.

Ancient monuments, legends and folklore interpreted to illuminate the realities of prehistoric Irish belief. The myths and legends of prehistoric Ireland have inspired writers through the ages, down to W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney in our own century, but what do we know of the realities of ancient Irish belief? Daithi O hOgain's book approaches the question by studying archaeological remains such as tumuli, stone henges and circular enclosures and analysing the rich materials that have been handed down both in the great cycles of Irish heroic tales and the humblebut significant survivals of modern folklore, for instance the traditions associated with wells and springs. Drawing evidence from these varied sources, he arrives at a balanced picture of a society and its beliefs which have alltoo often been the subject of conjecture and fancy. CONTENTS Pre-Celtic Cultures . Basic Tenets in the Iron Age . The Druids and their Practices . The Teachings of the Druids . The Society of the Gods . The Rites of Sovereignty . The Triumph of Christianity. DAITHI O HOGAIN was Professor of Folklore at University College Dublin.

Irish literature's roots have been traced to the 7th-9th century. This is a rich and hardy literature starting with descriptions of the brave deeds of kings, saints and other heroes. These were followed by generous veins of religious, historical, genealogical, scientific and other works. The development of prose, poetry and drama raced along with the times. Modern, well-known Irish writers include: William Yeats, James Joyce, Sean Casey, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, John Synge and Samuel Beckett.

“Every significant religious system stands upon a sacred text. This text is indeed its temple. Inside, its heroes and their history are enshrined. Although leaders of varying degrees of divinity are always involved in the creation of a new sect, they usually have short lives, often come to bad ends, and their influence, diluted by disciples, soon disappears as water does in sand. What the leader leaves behind is Mein Kampf or its equivalent: his testament. Occasionally, by the indolent, an existent text is chosen, or a compilation selected—a golden treasury. From time to time, other writings may be dubbed divine, as though knighted. This is not a simple social thing, however. It is more important than a nation adding to its territories. Any addition to the divine canon will approve, proscribe, or admit new thoughts, new practices, and in consequence elevate different people to positions of privilege and power.”—William H. Gass These essays and panel discussions made up The Writer and Religion Conference held at Washington University in St. Louis. The six essays, all by writers of international stature, were followed by panel discussions, with audience participation.

This book offers an ethnological study on the Druids and their religion.