Early Medieval Ireland is one of the phases of Irish history which most attracts international attention, as Ireland looms large in European history in the period after the fall of the Roman empire. Possessing the oldest written vernacular outside the classics, richly documented in both the written and archaeological record, and with the allure of the ‘Celtic’ attached to it, Ireland shines bright as a golden era in the dark ages, intriguing students and scholars all over the world. 

This book provides an ‘entry-level’ narrative to this period in Irish history. At the same time, it contextualises the artistic, literary and architectural achievements of the age. 

Other treatments of the period closely reflect the methodological and disciplinary interests of the authors. As such, existing publications neglect a holistic approach in favour of specific themes. Politics is rarely incorporated with church history; art and archaeology remain distinct; law and literature remain uncontextualised either in time or place. This is why the book contains extracts from primary sources and illustrations that will make this golden age glow for its readers, making it a ‘one-stop shop’ for the history of Early Medieval Ireland for students and the general reader. 

Dr Matthew Stout lectures on the history of the Irish Landscape, Early Medieval Ireland, Medieval Archaeology, and International Historiography at Dublin City University. He has published on various aspects of early medieval settlement and the Irish landscape.