How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe

During the "dark ages"—the period between the fall of Rome and the rise of Charlemagne—learning, scholarship, and culture vanished from the European continent. Had it not been for the holy men and women of unconquered Ireland, the vast inheritance of western civilization—from Jewish and Christian writings to the classics of Greek and Roman civilization—would have been completely lost.

The "island of saints and scholars," the Ireland of St. Patrick and the Book of Kells, is introduced to us by Thomas Cahill in this entertaining and enlightening study at a significant but little-known "hinge" of history. Here, away from the barbarian despoliation of the continent, the written riches of the west were painstakingly, tenderly, even humorously preserved by monks and scribes. As stability returned to Europe, these Irish intellectuals played a pivotal role in advancing knowledge. Consequently, the Irish not only preserved western civilization but also shaped the medieval intellect, leaving their own mark on it.