San Antonio College Library

This is a study of Ireland's people, landscape and place in the world from late antiquity to the reign of Brian Bórama. It narrates the story of Ireland's emergence into history, using anthropological, archaeological, historical and literary evidence.

Even before the time of the Celts, Ireland was believed to be a land of power that "welled up" from the earth in the form of bubbling springs and healing waters. The myths and rituals surrounding these holy wells have been modified through the centuries as pre-Celtic and Celtic rituals blended with Christian traditions to form the combination of rites performed at these sites today. Drawing on fifteen years of fieldwork and archival research, conversations...

The term "Dark Ages" was coined to describe a period which was seen as a period of anarchy and violence, following the collapse of civilization. Recent discoveries by archaeologists and historians have, however, radically altered this traditional view of the Dark Ages, and the period is now seen as one of innovation and dynamic social evolution. This book reconsiders a number of traditionally accepted views. It argues, for example, that the debt of...

A selection of 14 key articles from scholarly journals dealing with the medieval history of the city of Dublin.

Lines of standing stones have until now been the neglected wonders of prehistoric Europe. From the multitude of great pillars at Carnac to the elegance of the avenue that leads to the stone circle of Callanish in the Hebrides, visitors have stared in awe but departed in ignorance. There has been nothing to inform them. From Carnac to Callanish, the first book on the subject, describes the types, which range from pairs of isolated stones in the far...