The Irish Monks of the Middle Ages have been credited with saving Western civilization. But what is known of their day-to-day lives--the spiritual struggles and triumphs or the unbelievable physical hardships they endured? Exploring the origins of Ireland's religious traditions, acclaimed writer Geoffrey Moorhouse travels back 1400 years to re-create like on Skellig Michael, a cruel rock island off Ireland's west coast and home to a community of monks for over six hundred years. This book's imaginative stories not only capture a particularly intense form of monastic life, they illuminate one of the most mysterious yet important chapters of Celtic history. Entertaining and enlightening, this book makes medieval Ireland come alive.
