medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Given what Gerald and his ilk did to the Irish (of which slandering is the least), I'd be pretty vengeful, too!
I'm reminded of another passage in Gerald's H&T, in which he relates a sermon he delivered in 1186 in
Dublin. He recognized that Irish religious were exemplary, particularly
with regard to reading, praying, abstinence and asceticism, but he also
criticized them for acting too much like monastics and failing in their
clerical duties, especially correcting the laity; he denounced the Irish
generally for their rudeness and for failing to produce martyrs. The archbishop of Cashel (Muirges O’Heney) responded that
Gerald spoke truly, for the Irish were a rude and ignorant people, yet they had
ever honored the Church, the religious, and the saints; though they had not yet
produced martyrs, Muirges continued, “now a people has come to the kingdom
which knows how, and is accustomed, to make martyrs. From now on Ireland will have its martyrs, just as other
countries” (116). This of course is a reference to the murder of Becket, as well as to the treatment of the native Irish at the hands of the invaders. I've always been struck by Gerald's inclusion of Muirges' criticism and its counter-perspective of the Irish at the time of the invasion.
On a related note, I've a vague memory of Brigid and other saints cursing Diarmaid MacMurrough and Strongbow's line for the invasion, so that their male heirs and their lineage would die out.
Maeve
On Mar 9, 2010, at 1:57 AM, Colmán O Clabaigh OSB wrote:
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I will try and dig out a few examples from Adomnán's Vita Columbae later in
the day, but in the interim listmembers might like to ponder the inights of
that most unbiased and impartial of observers, Gerald of Wales on this very
topic:
'This seems to me a thing to be noticed that just as the men of [Ireland]
are during this mortal life more prone to anger and revenge than any other
race, so in eternal death the saints of this land that have been elevated by
their merits are more vindictive than the saints of any other region.'
- Gerald of Wales, The History and Topography of Ireland.
Source: Gerald of Wales, The History and Topography of Ireland. trans. John
J. O'Meara, New York: Penguin Books, 1982. 91.
Be afraid, be very afraid!
Colmán Ó Clabaigh OSB
Glenstal Abbey