In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English

This book is a real gem. It contained so much new information on ancient Ireland and the early development of the Irish people. I was totally surprised when I started to read it and found it so interesting. All of the new archeological information is in here and presented in such a way that it is hard to put the book down. I recommend this to anyone who wants to know about early Ireland, the Celtic culture, the Irish monasteries and the English invasion. Great!

This is not your average history book in that the story of ancient Ireland flows off the pages to entertain and delight. It is a well written, lyrical and well researched history of ancient Ireland. The writers take us to the top of pagan ritual mounds and inside ancient caves, crawling through dark passageways. They visit monasteries where the residents have long since vanished but the ghosts of the past remain to haunt and remind us of an Ireland that once was noble and classical in its learning. When Europe entered its Dark Age, Ireland and the Irish were there to bring the light of scholarship back. I have read other books on this subject but there is so much that is new here. McCaffrey and Eaton consult with the best Irish archeologists, historians and anthropologists to tell their story of Ireland's ancient past with a clarity that is refreshing and enlightening.I loved reading this book and felt as if I had gone back in time and that the past was alive again. An Irish past that I did not even realize existed! Different characters jumped off the pages - St. Patrick, Brian Boru, an interesting king/bishop called Feidlimid MacCrimthannn and even the Vikings all take on a real form. The research into the period is excellent, dispelling many myths and giving the correct sources. I loved reading the quotes from the ancient Irish annals and learning of the current archeological discoveries. This book is an excellent source book for everything you want to know about ancient Ireland. It made me proud of my Irish ancestry.

Collaboratively researched and written by Irish history expert Carmel McCaffrey and television writer, producer, and director Leo Eaton, In Search Of Ancient Ireland: The Origins Of The Irish From Neolithic Times To The Coming Of The English offers a truly fascinating and informative look at the origins of the Irish people and culture from the "New Stone Age" down of pre-history to the Norman invasion of 1167 AD, which brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. Monasteries, ring forts, mountains, sacred caves, and as much as can be excavated or deduced of ancient history is superbly featured with a wealth of fine detail in this fascinating and highly readable resource. The companion book to a PBS television series of the same name, In Search Of Ancient Ireland is enthusiastically recommended for personal, academic, and community library Irish History Studies collections and reading lists.

This is not a typical scholarly examination of ancient Ireland. Ms. McCaffrey, accompanied by experts from the various periods, takes the reader on a journey through the Island visiting many of the most important historical sites. And much is to be learned as the most current research is shared. However, the most appealing aspect of the work is McCaffrey's beautifully descriptive reports from the places visited; she incorporates easy to understand discussion into vivid prose that seems to rise from the page & take hold of the reader. Highlights include Patrick's first wanderings & the beginnings of Christianity in the 5th century; life in the monasteries as monks build communities while diligently reproducing & preserving the great illuminated manuscripts--the visits to Clonmacnoise & Skelligmichael are particularly engaging; the Viking raids, which have never before been told with so much realism--the logistics of these sea & inlet manouvers left me with a new understanding of the terror inflicted on the native Irish, as well the way these raiders eventually came to shape Irish identity. Much of that period reads like a well crafted novel. If you want to become well versed in Irish history from the very beginning to 1171, this is your book. Highest rating. (When's the sequel?)