Rating: 
Summary: Lyrical prose, well researched.
Review: 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 anthropoligists 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.
Rating:
Summary: A great discovery!
Review: What a great discovery this book is! The pages of this book are full of new information on Irish history especially the new archeological research. It is well written in a wonderful systematic way and done with great intelligence when dealing with the myths and the fables that have been spun around early Irish history. The section on the Irish monasteries is especially informative - the family communities, the 'independent' style Christianity that characterized this period in Ireland is startling and comforting. "Celtic" Christianity really was full of love and concerned less with dogma that the later version. I recommend this to anyone who wants to know the truth of early Ireland and the extraordinary history of the foundation of the Irish people. Engrossing read!!!
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