How the Irish Saved Civilization

How The Irish Saved Civilization
Author Thomas Cahill
Country Ireland
Language English
Subject History of Ireland
Publisher Nan A. Talese
Publication date
 1995
Pages 246
ISBN 0-385-41848-5
OCLC 30700982
941.501 20
LC Class DA930.5 .C34 1995

How The Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe is a non-fiction historical book written by Thomas Cahill.

Cahill argues a case for the Irish people's critical role in preserving Western Civilization from utter destruction by the Huns and the Germanic tribes (Visigoths, Franks, Angles, Saxons, Ostrogoths, etc.). The book retells the story from the collapse of the Roman Empire and the pivotal role played by members of the clergy at the time. A particular focus is placed upon Saint Patrick and retells his early struggles through slavery; basically retelling portions of The Confession of Saint Patrick. Early parts of the book examine Ireland before Patrick and the role of Saint Augustine of Canterbury. Particular focus is placed upon Saint Columba and the monks he trained and the monasteries he set up in the Hiberno-Scottish mission. These holy men, according to Cahill, "single-handedly refounded European civilization throughout the continent." (p. 4)

Publication and reception

How the Irish Saved Civilization was first published in March 1995 and appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List for almost two years.[1]

It was favourably reviewed in many general interest quality newspapers and magazines.[2] However, it also provoked a number of critiques from other reviewers, some of whom qualified or outright rejected the main thesis, and some of whom pointed out factual mistakes.[3][4] such as the misrepresented nature of the Germanic takeover of the Roman Empire.[5] Lisa M. Bitel states in her review, in The Catholic Historical Review, that Cahill takes an "essentially Gibbon-esque view" and that the book is "pure and simple, a traditional legend of saints."[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Thomas Cahill: About the Author". Random House. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  2. ↑ Bernstein, Richard (April 5, 1995). "Who Saved Civilization? The Irish, That's Who!". The New York Times. Scholars, perhaps, will now evaluate these claims. But whatever they may find, Mr. Cahills' book will remain an entirely engaging, delectable voyage into the distant past, a small treasure.
  3. 1 2 Lisa M. Bitel (April 1997). "How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe". The Catholic Historical Review. 83 (2). Retrieved 2014-03-30. I cannot begin here to list all the misread texts, over-simplified historical constructs, and biases of this book.
  4. ↑ Callahan, Tim. "Rust On the Hinges of History: How Neither the Irish Nor the Jews Saved Civilization". Skeptic Magazine. 7 (1).
  5. ↑ Wolfram, Herwig (2005). The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples. University of California Press. p. 313. The Germanic peoples neither destroyed the Roman world nor restored it; instead, they made a home for themselves within it.
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