Lecture on Medieval Monasticism with reference to midlands

The Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society host Dr Edel Bhreathnach as speaker at a lecture on Wednesday 25 February next at 8pm in the Greville Arms Hotel.

Dr Bhreathnach is former CEO of the discovery Programme and author of the best selling Monasticism in Medieval Ireland. The title of her lecture is Monasticism in early medieval Ireland: a different perspective?

Monasticism in early Ireland is often viewed as different to other forms of monasticism in the Christian world and is often labelled as ‘Celtic monasticism’. But how different was it? This lecture looks afresh at early monasticism in Ireland with reference to some of the monasteries in the region around Mullingar.

Edel Bhreathnach is a specialist in medieval history with an interest in interdisciplinary studies in archaeology, history and literature. She was CEO of the Discovery Programme (2013-19) and is a former visiting fellow to All Souls College Oxford (2016).

She has worked on large scale projects relating to Tara, the history of the Franciscans in Ireland, and monasticism in Ireland from the 10th century to the 13th century.

She has published widely on those subjects, including her volumes Ireland in the Medieval World 400-1000AD: Landscape, Kingship and Religion (Four Courts Press: Dublin, 2014) and Monasticism in Ireland AD900-1250 (Four Courts Press: Dublin, 2024).