Reassessing the Irish ‘monastic town’
Mary A. Valante
D. A. Binchy stated that ‘the idea of a town, with corporate personality distinct from the ruler, was quite foreign to Gaelic mind until Scandinavians set up their “cities” in Dublin, Limerick, Waterford and elsewhere’. Numerous scholars have disagreed Binchy’s assessment claimed instead Irish monasteries were evolving, whether before Viking settlement Ireland or somehow as response presence, into what been variously called ‘protourban’ sites, ‘pre-urban nuclei’, ‘centres … industrial activity local trade’, simply ‘monastic towns’. The term town’ has use for many years, is now part standard vocabulary discussions early medieval Ireland. From scholarly works popular publications tourist consumption, monastic town known accepted entity. Armagh, Downpatrick, Kildare Clonmacnoise are most commonly cited examples, Charles Doherty argued these beginning function urban centres by ninth century. Many would agree tenth eleventh centuries, possibly Scandinavian Ireland, certain themselves. Brian Graham raised number objections concept but his work remained unacknowledged; others recently critical reassessment theory, none yet forthcoming.
Irish Historical Studies