The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-06-25
Five Centuries Of Teaching on the
Continent Stands to the
Country's Credit.
The Memory of the Work of Irish
Missionaries is. Still Pre-
served in Many Lands.
Culture of Modern Europe is Due,
in Great Measure, to These
Active Pioneers.

Ireland was the teacher of the
proudest nations Of Europe from the
fifth to the tenth century, and laid
the foundations of modern civilization.
The annals of central and western
Eupore, the monastic chronicles, the
churches, the lives of medieval Saints,
the matyrolog1es, inscriptions and
local traditions still bear witness that
a flood Of Irish teachers penetrated
all parts of Europe and were actively
engaged in the work of teaching from
the fifth to the tenth century. They
were on the Rhine, the Danube, and
the Alps and Apprentices, in Gaul,
Spain, Belgium, Bavaria, Holland, on
the plains of Lombardy, in Northern
Italy, in the islands of the Northern
Seas.
Five centuries of noble teaching on
the Continent stands to Ireland's Gre
dit. The memory of their works is
still preserved through the length and
breadth of Europe. The schools of
Lindisfarne in England, Bobbio in
Italy, Verdum in France, Vienna, Rat
lisbon, Wurzburg, Cologne. Fl Erfurt in
Germany were founded by Irishmen.
tsriie renowned monastic school OF
sacchingen on the Rhine was founded
by st. Fridolin. st: COLUMBIA taught
in the schools of Zurich and Constance,
Sigisbert. in the school of Dissentis
and at Walsort; Wurzburg was made
celebrated by Killian, and salzburg by
st. Virgilus. The renowned schools
of Liege and Malines in Belgium were
founded by Irish teachers. .,,.......
John Scotus Erigena, who. was born
in Ireland and trained in it's schools,
was the head master of the schools
of the French King Charles III. The
ninth centuries attest that the court
of the King of the Franks was filled
with Irish philosophers such as Vir-
gilus, Clement and Dituil. Henrico Of
Auxerre tells us these teachers came
over in focks from Ireland to France
at the time that they were at the
where the Irishman Hanno drew about
him the most learned Of the Franks
But for the untiring activity of these
teachers we would not have the Scrip
lures today. The Irish monks preserv-
ed them, copied them increasingly, and
carried them all over Europe. The
oldest book of the New Testament. the
Muratorian Canon, comes down to us
from Irish monks in Bobbio, in Italy,
who Transcribed it twelve centuries
ago, although it was then five centur-
les old.
1t is we'll known that the Latin Vul-
gate played an important part in the
development Of medieval Europe. It
formed the literary taste and was the
instrument of philosophical and theo-
logical expression. The Greek and
Latin classes were served by and in
terpreted by Irish teachers. The liter
ary culture of Europe is due in great
degree to the conscientious, painstak-
ing labor of those Jealous custodians
of the classics. Among the oldest La
tin and Greek grammars and diction-
aries in our possession are those pro-
duced by Irish authors. Some an
cient treatises on surveying. geometry,
natural science and medicine are pre-
served owing to the labors of these
great man. The best classical libraries
of Europe in the Middle Ages We're in
the Irish monasteries of Bobbio in
Italy and st. Gall in Switzerland. ThL
Irish monks were the most renowned
philosophers of the eighth and ninth
centuries. They were versed in
Plato, Aristotle and Boethius, the
philosophy of the Scriptures and the
history of the world.
The literature of the Irish monks
shows high degre of artistic culture
and broad knowledge of the fine arts.
In elegance and purity of style their
: work is unequalled Elegant traces
of skill in sculpture can be found to-
day in the monasteries of Bangor, Ar
magh.. Lismore and clonmacnoise. To
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