From the 5th to the 9th century Ireland was a place of intense religious, artistic, philosophical and cultural activity. Saint Patrick’s time coincided with the fall of the Roman Empire, when the Dark Ages descended on Europe. People lived under constant threat from war and invasion, but Ireland’s geographical location made her relatively safe. Scholars fled to Irish monasteries to avoid the turmoil in Europe, and they brought with them their books. The glow of learning was kept alive in Irish monasteries. They hand-copied the Bible and other ancient writings. Without them, much of ancient learning would have been lost. Ireland became known as the land of saints and scholars. The most famous work from this period is the Book of Kells. All students will receive a PowerPoint presentation for each class.