Panel 1:
THE FIRST HUMAN ACTIVITY IN IRELAND THE MIDDLE STONE AGE
(MESOLITHIC PERIOD 7000-4000BC)

During this period the first people arrived in Ireland. The country was heavily wooded and so movement was largely along the coast, on rivers and along the very extensive lakes left in Ireland after the last Ice Age. As hunter gatherers and fishers these Middle Stone Age people had a very mobile lifestyle. They moved regularly throughout the year to avail of seasonal resources. Some sites were re-visited regularly, perhaps every year or every few years. It is probable that they stayed longer at the same location during the winter as well as during the spring when food like salmon would have been plentiful. It seems that during the spring and early summer they lived mainly along the coasts moving inland in late summer.

Their principal game was wild boar but deer were also hunted. Fish, including sea and freshwater varieties, may have been a more important part of their diet, and plant food, such as hazelnuts and water lily seeds, were also eaten in large quantities. Tools were made of stone, wood, antler and hide. Composite tools with cutting edges made up of several tiny flint blades (microliths) attached to a wooden handle were common as were stone axes made by sharpening suitably shaped stones. The people had bows indicated by the discoveries of arrowheads of flint and chert; fish hooks and fish traps made from woven baskets have also survived in special circumstances of preservation.  

The basic social unit was the family as indicated by the size of the circular houses that Mesolithic people constructed. Settlements of several houses suggest that for at least part of the year groups of families, probably those with close blood ties, came together. This group or 'band' would have shared tasks such as hunting or fishing. It may be that larger gatherings also occurred between different bands. Certainly marriages outside the family groups had to be arranged and it is probable that other shared activities, such as social and ritual ceremonies, took place on these occasions of large-scale gatherings. 

Panel 2:
THE MIDDLE STONE AGE - BELIEFS AND SPIRITUALITY IN HUNTER-GATHERER SOCIETIES 
(MESOLITHIC PERIOD 7000-4000BC)

Although we do not yet have any direct evidence in Ireland for ritual or religious beliefs, people from the same period in other parts of Europe had formal burial traditions with the dead richly dressed and carrying gifts and food offerings. This shows that these people had specific spiritual beliefs that included the expectation of an after life. The burials are of men, women and children. In other parts of the world modern hunter-gatherer societies have a very strong sense of place and belonging in the landscapes they inhabit. Special places, often natural features such as mountains, rivers, specific rocks, springs, trees or copses of trees, are believed to house spirits, whether deities or ancestors. Such places may have been the focus for community ceremonies in Mesolithic Ireland. Evidence from Britain suggests that at least one Mesolithic ceremony or ritual was associated with the hunting of deer with someone, perhaps a shaman, dressing as a deer with an antler headdress. 

Panel 3:
THE LATE STONE AGE - THE FIRST FARMERS
(NEOLITHIC PERIOD 4000-2500BC)

The principal alteration in the Neolithic was the introduction of farming as the main way of providing food. Associated change is just as dramatic with the gradual clearance of the earlier forests for agriculture, the expansion of population, changes in the social and settlement patterns and the construction of the first monuments. The main food sources were cattle, sheep (or goats) and pigs while wheat and barley were the main cereal crops. Most evidence shows that mixed farming, pastoral and tillage, was the norm and some hunting, gathering and fishing continued to supplement the diet. Farms were divided into fields bounded by walls, banks and hedges and light, easily worked soils were preferred. Although the basic unit of society remained the nuclear family it is evident that Neolithic communities were much larger than those of the Mesolithic and they had permanent settlements in which the house was the main focus.

Large rectangular timber houses were the norm, each capable of accommodating a family of between 5 and 10 individuals, and other associated farm buildings are also found. It is not clear if each family worked individual farms but it is certain that a considerable degree of communal co-operation was involved in the management of the farmed landscape. Clearance and the subdivision of land were certainly carried out at a community level. Most families or communities would have been self-sufficient, producing all their requirements in food, clothing, tools and weapons. Stone axes were used to clear forests as well as to carry out finer woodworking. Blades, knives, scrapers (mainly for cleaning hides) of flint and chert were the other principal artefacts, but large numbers of arrowheads also attest to hunting and to warfare.

A fascinating aspect of the Neolithic is the development of long distance trade or exchange in special materials and artefacts. The most significant of these was in special stone for the manufacture of stone axes, the most highly prized source for which was the Tievebulliagh – Rathlin area of north County Antrim. This rock - porcellanite - was traded all over Ireland and many examples of these axes have also been found in Britain. The axe trade demonstrates the network of contacts that existed in the Neolithic as axes of stone from Britain have also been found in Ireland. 

Panel 4:
THE LATE STONE AGE - THE VENERATION OF THE DEAD
(NEOLITHIC PERIOD 4000-2500BC)

The other area in which the community was the prime mover was in the construction of burial monuments. From an early stage in the Neolithic, collective burial was carried out in tombs built of large stones (megaliths) and these sites were the work of several, or multiple, families working together.

Several different types of tomb were used each having particular architectural features and representing variations in the belief and ceremonies of communities who built them. The tombs consist of a burial chamber and a much larger covering mound of earth or stone intended to create a monumental presence in the landscape. A special area in front of the access to the burial chambers appears to have been the focus for at least some of the communal ceremonies that may have included marriage and rites of passage as well as funerary rituals. Death, funeral ceremonies and the ancestors were certainly a central facet of Neolithic life; the dead were cremated and the remains of several individuals were buried together accompanied by simple artifacts that were associated with them in life. There is also good evidence to show that the cremated remains were occasionally moved around in the tombs showing that an on-going relationship with the ancestors, probably associated with asking for their help and guidance, was a feature of the period. Excavation has shown that some tombs were used over a period of several hundred years, attesting to both the longevity of belief systems and the stability of settlement patterns.

Another important aspect of one type of megalith - the passage tomb - is the carving of decorative motifs and compositions on the stones using quartz crystal points and stone or antler hammers. While the exact meaning of the motifs is unknown it is evident that these were representations of a complex symbolism where motifs were combined in major compositions to convey beliefs and probably cosmologies. Research suggests that the carving was carried out in a trance-like state emphasising the magico-symbolism of the art. Towards the end of the Neolithic, tombs were gradually replaced by large open ceremonial enclosures and burials of individuals, both in tombs and simple unmarked pit burials, became more common. This suggests a shift away from the central place of the ancestors as the mediators of the living community and the rise in importance of bothnon-funerary rituals and the individual in society.

Panel 5:
THE BRONZE AGE - SUSTAINED SOCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
(2500-800BC)

The introduction of Bronze, which gradually replaced stone as the main material for the production of tools and weapons, witnessed a change from a focus on communal burial and ceremonial to one where individual worth and acquired status became more important. In this context it appears that individuals or families controlled small communities or kingroups and that status and authority could be inherited. During the period the range and technical achievements in the production of metal artefacts tools, weapons and ornaments made sustained improvement.

Although most artefacts were of utilitarian use, the skill and effort required to make many items, and particularly those belonging to the Late Bronze Age (1200-800BC), indicates that even these were costly and precious possessions. More demanding items, such as swords or elaborate gold ornaments, would have taken a craft master several weeks to produce; it is evident that control of the whole process of production, from the extraction and transportation of raw materials to final completion of the artefacts, was an important source of wealth and power. There also appears to have been a sustained improvement in agricultural technology with an increased emphasis on cereal production. During the Middle and Late Bronze Age (1600-800BC) rising population contributed to creating greater pressure on resources including land and raw materials. This appears in turn to have led to an increasing emphasis on weaponry indicating the importance of conflict in the exercise of control and the emergence of a warrior aristocracy.

Hillforts, including large heavily defended sites enclosing up to 20ha and serving a community and small family residences, were constructed from 1000-900BC onwards and these appear to have formed the central sites of powerful chiefdoms some extending to areas of over 200 square kilometers and having populations in excess of 10,000 people. In the North Munster area around Mountshannon the chiefly class wore insignia consisting of elaborate and costly personal ornaments of gold. Many other families, perhaps especially those of the warrior elites, lived in defended settlements and these sites are clustered together with local ritual monuments, stone circles, barrows (earthen burial monuments), standing stones and cooking places (fulachta fiadh) indicating the continued importance of kingroups in organisation of society.

Panel 6:
THE BRONZE AGE - BURIAL AND VOTIVE DEPOSITION
(2500-800BC)

The great megalithic tombs of the Neolithic, although still occasionally used for burial, were replaced by smaller, simpler graves. Many of these held the remains of high ranking individuals and their families accompanied by rich grave goods including highly decorated pottery vessels, bronze weapons and personal ornaments. We can envisage that the funerary ceremonies that accompanied these burials were perhaps now more personalised with greater freedom for individual mourning and grief. But they were also occasions to celebrate the life and success of the deceased, as well as the wealth and prestige of the heirs and surviving family. Cremation continued to be the most common burial rite, and some graves contain the remains of several individuals. Cemeteries in mounds or cairns could contain many graves. Excavations have shown that some of these were in use for more than a thousand years by the same community or family indicating that the population was sedentary and stable. Indeed, it appears that the same graves within a cemetery could be re-opened on numerous occasions over such a period to inter descendants of the original occupants. Towards the end of the Bronze Age the burial rite gradually changed so that many burials consisted of only token human remains, sometimes only a handful of bone and pyre material and very few contain grave goods of any kind. While these changes were taking place there was an increasing emphasis on the sacrifice of metal objects in wet places such as rivers, bogs and lakes. Again we can envisage that these depositions were accompanied by public ceremonial: the sacrifice of personal wealth was an opportunity to impress the community as well as appeasing the spirits or gods. The choice of wet places is significant, as it seems to indicate an association of water with specific beliefs in deities who could intercede on the part of the living. Some deposits, such as the Mooghaun hoard of over 175 personal objects of gold, certainly represent at least part of the wealth of a high standing leader. However, many examples of single objects, tools, weapons or ornaments, are known and it is possible that these represent more personal, and even private, acts of prayer, devotion and votive offering. In addition to objects of bronze, gold and amber deposits of human remains, and particularly skulls or parts of skulls, are also common. It is possible that these are part of a complex burial tradition, but it is also possible that they represent a more direct link between the community and the deities. There is no specific evidence that they indicate human sacrifice but that some people who died were considered worthy messengers to the gods. On the other hands they could be the remains, and more specifically the heads, of enemies killed in battle that were deposited as trophy sacrifices.

Panel 7:
THE IRON AGE
(800BC-400AD)

The archaeological record shows that the introduction of iron working overlapped with the final stages of the Bronze Age. New artifact types, often showing a mixture of both traditions, were developed and a few exotic items were imported from the Continent. After this initial period the record is largely blank and few artefacts or sites are known. This provides a considerable puzzle, but after 300BC the emergence of a range of bronze artefacts, principally weapons and ornaments, decorated in the elaborate and distinctive La Tène style, provides a rich array of evidence. This indicates a vibrant hierarchical society with much emphasis on symbolism, art, feasting and warfare. This is a dominated by a warrior aristocracy and ruled by chiefs or kings who could hold power at a local or a regional level. A landless class served privileged landowners, who formed the warrior caste. Cattle appear to be more than a mainstay of farming; they are a basic form of currency and a measure of wealth and status. The decorative style (called La Tène after a type-site in Switzerland) is a feature of the later Iron Age throughout central and western Europe. In Ireland it occurs on a wide range of artefacts including horse-bits, bridal mounts, sword scabbards, trumpets and bracelets, as well as on blocks of stone such as Turoe, Co. Galway. The art consists of a flowing style based on compass-drawn circles and arcs forming a continuous blend of subtle motifs. Many artefacts are the work of craft masters. Small bone trial pieces, used to try out motifs and compositions, have been found at Loughcrew, Co. Meath. In Ireland, La Tène decoration was adapted in a distinctive native style that provided the background for the emergence of the characteristic Irish art of the early historic period. Weaponry swords with decorated bronze scabbards, spears and shields and horse gear abound in the artifact record. There is evidence, in the form of great bronze horns, for fanfares at important ceremonies and for feasting in the form of large cauldrons. Gambling and board games are indicated by dice and gaming pieces. The Iron Age witnessed the construction of large public monuments including the impressive timber trackway across Corlea bog, Co. Longford, and the defensive territorial boundaries, such as the Black Pigs Dyke across southern Ulster. Major ritual enclosures of timber were built at regional centres at Tara, Co. Meath, Emain Macha, Co. Armagh and Dun Ailinne, Co. Kildare. These were the location of public ritual and ceremonial providing cohesion to the communities of large chiefdoms or kingdoms.

Panel 8:
RITUAL AND RELIGION IN THE IRON AGE

(800-BC-400AD)

There are several sources of information regarding the beliefs of Iron Age people in Ireland. The archaeological evidence demonstrates the ceremonial deposition of fine metalwork in wet places, including rivers (the Shannon at Killaloe, Co. Clare), lakes (Loughnashade beside the Emain Macha ritual centre) and bogs (Ralaghan) represents a continuity from the Bronze Age and many of the places used for these offerings were the same in the Iron Age. It is probable that while the nature of the rituals and ceremonies surrounding these votive events changed the purpose, to appear spirits or gods, and to enhance the status of the elites making these sacrifices, remained the same throughout this lengthy period. We know little of the nature of the ceremonies and rites enacted at the great ceremonial centres of Tara, Emain Macha or Dún Ailinne, but it is probable that they were not purely religious occasions, but were used to enhance and affirm kingly status and as an occasion for councils, mediation and alliance. We can envisage that they took place on the four great festivals of the Celtic calendar Imbolc (1 February), Beltane (1 May), Lughnasa (1 August) and Samain (1 November). We also know a great deal about the religious beliefs of these so-called Celtic people from the historical accounts of them surviving in the histories of their contemporaries in Europe, the Greeks and Romans. There was a special priestly class, the Druids, who were the keepers of ritual lore and who presided over a whole range of ceremonies as well as carrying out other ministries such as healing and reading auguries. There were many deities, but in Irish tradition Lugh and Dagda seem to have been the most important. The oak tree had a special place in this belief system and was believed to have magical powers. The human head was also a powerful symbol, perhaps from a custom of taking trophies in battle and this is reflected in the carving of stone heads, in the practice of placing heads by themselves in graves and in the deposition of skulls or skull fragments in wet places in the same manner as precious artifacts. We have the impression, therefore, of a society with a well developed and complex belief system and an elaborate suite of ceremonies. These took place in a range of special designated sacred locations, both natural and built, in which the various aspects of ritual activity and social ceremony could be enacted. However, it is interesting that in the early Irish heroic stories there is remarkably little reference to religion or spirits, and this suggests that there was an element of separation between the sacred and profane in everyday life.

Panel 9:
THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY

Society in the early historic period (400-1150AD) was very similar to that in the preceding Iron Age although considerably more information is available for study. Society was ruled by kings who held power at a local or regional level and who were supported by a class of strong farmers (Bó Aire) and served by a larger landless class who had few rights. The basic social unit was the extended family who lived in defended settlements (ringforts and cashels) of which over 40,000 survive in the modern landscape. Although mixed agriculture was practiced, there was a particular emphasis on cattle; status and wealth were all measured in the number of cattle that a family possessed and personal honour was also calculated in cattle. Property, including land and animals, was vested in the family rather than the individual. Power and status were acquired through a system of patronage and alliance in which land was lent to social subordinates in return for support. A very complex and thorough legal system emerged during this period that a special judicial class modified and interpreted. Poets, satirists, musicians and master craft workers all held special status. Men and women had similar, but not identical, legal rights. The arrival of Christianity in the fifth century AD greatly transformed concepts of belief and spirituality. New symbols of belief and rituals of worship were introduced and spread rapidly throughout the island. It is unlikely, given the nature of social and political organisation in Ireland, that significant conversion took place until major royal families accepted Christianity. Furthermore, the power of earlier traditions and the wealth of earlier symbolism contributed to the special character of Christianity in Ireland. Many of the new churches were located on the sites of earlier worship, and many springs, wells and shrines appear to have been Christianised through the adoption and transformation of pre-Christian beliefs and rituals. The continuation of La Tène decoration, on grave slabs, high crosses, manuscripts and metal reliquaries, reinforced this blending of aspects of old and new beliefs. The domination of monasticism as the formal framework for the Church in Ireland exemplifies the spirituality of the Early Church; in particular the choice of remote places such as islands (like Iniscealtra) and mountain sites, symbolises the spirituality of personal commitment to God and to a life of service, prayer and contemplation. But these monastic centres were also the place of worship and of burial for the whole community for whom the monks provided spiritual guidance. The association of the monasteries with particular families or tribes enabled the formation of strong links and loyalties between the spiritual community of the monks and the wider society.

Panel 10:
MONASTICISM AND CHRISTIANITY IN THE EARLY HISTORY PERIOD
(400-1150AD)

The early Church in Ireland developed mainly within a series of semi-independent monasteries without a wider organisational structure based on bishops and dioceses. A strong link with the local community was often a prerequisite to acquiring land and permission to establish the monastery, indeed is was customary for the abbot and many of the monks to be members of leading local families. In many ways the community of monks were a reflection of an extended family in secular society; the monastery was usually set in a defended enclosure similar to a ringfort or cashel. The monks farmed the local land and they were largely self-sufficient, like their secular neighbours, in food, the production of tools and utensils, and even the manufacture of ornaments, such as decorative metal reliquaries to hold manuscripts or relics. It is probable that the monks also carried out the carving of grave slabs and High Crosses, as well as the construction of churches and Round Towers. The monks were governed by a Rule, a set of principles of duty, obedience and humility created by the founder. Iniscealtra - the site, like the monastery at Clonmacnoise, is on the most important inland routeway in Ireland, along the River Shannon. It appears that there were hermits as well as monks on this small island in Lough Derg; MacCreiche and St. Colum MacCrenthainn (549). St. Colum moved to Terryglass where he founded a monastery. The monastery is reputed to have been established in the 7th century by St. Caimin (654) who was abbot by 640 and he was certainly venerated as the founder. The fame of his religious life attracted many disciples whom he formed into a strong community. The monastery was sacked and burnt by the V Vikings in 836 and 922 and the High King, Brian Boru (1014), is said to have built one of the churches while his brother (1009) was abbot. By middle of the 13th century the monastery was abandoned but St. Caimins Church was used as the parish church and the island become an important place of pilgrimage during the medieval period. Iniscealtra was said to have been the location of a miraculous tree. The monastery on Iniscealtra consists of a complex of standing buildings and monuments, as well as a range of other features revealed through excavation. Amongst these are the monastic enclosures, the ruins of four stone churches, a round tower, the Anchorites Cell (a tiny two compartment structure, probably a tomb or shrine) as well as high crosses, a canonical sundial and a large number of cross-inscribed grave slabs. St. Caimins is a simple rectangular church with ante to which a chancel has later been added. There is a 12th century Romanesque doorway and altar. The church of St. Michael is a small rectangular oratory set within an ancient monastic enclosure. St. Brigids also has a Romanesque doorway while St. Marys, probably the last building of the monastic period dating to the early 13th century, is a long rectangular building. The foundations of an earlier wooden church were uncovered during excavation. This measured 8m by 5m (26ft 3in by 16ft 5in). The building was orientated east/west and there were three phases identified. In Phase 1 and 2 the walls were constructed of three parallel rows of wattle with a facing of earth; the position of an altar was indicated at the east end. The monastic complex is set within a clearly discernible system of ancient enclosures and fields indicating the division of the island into farmland tended by the monks. Other timber buildings, such as barns and byres, cells for the monks, a refectory, and perhaps specialised buildings such as a scriptorium, have left no place. Nevertheless, the number of churches, as well as the other monastic features, support the documentary evidence that Iniscealtra was very significant centre as witnessed by the fact that the abbot was the brother of the High King. The most important high cross has an inscription on the west side asking for a prayer for Cathasach (1111), Chief Elder of Ireland, who appears to have been an ecclesiastic from Armagh. The east side bears an inscription asking for a prayer for Tornoc (Turlough?) who erected the cross. Attached to the north wall of the church is the head of another cross with damaged figures on the ends of the arms, possibly Samuel kissing and anointing Saul or David. The Romanesque head of a Christ figure, probably part of a crucifixion from a twelfth century cross (now in the National Museum of Ireland) was also found during excavations. Other buildings include the Church of the Wounded Men, a small rectangular building of unknown use, with three doorways, and a Round Tower with round-headed window. In addition there is a Canonical sundial, one of the largest collections of cross-inscribed grave slabs in Ireland and four bullaun stones (stones with basin-like depressions associated with early Christian Irish monasteries).

Panel 11:

THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD
(1150-1600 AD)

The arrival of the monastic orders of the Cistercians, and later the Benedictines, Dominicans and Franciscans, introduced a more formal and structured attitude to monastic life in Ireland. Soon afterwards the coming of the Normans began a similar, if more gradual, impact on the organisation of Irish life at a social, political, cultural and economic level. The Norman invasion took the form of a military campaign in association with Irish allies. It is widely represented by the earth and timber castles (mottes) constructed in the east of the country to form temporary strategic castles and garrison centres. Later these were replaced by stone castles, including tower houses built to house the families of individual lords. Between 1179 and 1600 Ireland came increasingly under the control of the Anglo-Normans, and especially of the English monarchs. Towns were planned and built for the first time. New political structures and legal systems gradually replaced those of early historic Ireland, but the basic fabric of society remained largely unchanged especially in remote areas. The construction of large integrated church complexes by the Cistercians in the twelfth century and the introduction of a formal diocesan structure within the Church heralded a more rapid demise in the traditional role of the monasteries. Monks and new acolytes flocked to the impressive new monasteries and within a few decades there were over forty Cistercian abbeys in the country. These attracted aristocratic patronage, from both Gaelic and Anglo-Norman lords, away from the traditional establishments.

Panel 12:
THE PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE IN THE EARLY HISTORIC AND MEDIEVAL CHURCH

Pilgrimage was an essential element in the early Christian belief system in Ireland and continued to grow in popularity throughout the medieval period. Journeys abroad to the great places of Christian pilgrimage, Rome, Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostella, are recorded in the documentary sources but they are also attested by the return to Ireland of mementos and emblems of pilgrimage, such as pieces of porphyry (a distinctive patterned rock type) from Rome and shells from Compostella. Pilgrims badges, widely recognisable symbols of the great Christian centres, and pieces of local pottery, were also collected. These journeys were often undertaken as voyages of self-discovery and enlightenment. In another sense pilgrims became the first tourists and an element of festivity and adventure imbued the experience. The aspect of a journey shared with others was important, not only to enhance the occasion, but also to help ensure the safety of the pilgrims who were largely defenseless in unfamiliar lands. At a more local level several important monastic centres became the focus of pilgrim journeys. These included Clonmacnoise, Glendalough, Glencolumbkille and Iniscealtra and attracted large numbers of visitors. Groups of people as well as individuals sometimes travelled long distances to these sites and the journey itself formed an essential part of the spiritual pilgrimage. Other places, such as Croagh Patrick, witnessed great annual gatherings where the visitors climbed the mountain barefoot to honour the national saint, a custom that continues unabated to this day. These pilgrimages mirror similar events world wide, such as the annual visit to Mount Fuji in Japan or the Inca journey up the sacred Mount Ampato. The medieval Romanesque doorway at the end of the path represents the sight that would have greeted pilgrims at the end of their journey. Trees, such as cedar of Lebanon, and Mediterranean figs and olives, represent scenes familiar to pilgrims in more distant foreign lands.

Panel 13:
HOLY WELLS PERSONAL DEVOTION AND COMMUNAL REVELRY IN THE EARLY MODERN PERIOD

In the last century, before and during the emergence of the Catholic Church as a more centralised authority, the pattern days and their associated festivals were a more important focus for belief than regular church going. These occasions provided the few opportunities for social gathering and festivity in a rural community. The Church made concerted efforts to restrict the patterns and encourage more approved, and controlled, expressions of belief and devotion. By this time the patterns were at the height of their popularity with some of the larger ones attracting thousands of visitors. They were noisy, boisterous occasions with a mixture of prayer, commerce, sport, dancing, and above all drinking, where brawling between individuals and fighting between rival clans and factions was commonplace. They were often condemned as occasions of “drunkenness and debauchery” and while many of the claims were no doubt exaggerated as part of the Church clamp-down, many were certainly the scene of “every sort of debauchery…. dancing, shouting, fiddling, courting, drinking and fighting”. Gradually during the nineteenth century the patterns were banned although many survived and have continued, stripped of their wilder aspects, to the present. Behind the efforts of the Church to control public behaviour and encourage more conventional devotion there was a realisation of the essentially non-Christian elements to the pattern days. As social gatherings these events probably had a much greater antiquity than the introduction of Christianity and they reflect the kind of occasions when social bonding and interchange combined with ceremonial and ritual activity dating right back into prehistory. Indeed, some of the wells themselves may have been places of ritual veneration stretching back as far as the Mesolithic. The pattern days combined the essential ingredients for largely rural communities of whatever period, a regular opportunity to gather, socialise and share in a common ritual experience, to form personal and social bonds and to barter, exchange and conduct business. While the religious and ritual traditions changed gradually over time, much of the behaviour and many of the activities on a pattern day would have been familiar to prehistoric communities.

Panel 14:
HOLY WELLS A LONG HISTORY Of PERSONAL AND COMMUNAL DEVOTION

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Holy Wells scattered throughout the Irish countryside. Most of these are natural springs, but many of even these unmarked sites are associated with devotion to local saints. Individuals visited these sites regularly as a focus for prayer and requests for intercedence. While the well or spring may be the only feature many sites have, other elements may include a bush or tree, usually a blackthorn, a small statue (of the saint or patron), or even a more elaborate built shrine. Many springs were lined, and even roofed, with stone and stone steps leading down to the waters surface. Favours, often simple strips of brightly coloured cloth, were hung on the tree or bush and other offerings could include coins, small plaster statuettes (often of the Virgin Mary), rosary beads, devotional photographs or drawings and small crucifixes. Veneration at important wells, including those at monastic sites, was associated more particularly with the patron saints day. The festival, called a pattern (pátrún), incorporated devotion to the saint, in the form of prayers or sets of prayers carried out at specific locations in the immediate vicinity of the well or shrine. The rounds were often focused on parts of standing buildings, wells, boulders, small crosses, cairns or altars. Frequently a fair or market was associated with the pattern. These were important social gatherings and many festivals included other social activities such as sports and dancing. Some of the most important patterns, such as those at Clonmacnoise (9 September), Glendalough, Glencolumbkille (9 June) and Iniscealtra, had a wider, even national, appeal and were occasions of pilgrimage. The rounds at these sites became well established. At Glencolumbkille there are fifteen stations on a 5km route and the full round takes three and a half hours. At Iniscealtra excavation has revealed the paths used on medieval pilgrimage rounds, and some of the original monastic buildings enclosures were evidently repaired and even rebuilt as part of the pilgrimage complex. Indeed, the rounds, often consisting of many kilometres of prescribed route, reflect three essential aspects of pilgrimage, the journey itself, the shared experience and the penitential element. These are combined up to the present in the religious retreats conducted in a severe atmosphere of prayer, fasting and lack of sleep at centres such as St. Patricks Purgatory, Lough Derg, Co. Donegal.