Ireland and Britain in the Age of Bede: The Jennifer O’Reilly memorial lectures 2017–2024

This volume comprises the first eight lectures (2017–2024) presented in memory of Jennifer O’Reilly, a renowned expert in early medieval Insular culture. The Memorial Lecture Series was established in 2017 by the School of History, University College Cork, where Dr O’Reilly spent most of her career. Each year a distinguished scholar is invited to speak on either the writings of Bede (c. 673–735) or medieval iconography, two subjects that Dr O’Reilly explored in her research and teaching. The studies in this volume, which are varied in subject matter and approach, indicating the breadth and depth of the honorand’s scholarship, offer ground-breaking insights into early medieval Insular culture.

The contents illuminate our understanding of relations between the islands of Britain and Ireland during the Age of Bede. Analyses of the writings of Bede, situate his work in the context of his patristic inheritance and his monastic community of Wearmouth and Jarrow, thereby advancing our knowledge of that influential monastery. New approaches to medieval art and iconography highlight the importance of specific imagery in Insular culture and re-examine one of the most iconic examples of Insular art, the high cross.

This book will be of value to anyone interested in early medieval Ireland and Britain, especially those who wish to learn more about cross-cultural connections between these islands, and the interpretation of Scripture in Insular culture.