Groundbreaking display showcases medieval Ireland's links to Europe, marking a world first.
The National Museum of Ireland unveils a seminal exhibition, titled 'Words on the Wave: Ireland and St Gallen in Early Medieval Europe'. This groundbreaking showcase, set to open by Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, delves into Ireland's early medieval connections with Europe.
Highlighting a historical "first", the exhibition features 17 early medieval manuscripts hailing from Stiftsbibliothek St Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Switzerland. These precious texts are arriving in Ireland for the first time in over a millennium.
Maeve Sikora, keeper of Irish antiquities at the National Museum, emphasizes the exhibition's focus on the connectivity between Ireland and continental Europe. "Ideas, people, and objects have been traveling, ebbing and flowing," she said.
The exhibition boasts the largest ever loan of Stiftsbibliothek's treasured manuscripts. Many of these works share ties with the famous books of Kells and Durrow, thus presenting contemporary pieces.
In addition to these manuscripts, over 100 objects from the medieval era will be displayed, many presented to the public for the first time. This includes Ireland's oldest book shrine, Lough Kinale Shrine, which underwent conservation at the National Museum following its discovery at the bottom of a Longford lake.
Many manuscripts from the Stiftsbibliothek St Galle collection hold Irish origins, with some credited to Irish scribes. Written on vellum, these manuscripts reflect the journeys of early Irish monks like St Gall and St Columbanus.
Featured within the exhibition are highlights such as Isidore's Etymologiae, the earliest surviving copy of a 7th-century encyclopedia of word meanings, akin to the ancient world's "internet." Priscian's Latin grammar book is another exhibition staple, marked by thousands of monkish notations in the Old Irish language.
Visitors can delve into the daily thoughts of these monks through their documentation, gaining glimpses of their witticisms, banter, and even gripes about the Vikings, hangovers, and the quality of ink.
Among other rarities, the exhibition displays Codex Sangallensis 51, one of the world's rarest books, and a vellum reliquary label dating back to around 700 AD, containing the earliest written reference to St Brigid.
St Gall, a companion of Columbanus, was one of the lesser-known Irish monks who departed Ireland in the 6th century. Gall or Gallus is recognized with the historical city of St Gallen, Finland, which has been designated as a UNESCO world heritage site. This city serves as a unique repository for Irish history and culture.
In the 612, St Gall established a monastery in Allemania (close to Lake Constance in modern-day Switzerland), which became a significant pilgrimage route stopover to Rome. Subsequently, an abbey school and library were established there by the 8th century.
The exhibition illustrates the travels of monks like St Columbanus and St Gall, who carried not only themselves but also manuscripts, ideas, and artistic traditions, connecting Ireland to a larger European continent.
In total, the manuscripts on loan to the museum encompass a mix of books rumored to have been penned in Irish monastic settlements, eventually traveling to Europe with Gall and Columbanus, as well as texts produced by Irish scribes in St Gallen.
To bring the exhibition to life, the National Museum, which maintains the world's largest collection of early medieval Irish objects, will display over 150 artefacts from its collection to illuminate the degree of contact between Ireland, Britain, and the continent during the early medieval era.
The exhibition includes newly researched findings, which researchers claim have significantly deepened understanding of Ireland's Golden Age. On display for the first time are facts from the museum's national collection, many showcasing new research and carbon dating.
Running from May until October, 'Words on the Wave: Ireland and St Gallen in Early Medieval Europe' is free to visit at the National Museum of Ireland's Kildare Street location.
Exhibiting the link between Ireland's ancient past and contemporary lifestyles, the National Museum of Ireland's upcoming exhibition, 'Words on the Wave: Ireland and St Gallen in Early Medieval Europe,' also features a home-and-garden segment displaying various medieval Irish artifacts. These artifacts, including Ireland's oldest book shrine, Lough Kinale Shrine, provide a glimpse into the lifestyle of early Irish monks and their connections with continental Europe.
Augmenting the historical manuscripts, the home-and-garden section unveils numerous items representative of the daily lives of these monks, offering an insightful look into their lifestyle and cultural practices. This engaging aspect of the exhibition serves as a bridge connecting the past and the present, allowing modern visitors to appreciate the enduring influence of Ireland's medieval heritage on today's home-and-garden designs and lifestyle trends.
