Ireland and Religion

I normally don't do this but a while ago it was requested of me to put one of my papers onto my blog. I don't expect all of you to read this completely. It's long for a blog post in my opinion. Also, this is not the finished, edited, perfected version so I apologize for any errors you may find (For I've already spotted awkward sentences).

Enjoy!

"I think there's a bit of the devil in everybody. There is a bit of a priest in everybody, too, but I enjoyed playing the devil more. He was more fun." Gabriel Byrne. When one decides to ponder about the Irish culture, some thoughts that come to mind are drinking rum, jigs, paganism, and the Celtic religion. However, an imagining that should cross ones mind is Irelands’ modern religion. It is still thought of and believed that Ireland’s present ‘religions’ are pagan, Celtic, or none. Nevertheless, most of present-day Ireland is full of the Roman Catholic and Christian religion. They have preserved their faith in such a way over the times that it has set them apart in many aspects from other religions and countries. It has even affected their country’s’ people, traditions, literature, art, and political practices.

Ireland became religious or ‘non-Celtic’ around 600 A.D. The first religion in Ireland was the Celtic world. The Celtic world is defined as a branch of the Indo-European family of languages, including especially Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton, which survive now in Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, Wales, and Brittany. The Celtic world is full of gods and goddesses like the Greeks and Romans believed. The most famous Celtic gods and goddesses are ‘The Hero of France’ or Vercingetorix who led the Gaul’s into the last fight with the Romans in 52 B.C. The ‘British King’ called Cunoblinus who was the last Celtic chieftain. The Celtic Saint Columbia was a Christian man who spread religion to Scotland. In addition, the Warrior Queen, she was the wife of a leader who was raped and beaten before rebelling against her family and destroying one of the main cities. The Celts were descendants of the people in early northern Europe. It is believed that he Romans and Greeks were partially of the Celtic faith, but this religion changes from country to country. One of the top reasons people still think Ireland to be in this pagan state is because the Celts sacrificed their own children. How could a culture that sacrificed their own newborn be transformed into any other faith? Sometime around the mid-fifth century A.D., the country of Ireland began to be influenced by missionaries from other countries. The works and prayers of these missionaries affected the very fabric upon which Ireland had been made. Eventually their religion changed from pagan and Celtic to mainly Catholic. Missionary and religious impact has almost completely rid Ireland of the Celtic faith.

However, that was the Ireland around 600 A.D. What about Irelands' beliefs today? Modern day Irelands’ people are proud of their bloodlines and history. The population of Ireland is approximately 4,481,430. Of that large population, 86.83% are religiously affiliated. One of the popular practices in Ireland now is to make blessings. The most popular is the blessing on friendship:

“May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;  
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.” This last line shows a change in heart of these people. They want to share the goodness of God in everyone’s life. In 1991 a census was taken and listed 92% of the population of the Republic of Ireland as Roman Catholic, Presbyterian: 0.37%; Methodist: 0.14%, Jewish 0.04%, Islamic: 0.11%, Jehovah's Witnesses: 0.10%, and miscellaneous religions or no religion making up the other 4.89% of the population. Because the people are dedicated to their religions, they have made up traditions. One is going to mass on a regular basis. Another is arguably both Christian and pagan; The Green Man represents in the pagan world humanity’s kinship with the woods and the trees, the cycle of birth and renewal, and irrepressible life. He is also known as: the Man in the Tree. A stag accompanies Derg Corra. He is known as the Celtic guardian of Knowledge. He is usually shown as a male head formed as a leaf mask. In the Christian ideas, it could possibly represent the palm branches laid down at Jesus’ feet when he entered Jerusalem. They also value holidays. Both of their main holidays are actually Christian: Easter and St. Patrick’s’ Day!

Ireland has been split in half because of this religious change. Northern Ireland believes that you must be Catholic and Southern Ireland says religion is preferred but not forced. Britain’s government intervened and now the county has been forced to take sides. Catholics usually prefer to be categorized as Irish and Nationalist (Republican), while Protestants usually prefer to be categorized as British and Unionist (Loyalist). Nationalists want a 'United Ireland' independent from the United Kingdom. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain separate from the Republic of Ireland and part of the United Kingdom.

"Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers." Book of Kells. The Bible tells us that with time comes corruption. Irelands’ authors make a point to show that the growth of religion in Ireland is slowly declining. "Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own." Jonathan Swift- The Battle of the Books. Observance has shown a decline in society’s welfare in religion. This fact is evident almost everywhere. However, even though we can see decline as time goes on, not many years ago 75% of Irish homes had a Bible. “Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all.” 1 Chronicles 16: 23- 24. Ireland has done an excellent job of demonstrating this passage. The growth we have seen, and hopefully, will continue to see is amazing! Besides literature, we can also see a reflection of religious affiliation in their art. Celtic art still exists and is preserved as a part of this country’s’ history. The most famous statue produced from the Celtic Irish folk is; The Dying Gaul. This statue shows the idea of power in the Celts mind. The Dying Gaul was a battle leader who was wounded. He opened his own wound so it would look worse than it actually did. The deeper the wound the more glory they received. The Greeks, stolen by the Romans, and then shipped to Ireland, first owned this statue. One set of wounds has permeated Irelands’ art. Those wounds are the wounds of Christ’s’ on the cross. Christ’s’ wounds are seen in paintings sculptures, and even jewelry! Rosaries, knots, clover, and Christ are placed in most of Irelands’ pieces of art. One of the most famous religious Irish paintings is of Pope Innocent X. It was sold for about $52.6 million. The popes used to be like kings. Ruling and demanding what they wanted from the people. Modern day politics in Ireland have a slight reflection of religion. They are a parliamentary republic. They became independent on December 6, 1921 and their constitution was made on December 29, 1937. Their branches of government are; Executive; president, head of state; prime minister, Legislative; bicameral national parliament, House of Representatives, and Senate, Judicial; Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeal, High Court, Circuit Court, and District Court. Their constitution has hints of religious activity, but it is contradictory depending on whether you are in the North or South of Ireland. Article 44.1 of the constitution states that 'The State acknowledges that the homage of public worship is due to Almighty God. It shall hold His name in reverence, and shall respect and honor religion.' However, Article 44.2 goes on to state that 'Freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion are, subject to public order and morality, guaranteed to every citizen. The State guarantees not to endow any religion.' In 1973, the Fifth Amendment of the constitution removed the section that referred to the special position of the Catholic Church. The Irish President has to swear an oath that does contain an explicit religious reference, though this may be changed in the future.

By far the most influential character in the growth of Irelands’ religion is St. Patrick. “I am Patrick, a sinner, most uncultivated and least of all the faithful, and despised in the eyes of many.” St. Patrick. He was born 390 A.D. and died 461 A.D. He was born to wealthy parents. However, around age sixteen the Irish plundered his village. In his despair, he became a Christian. For six years, he was a slave, but then one night he escaped back to Britain. Years later, he had a prompting from God to go back to Ireland as a missionary. There he stayed until he died. The only letters we still have that were written by him are the Declaration & the Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus. The Irish now have a day set apart to praise his deeds. They went from capturing him as a slave to calling him a saint. On March 17, there are parades and feasts held in his honor. In fact, they change the date of their celebration some years so that it is not interfered with any other holidays or celebrations. While Irelands’ national color is green, they have the Order of St. Patrick in their republic in many shades of blue! A blue badge symbolizes this order. His life and ministry has had the largest religious impact on Ireland. They have even declared him their ‘patron saint’. Legend has it that he used the native shamrock as a symbol of the holy trinity when preaching and brought the Latin alphabet to Ireland.

The country of Ireland is filled with religious history. Though they started out as a Celtic nation, they now live their day-to-day lives under the authority of religion. They have preserved their faith in such a way that it is set apart in many aspects from other religions or countries. It has affected their countries people, traditions, literature, art, and political practices. Only the future will tell whether they will stay under the umbrella of religious convictions. What we can presently see is a country whose history has changed over the course of time.

“I-rish you a very nice place to live,     
I-rish God's greatest gifts he'll give.
I-rish you health, and wealth, and more--
I-rish your smilin' face were at my door!” (Irish hope blessing