2 - The Island and the World: Irish responses to Literacy c. 600–850

Summary

A Tale of Two Islands? Bilingualism and Code-Switching

Early medieval Ireland's two languages and two literatures existed in relationship to each other. The nativist and anti-nativist models which have been offered to explain, or explain away, this relationship have frequently obscured that reality. This is best seen in the two distinct views of the island, implicit in the discussion at the end of the last chapter concerning the origins of Irish literate communities. On the one hand there is an Ireland of Hiberno-Latin writers, respected scholars of international repute such as Columbanus, Virgilius of Salzburg, Dicuil, Sedulius Scottus, Eriugena and others; it is the home of computists, exegetes, canonists and geographers; it is a land of Latin learning. On the other hand, it is seen as an island dominated by ancient Indo-European ways, steeped in pagan traditions transmitted by semi-druidic poets and judges. Its culture is little concerned with the world beyond insular shores. This Ireland has but a thin skin of Christianity, favouring tradition over innovation and pagan syncretism over a Christian faith. For some, the island is closer in soul and structure to Vedic India than it is to contemporary early medieval Europe. In essence, it is a vernacular island. Confusingly, these two Irelands appear to have few or no points of contact. It seems to be a case not so much of distant worlds but alternate universes.