Monasteries

Some Irish people became monks. They lived simple lives devoting all their time to serving God.

Many years ago, monks lived in small monasteries built of wood and thatch. There were no stone buildings in those days and round towers only came in later years. The monasteries had a church, a scriptorium which was a place for writing and a dining room known as a 'refectory'. The monks slept in simple huts shaped like beehives and called 'cells'.

The monasteries became centres of learning as well as producing wonderful arts and crafts. Some monks left Ireland to go abroad as missionaries and to found monasteries. You can still visit the sites of many important monasteries in Ireland today, including Devenish, Monasterboice and the ruins at Nendrum.