St Columbanus with Dr Alexander O'Hara

St Columbanus with Dr Alexander O'Hara

Author: The Medieval Irish History Podcast November 22, 2024 Duration: 54:27

Happy anniversary to St Columbanus, famous as a monastic founder, and a symbol of a united Europe, who is remembered as having died on Nov 23rd in the year 615! (Happy birthday also to Dr O'Hara's wife! More info in episode). Columbanus aficionado Dr Alexander O'Hara brings us through Columbanus' auspicious beginnings as a handsome aristocrat in Leinster, his superlative scholarly career in Bangor, his illustrious travels around Europe and the cosmopolitan mixed monastic communities he founded in Annegray, Luxeuil and Bobbio. Referring to Columbanus' monks as akin to the SAS, O'Hara answers the question was he 'zero craic' and explains his impressive literary legacy.


Suggested reading:

Alexander O'Hara, “A lacuna in Irish historiography: the Irish peregrini from Eoin MacNeill to The Cambridge history of Ireland and beyond,” Irish Historical Studies 47 (2023), 1-18

Alexander O'Hara (ed.), Columbanus and the Peoples of Post-Roman Europe (Oxford University Press, 2018) 

O'Hara, Jonas of Bobbio and the Legacy of Columbanus: Sanctity and Community in the Seventh Century (Oxford University Press, 2018)

O'Hara (ed.), Saint Columbanus: Selected Writings (Veritas, Dublin, 2015) 

Regular episodes every two weeks (on a Friday).

Email: medievalirishhistory@gmail.com

X (formerly Twitter): @EarlyIrishPod

Supported by the Dept of Early Irish, Maynooth University, & Taighde Éireann (formerly Science Foundation Ireland/Irish Research Council).

Views expressed are the speakers' own.

Production: Tiago de Oliveira Veloso Silva.

Logo design: Matheus de Paula Costa

Music: Lexin_Music


For anyone curious about the centuries often summarized as simply "Vikings and monks," The Medieval Irish History Podcast offers a far richer and more nuanced journey. Hosted by Dr. Niamh Wycherley, this series moves beyond the stereotypes to reveal a complex, dynamic, and surprisingly vibrant world. Each episode is built around a lively and engaging conversation with a leading expert, delving into specific aspects of a period that is frequently evoked yet deeply misunderstood. Listeners will hear discussions that unpack new and exciting research, challenging outdated narratives and bringing fresh perspectives to the forefront. The podcast serves as a direct line to the latest academic insights, exploring everything from politics and religion to daily life and material culture, all grounded in the landscape of medieval Ireland. It’s an invitation to reconsider what you think you know, presented through accessible and thoughtful dialogue. This podcast is supported by the Department of Early Irish at Maynooth University and Taighde Éireann, ensuring a foundation of scholarly rigor while remaining genuinely engaging for anyone with an interest in the past. The views expressed within each episode belong to the individual speakers, contributing to a multifaceted and authentic exploration of history.
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The Medieval Irish History Podcast
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