Friends of Columbanus Bangor were invited to attend the recent launch of a new exhibition at the National Museum, Kildare Street, Dublin, which explores the links between Ireland and Europe during early Medieval times. ‘Words on the Wave: Ireland and St Gallen in Early Medieval Europe’ has been curated between the National Museum and the world famous St Gallen Library which houses a larger collection of Irish manuscripts and writings than anywhere else in Europe.
Deborah Girvan, chairwoman of Friends of Columbanus Bangor said, “Words on the Wave is an amazing exhibition with ancient artefacts in metal, stone, art, and manuscripts on display. Of particular interest to us were the references to Columbanus and Gall who lived, worked and prayed in Bangor before they left on a pilgrimage with eleven other disciples to Europe circa 590.
There are 17 manuscripts written by Irish monks on display which are on loan from the St Gallen Library. Over 1,000 years ago, the monks took these cherished manuscripts to the European continent to protect them from Viking raids and to spread Christianity and scholarship. It was such a thrill to see the St Gall Priscian, a precious book of original hand written words by monks on velum (calf skin), many attributed to the former Bangor Monastery and Nendrum Monastic Site on Mahee Island, Strangford Lough. I would encourage anyone who is interested in our early Christian heritage to visit the exhibition which is open until 24 October 2025.”
Further information on the Words in the Wave exhibition can be found via the link below: