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Quiz about Irish Missionaries in the Early Medieval World

Irish Missionaries in the Early Medieval World Quiz

St. Patrick was not the only, nor the first, Christian missionary to the Irish. Let's have a look and just see how much you know about the early missionaries on the Emerald Isle.

A multiple-choice quiz by howdyitsme. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
howdyitsme

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
309,830

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
314

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. While Patrick was not the only Irish missionary, and indeed was not even Irish, he does need to be discussed in this quiz. Where is he thought to have been born before being captured and enslaved in Ireland? Hint

Iona

Isle of Man

England

Wales

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Question 2 of 10

2. St. Patrick is most often credited with being the first Christian missionary to Ireland but that is not strictly accurate. Who is thought by many scholars to have been a Christian missionary to Ireland earlier than Patrick? Hint

Adrian

Proctor

Prosper

Wilgurm

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Question 3 of 10

3. Patrick had been captured in his homeland and enslaved in Ireland, but he later escaped and eventually made his way to Rome. He studied for the priesthood and wanted to become a missionary. Which pope allowed Patrick to witness to the "pagan" Irish who had previously been his slave masters? Hint

Adrian

Celestine I

St. Hilarius

Boniface I

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Question 4 of 10

4. There were many people following in Patrick's footsteps and some became more famous than others. One, in fact, became so well-known that her name is practically synonymous with Ireland. This young woman began following in Patrick's footsteps. Who was that bold young woman? Hint

St. Brigid of Kildare

Sarah Finney

Anne of Kilnanny

St. Limerick

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Question 5 of 10

5. Many saints and missionaries chose to travel widely to spread their good news, but there is one Irish saint more renowned for his travels than most. Who was he? Hint

St. Eamond

St. Eligius

St. Brendan

St. Patrick

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Question 6 of 10

6. Many of the early Irish missionaries were church builders. That is, during their travels they established new church buildings and congregations. One of the most prolific of these church builders was a native Irishman often called dove-like. Hope the clue helps you guess who. Hint

St. Ronan

St. Diarmaid

St. Palladius

St. Columba

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Question 7 of 10

7. The Irish missionaries didn't just minister to the Irish. Many of these travelled outside of Ireland and indeed travel seems to have been part of their mandate. One relatively unknown woman travelled very little even within the confines of her home country. She was also known as the foster mother to many saints to come. What was her name? Hint

St. Cronan

St. Lupino

St. Ita

St. Brigid of Donegal

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Question 8 of 10

8. We know many of the Irish missionaries were renowned as church builders. Part of the mission seems to have been building churches and schools and even monasteries. St. Kevin was known to have built several churches and these churches spawned yet others. Which of the following was particularly well known for building Clonard Abbey? Hint

St. Finian

St. Brigid

St. Ronan

St. Joseph

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Question 9 of 10

9. One particular Irish saint is fabled to have made a very special journey which defies common thought and history. Who was it and what was the legendary journey? Hint

St. Allen travelled to Hades and was released unscathed from the fires of hell

St. Theodore is rumoured to have travelled to Asia Minor to rescue St. Geoffrey who was lost on a mission

St. Keven is said to have crawled to Rome on his hands and knees in supplication

St. Brendan travelled to North America and back

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Question 10 of 10

10. What day is most often celebrated in honour of the patron saint of Ireland? Hint

July 4

March 17

December 26

January 16

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: England

Yes, the quintessential Irish saint is believed to have actually been English! However, some scholars have suggested Scotland as a place of birth for the well-known saint. There is no actual evidence for either place, though anecdotal information seems to lean more in the favour of England than any other place. It does seem certain he was not born in Ireland.

Answer: Prosper

Prosper went to Ireland in 431CE to minister to "those Irish who believe in Christ". This was before Patrick's time and it seems that others had been there prior to Prosper. Prosper, however, for whatever reason, didn't click quite the same with the Irish peoples as did Patrick, and his name is not nearly as celebrated.

Answer: Celestine I

Patrick had to beg for this mission. Celestine I was reluctant to let Patrick return to the land of his enslavement, partially in case his old masters took him as a slave again. Patrick insisted they needed to hear the good news and he was the one to tell it -- and Celestine I relented!

Answer: St. Brigid of Kildare

Brigid was born (c. 457) to a noble family. Her mother was a Christian but was likely a household slave and not the lady of the house. In a relatively unusual turn of events her father looked for and found her a husband. Brigid refused the suitor chosen for her and instead left her father's household to spread the Christian word throughout Ireland.

5. Many saints and missionaries chose to travel widely to spread their good news, but there is one Irish saint more renowned for his travels than most. Who was he?

Answer: St. Brendan

St. Brendan of Clonfert was a prolific traveler for Christ. Also known as Brendan the Voyager, he was born in Ciarraighe Luachra (near Tralee, County Kerry) around 484 and he died in Enachduin (Annaghdown) in 577.

Answer: St. Columba

Born December 7 in around the year 521, in what is now Donegal, St. Columba joined a monastery at Moville when still a young man. He was ordained a deacon by St. Finian and he quickly rose to priest, being ordained by Etchen (the bishop of Clonfa). Columba then built many churches and is often confused with St. Columbanus as both of them have similar sounding names, stemming from the Latin word for dove, which is columba!

Answer: St. Ita

There were dozens of Irish saints who all contributed to the conversion and education of both the Irish peoples. St. Ita, or Ida, was certainly an educator and is reputed to have have even taught the intrepid St. Brendan. St. Ita of Killeedy spread Christianity and education, building schools and teaching people everywhere she went and though she didn't go as far as some others she reached many people.

Answer: St. Finian

St. Finian of Clonard (born ca. 470) founded three churches in Ireland and a monastery in Wales. The devotion and hard work of these early missionaries is a testament not only to their faith but to the kind of people they were!

9. One particular Irish saint is fabled to have made a very special journey which defies common thought and history. Who was it and what was the legendary journey?

Answer: St. Brendan travelled to North America and back

Brendan was rumoured to have travelled to North America in a leather boat (some say it was actually his leather cloak with his walking stick for a mast and his robe for a sail) long before the Northmen ever ventured that far. It has been postulated in recent years that he might just have actually been able to do this journey, though, with some modifications to the ox-leather curragh used in Ireland at the time.

10. What day is most often celebrated in honour of the patron saint of Ireland?

Answer: March 17

Arguably, there is nowhere that St. Patrick's Day is celebrated more enthusiastically than in New York City or Boston. It has been suggested that when March 17 falls in Holy Week there is supposed to be no celebrating, but my town (in northern Ontario) has never paid any attention to that rule. People continue to drink green beer and dye their hair green, be they Catholic or Irish or not, and they always do it on March 17.

Source: Author howdyitsme

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
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