'Saint Patrick, Saint Brendan and Early Christian Ireland' at Hagaman Library

Gerald Gillespie will speak at the this Thursday evening March 15th at 7 p.m.

Mr. Gillespie holds an MA in Comparative Literature with a focus on Medieval Literature.

The following is an interview with Mr. Gillespie:

Fawn: Your talk presents what we can know about St. Patrick as opposed to the lore that has grown up around him? Mr. Gillespie: Yes, there are only two existing documents that have survived written by St. Patrick. We have to take what we know about St. Patrick from them. Fawn:  Why do you think so much lore has accumulated around this figure that represents Ireland? Mr. Gillespie: He was a major and venerated figure in the Christianization of Ireland and the first missionary to the pagan people of Ireland. He was developed into a legendary figure by the powerful political machine of the Diocese of Ireland in the seventh century, in order to show their claim to primacy as the founding church in Ireland-the Armagh Church.  Beyond those facts, why he became the figure almost representative of Ireland in many people's minds, is difficult to answer.   Fawn: What is one thing we can know that is not usually thought of concerning St. Patrick? Mr. Gillespie: In his own writings, the earliest writings to come out of Ireland, he is not presented as the miracle working, pagan defeating figure that he later became.  In his self-effacing biography he is presented as a Spirit-led, humble man whose life was constantly in danger in his missionary travels.  He was Romano-British-i.e. Welsh-in his birth, and a man viciously attacked by the British church for reasons about which I speculate in my talk.  Somehow, also, he just struck a chord with people.

Fawn:  I understand the Irish American History Round Table has also asked you to speak and channel 8 will be interviewing you as well? Mr. Gillespie:  I will be speaking at the Irish History Round Table at 1533 State Street in New Haven on March 20th at 7:30 pm. Channel 8 will be interviewing me Saturday, the morning of St. Patrick's Day. I am also scheduled to give two Lenten talks at the Door of Hope Community church in Wallingford  on  March 21st and March  28th  from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on the Christian message in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.