Dairthech

In Gaelic Ireland, between the 5th and 9th centuries AD, a dairthech^[1] (literally "oak-house") was a type of oratory or church built of oak-wood.^[2]

Replica of a dairthech at Clonmacnoise

Histories

The dairthech was the earliest kind of church built in Ireland, from the earliest Christian times (5th century AD) onward. They were gradually replaced by stone churches.^{[citation needed]}

Structure

A typical dairthech was rectangular, measuring 4.5 m (15 ft) by 3 m (9.8 ft).^[2] Some were wider up to 4.5 m (15 ft), and congregations of 150–260 people are recorded.^[3] It had a high pointed gable.^[4] Oak was used as a building material as a holdover from Celtic religion, where the oak was imbued with magical powers.^[5]

Internal structure

Little is known about the internal structure of the dairthech, although descriptions of the murder of Echtigern in Kildare in AD 760 offer a few hints, mentioning a chancel-screen (Old Irish: cróchaingel) and altar (altóir). Cogitosus describes painted partitions dividing clergy from laity and women from men.^[6]

References

1. Spelling variants recorded by the Dictionary of the Irish Language include dairthach, daurthech, durthech, doirrthech, durthach, dúr(r)thech, derthech, dérthech, derthach, dérthach, dirthach, Derthaighi, ernaichthi, derthech, duirtheach, derthaighe, durtaig, dearthaigh, dairrtig, duirrtech, derthach, dirthige, dirthaige, durthigib.
2. Foster, David (1 November 2009). Sons of the Rumour. Picador Australia. ISBN 9781741987690 – via Google Books.
3. Carver, Martin (3 February 2019). The Cross Goes North: Processes of Conversion in Northern Europe, AD 300-1300. Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843831259 – via Google Books.
4. "The Four Churches of Lynally" (PDF). Offally County Council. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-04-11.
5. O'Toole, Fintan (2011-09-10). "A history of Ireland in 100 objects Ardagh Chalice, eighth century". The Irish Times.
6. Brown, Michelle P.; Farr, Carol A. (1 March 2005). Mercia: An Anglo-Saxon Kingdom in Europe. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781441153531 – via Google Books.