Religious beliefs and spiritual traditions have molded Ireland's past and present in spectacular ways. Ranging across a rich tapestry, from early Celtic culture to the Christian missionaries, from the Golden Age of monastic life to the diverse influence of the Vikings and the Normans, the Reformation, the wars of religion, to the people now engaged in the Peace Process, The Voice of the Irish offers a balanced account of the religious, social and political life of the Irish. A sweeping history of faith in Ireland, it brings to life the island's people and events, including the legacy of pagan Celtic spirituality, the real and the legendary St. Patrick, the religious roots of English involvement in Ireland, the Famine and new life in America, the origins of the Troubles in the North, and predicts a future between tradition and modernity." --Book Jacket.