Christianity arrived in Ireland with St. Patrick in 432 AD. St. Patrick was Roman who was living in Britain. He was enslaved in at the age of 16 and was taken to Ireland. He escaped and returned to Britain and studied to become a priest. He then returned to Ireland. By all accounts St. Patrick was an exceptionally likeable and persuasive fellow. Upon his death he had almost single handedly converted all of Ireland to Christianity. After his death Christianity and the Catholic Church continued to flourish through the monasteries he created.
Ireland enjoyed relative peace and prosperity for over 300 years proceeding St. Patrick. This was largely due to the monasteries, which were created during this period. The monasteries became centers for learning and cultural advancement.
