The angels keep their ancient places

This is a brilliant and lively study of Celtic Spirituality, a series of short, lecture-style essays, that introduce the reader to the main aspects of Celtic spirituality as practiced from the 5th century to the end of the middle ages. O'donoghue is a lucid but very congenial writer. He doesn't get lost in theological jargon, but he is extraordinarily erudite and always interesting. His interest is in the mystical qualities of Celtic writing and the powerful connection with nature and creation. Unlike many dry scholarly writers, O'Donoghue includes enchanting passages of natural landscape and his own youth in the west of Ireland where the ancient spritual practices still held power over the everyday lives of the Irish. The book is a restrained but obvious challenge to the hegemony of the Roman church in catholic spirituality. It is also a hearfelt plea for appreciation of the great contributions of the Celtic church in its vital response to christianity and its native and ingenuous and inspired use of the irish culture to praise the Lord of Creation and the life of Christ. O'Donoghue was an inspired teacher and a fearless writer. He is a valuable voice for Irish Catholics wishing to know more about the legacy of faith, and he is a writer who should be read widely and celebrated for his fresh and engaging views of chuarch history.