Many people are interested in the Celtic world especially its religious traditions whether pagan or Christian. People hope to discover in that world a simplicity and attitude to life that is elusive in our modern, technological age. People try to locate in the Celtic tradition something that will fulfill their longings and desires for personal fulfilment. The result at a popular level has been that the historical reality of Celtic Christianity is increasingly elusive as claims made about it become exaggerated. The purpose of this course is to situate the Celtic Christian experience of the spiritual in the context of its development in Ireland between the 5th and the 12th centuries.Because the current revival of interest is not unique. It is just the most recent manifestation of an interest in Celtic matters that goes back centuries. So at the outset we will examine the different movements of revival over the centuries and what they had in common. Against this we will then place the historical reality of the Celts as a distinct group in Europe, their social structure and institutions, and most importantly identifying elements in the pagan Celtic world that lent themselves to adaptation to Christianity when it arrived.Attention is given to saints' lives as a literary genre, their various elements and purposes, and what they tell us about different aspects of Celtic spiritual practice. Monasticism in Ireland was not unlike its Eastern models, the main difference was the influence of pre-Christian beliefs in forming its particular character.The place of Scripture in the Celtic Christian tradition, the different versions used, interpretation, and a case study of the Psalms, are highlighted. We will explore how Celtic Ireland developed its own form of pilgrimage, related to the monastic life: journeying as an ascetic practice, and the extent to which it predisposed the Celts to be evangelists. Finally, we will consider the relationship between Celtic spirituality and the post-modern spiritual quest.