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After the seeds of Christianity
were planted in the fifth century, the sixth and seventh centuries saw
monks set up monasteries all over the country, becoming a fixed feature
of the Irish landscape. Many monasteries grew in size and importance,
establishing a unique way of life and exhibiting special political and
cultural influence in Ireland right up until the Anglo-Norman invasions
of the twelfth century. In the absence of a centralized authority,
these large monasteries became powerful urban centers of population, learning,
trade, and craftsmanship, as well as of religion.
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