Wherever they went the Irish brought with them their books, many unseen in Europe for centuries and tied to their waists as signs of triumph, just as Irish heroes had once tied to their waists their enemies' heads. Where they went they brought their love of learning and their skills in bookmaking. In the bays and valleys of their exile, they reestablished literacy and breathed new life into the exhausted literary culture of Europe. And that is how the Irish saved civilization.
Interpretation
The Irish contributed significantly to literature and education, revitalizing European culture through their passion for learning and bookmaking.
This quote highlights the invaluable role that the Irish people played in preserving and enhancing the literary culture of Europe during times of upheaval. By bringing their books and love for learning wherever they went, they acted as custodians of knowledge, helping to restore literacy and cultural richness in a world that had become intellectually impoverished. Their dedication to education and skill in bookmaking allowed them to leave a lasting legacy, illustrating that even in exile, one can have a profound impact on civilization.
In practice
In a speech about cultural preservation, one might refer to this quote to emphasize the importance of education.
What can happen if a young reader picks up a book he/she isn't yet ready for? Questions, maybe. Usually, that child puts down the book and says, 'Boring.' Or, 'I'm not ready for this.' Kids are really good at knowing what they can handle.
In a sense, the better you adapt to school the less your chances are of later adapting to the actual world. So I figure, the worse you adapt to school, the better you will be able to handle reality when you finally manage to get loose at last from school, if that ever happens. But I guess I have what in the military they call a 'poor attitude,' which means 'shape up or ship out.' I always elected to ship out.
Colleges hate geniuses, just as convents hate saints.
Teenagers have more intense reading experiences because they've had fewer of them. It's like the first time you fall in love. You have a connection to that first person you fell in love with because it was so intense and unprecedented.
My first reaction every time I delve into an episode of history that I don't know very much about is... my first reaction is anger that my teachers never taught me about it.
I never heard of anyone who was really literate or who ever really loved books who wanted to suppress any of them. Censors only read a book with great difficulty, moving their lips as they puzzle out each syllable, when someone tells them that the book is unfit to read.
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