In 432, St. Patrick of Britain began missionary work in Ireland. He was not the first: there are Christian burial grounds on the island in the late 4th century AD, and other missionaries were active in Ireland. But it was Patrick who was able to spread religion widely among the islanders and influenced the history of Ireland.
Many churches and monasteries appeared on the island with monastic schools. In the 6th century Ireland became a center of Western learning. Many Christian figures on the mainland were born and studied in Ireland.
Irish monks promoted the preservation of Latin culture and Latin. The arts, such as metalwork, sculpture, calligraphy, and book illustrations, flourished on the island. This situation was due to the tranquility of Ireland, which was away from wars and raids. This lasted until the 10th century.