Church of Ireland
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The Church of Ireland (Irish: Eaglais na hÉireann, pronounced [ˈaɡlˠəʃ n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ]; Ulster-Scots: Kirk o Airlann, [kɪrk ə ˈerlən(d)]) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomous member church of the Anglican Communion. It is the second largest church on the island of Ireland after the Roman Church. Like all other Anglican churches it retains the episcopate and divides the island into two provinces, the Province of Armagh and the Province of Dublin. The church is present in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
History
Early Mission
The Church of Ireland traces its origins to the early Christian communities established by St. Patrick who was a missionary and evangelist to the people of Ireland in the fifth century. St. Patrick was from the isle of Britain, but was captured by Irish pirates as a young man and enslaved. After six years he was able to escape and returned to Britain. However, after a radical conversion experience, St. Patrick returned to Ireland to evangelize his former enslavers. He found great success evangelizing the Irish pagans and eventually Christianity was ubiquitous across Ireland.
Celtic Church
In the early Middle Ages, a unique form of Western Christianity evolved that differed in many ways from the Papal Western Christianity that dominated on the Continent. Rather than being governed by bishops, Insular Christianity (as it is sometimes called by academics) was largely governed by monks. It wasn't until the Synod of Ráth Breasail in 1111 that the Irish church transitioned from a monastic to a diocesan and parish-based church. Many present-day Irish dioceses trace their boundaries to decrees of the synod.
Reformation
In 1536, following the English Parliament two years earlier, the Irish Parliament declared the Church of Ireland independent from the Pope of Rome. Unlike in Britain, much of the Isle's laity and clergy remained loyal to Roman Catholicism. Still, the property of the church, which was legally owned in vassalage to the King, followed the Church of Ireland and the Protestant faction.
Prayerbooks
For much of Irish history, the 1662 Prayerbook was the default prayerbook in Ireland with some minor modifications.
However after the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1871, the prayerbook was modified to reflect the new circumstances of the Church.[1] The new prayerbook for Ireland was published in 1878. It was followed by the 1926 Book of Common Prayer.[1] An Alternative Prayer Book was also published in 1984, to provide for some more liturgical freedom but the preface of the APB clearly stated: ‘This book does not replace the Book of Common Prayer but provides authorized alternative services for use in public worship.’[1]