During her lifetime Jennifer O鈥橰eilly was urged by her students and fellow scholars to collect her scattered essays for interested readers, but she did not live to do so.
When she died in 2016, Dr O鈥橰eilly left behind a body of published work in three areas of medieval studies: the writings of Bede and his older Irish contemporary, 础诲辞尘苍谩苍 of Iona; the early lives of Thomas Becket; and the iconography of the Gospel Books produced in early medieval Ireland and Anglo-Saxon England. In these three areas she explored the connections between historical texts, artistic images and biblical exegesis. The aim of the three volumes, published simultaneously by Routledge in 2019, is to realise that ambition. Seen together, the essays gathered in these books highlight her distinctive approach to historical sources, and her substantial contribution to our understanding of England and Ireland in the Middle Ages.
鈥楳ost users of these books will have read several of these essays before, but having them in one place is more than a convenience: it allows us to note continuities both within Jennifer O鈥橰eilly鈥檚 work (thus making for a more fruitful engagement with her researches) and also to recognize continuities in the artefacts themselves. Moreover, we have not simply been given reproductions of the earlier papers ... but the works have been reset and all the appropriate illustrations have been reproduced in colour 鈥� more than 150 in total 鈥� close to where they are discussed allowing us to see exactly what is meant in the various iconographical analyses. These sharp, clear colour images, along with two indices, make these books works of scholarship in their own right. We are indebted to the editors for their work for us, as well as for having given us such an appropriate monument to a great scholar鈥� 鈥� Thomas O鈥橪oughlin, Irish Theological Quarterly 2020, Vol 85 (3).
Review: Tom O鈥橪oughlin, Irish Theological Quarterly. 85 (3): 307鈥�309
History, Hagiography and Biblical Exegesis
鈥淭his collection brings into sharp focus O鈥橰eilly鈥檚 contributions to medieval studies, especially her profound expertise in Scripture and her sensitivity to the spiritual and theological motivations of Bede and 础诲辞尘苍谩苍鈥� 鈥� Sharon M. Rowley, Peritia, Journal of the Medieval Academy of Ireland. 31 (2022): 317鈥�321
Early Medieval Text and Image, Volumes 1 and 2
鈥楨veryone looked at the Book of Kells differently when they heard Jennifer O鈥橰eilly talk about it. Her scholarship changed the landscape of the subject.鈥� 鈥� Bernard Meehan, Peritia, Journal of the Medieval Academy of Ireland. 31 (2022): 299鈥�300
- History, Hagiography and Biblical Exegesis: Essays on Bede, 础诲辞尘苍谩苍 and Thomas Becket, eds. Diarmuid Scully, Tom O鈥橰eilly and M谩ir铆n MacCarron (Routledge: Variorum, 2019)
Table of contents
Bede
- Introduction to On the Temple
- Islands and idols at the ends of the earth: exegesis and conversion in Bede鈥檚 Historia ecclesiastica
- Bede on seeing the God of gods in Zion
- The multitude of isles and the corner-stone: topography, exegesis and the identity of the Angli in Bede鈥檚 Historia ecclesiastica
- St Paul and the sign of Jonah. Theology and Scripture in Bede鈥檚 Historia Ecclesiastica
- Bede and Monothelitism
- The image of the Mediator in the work of Bede
础诲辞尘苍谩苍
- Reading the scriptures in the life of Columba
- The wisdom of the scribe and the fear of the Lord in the Life of St Columba
- 础诲辞尘苍谩苍 and the art of teaching spiritual sons
- Columba at Clonmacnoise
- The Bible as map, on seeing God and finding the way: pilgrimage and exegesis in 础诲辞尘苍谩苍 and Bede
Thomas Becket
- Candidus et rubicundus: an image of martyrdom in the lives of Thomas Becket
- The double martyrdom of Thomas Becket: hagiography or history?
.
- Early Medieval Text and Image: The Insular Gospel Books, eds. Carol Farr and Elizabeth Mullins (Routledge: Variorum, 2019)
Table of contents
Insular Gospel Books
- Early medieval text and image: the wounded and exalted Christ
- The Hiberno-Latin tradition of the Evangelists and the gospels of M谩el Brigte
- Gospel harmony and the names of Christ in Insular gospel books
- Patristic and Insular traditions of the Evangelists: exegesis and iconography
- 鈥淜now who and what he is鈥�: the context and inscriptions of the Durham Gospels Crucifixion image
- The image of orthodoxy, the mysterium Christi and Insular Gospel books
- St John the Evangelist: between two worlds
- Seeing the crucified Christ: image and meaning in early Irish manuscript art
- The St Gall Gospels: art and iconography
- Early Medieval Text and Image: The Codex Amiatinus, the Book of Kells and Anglo-Saxon Art, eds. Carol Farr and Elizabeth Mullins (Routledge: Variorum, 2019)
Table of contents
The Book of Kells
- The Book of Kells, folio 114: a mystery revealed yet concealed
- The Book of Kells and two Breton gospel books
- Exegesis and the Book of Kells: the Lucan genealogy
- Entry on the Book of Kells, folios 29 and 34
- Two pages from the Book of Kells
- The Book of Kells, folio 114
- The body of Christ in the Book of Kells
The Codex Amiatinus
- The library of Scripture: views from Vivarium and Wearmouth-Jarrow
- Celtic art and the Gospel
- The art of authority
- 鈥淎ll that Peter stands for鈥�: the romanitas of the Codex Amiatinus reconsidered
The Anglo-Saxon and Later English Traditions
- An Anglo-Saxon portable altar: inscription and iconography
- St John as a figure of the contemplative life
- The rough-hewn cross in Anglo-Saxon art
- Text and image in Anglo-Saxon Benedictine reform
- Signs of the Cross
- The medieval iconography of the two trees in Eden
All publications
Bede
- Introduction to On the Temple, tr. Se谩n Connolly, Translated Texts for Historians, vol. 21 (Liverpool 深夜亚洲福利久久 Press, 1995) xvii鈥搇v.
- 鈥業slands and idols at the ends of the earth: exegesis and conversion in Bede鈥檚 Historia ecclesiastica鈥�, in B猫de le v茅n茅rable. Entre tradition et posterit茅, ed. Stephane Lebecq, Michel Perrin and Olivier Szerwiniack, (Lille, 2005) 119鈥�145.
- 鈥楤ede on seeing the God of gods in Zion鈥�, in Text, image and interpretation. Studies in Anglo-Saxon literature and its Insular context in honour of 脡amonn 脫 Carrag谩in, ed. Alastair Minnis and Jane Roberts, (Brepols, Turnhout, 2007) 3鈥�29.
- 鈥楾he multitude of isles and the corner-stone: topography, exegesis and the identity of the Angli, in Bede鈥檚 Historia ecclesiastica鈥�, in Anglo-Saxon Traces, ed. Jane Roberts and Leslie Webster (Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Tempe, 2011) 201鈥�27.
- 鈥楽t Paul and the sign of Jonah. Theology and Scripture in Bede鈥檚 Historia Ecclesiastica鈥�, (Jarrow Lecture, 2014.).
- 鈥楤ede and Monothelitism鈥� (In press and forthcoming).
- 鈥楤ede and the Mediator鈥� (Forthcoming).
础诲辞尘苍谩苍
- 鈥楻eading the Scriptures in the Life of Columba鈥�, in Studies in the cult of St Columba, ed. Cormac Bourke (Dublin, 1997) 80鈥�106.
- 鈥楾he wisdom of the scribe and the fear of the Lord in the Life of St Columba鈥�, in Spes Scotorum. Hope of Scots, ed. Dauvit Broun and Thomas Owen Clancy(Edinburgh, 1999) 159鈥�211.
- 鈥槾』宕浅静悦〔� and the art of teaching spiritual sons鈥�, in 础诲辞尘苍谩苍 of Iona: theologian, lawmaker and peacemaker, ed. Jonathan Wooding, Thomas O鈥橪oughlin et al. (Dublin, 2010) 69鈥�94.
- 鈥楥olumba at Clonmacnoise鈥�, in Sacred Histories. A Festschrift for M谩ire Herbert, John Carey, Kevin Murray and Caitr铆ona 脫 Dochartaigh (Dublin, 2015) 380鈥�390.
- 鈥楾he Bible as Map, On Seeing God and Finding the Way: Pilgrimage and Exegesis in 础诲辞尘苍谩苍 and Bede鈥�, in Place and Space in the Medieval World, ed. Meg Boulton, Jane Hawkes and Heidi Stoner (Routledge, New York and London, 2018) 210鈥�226.
Thomas Becket
- 鈥�Candidus et rubicundus: an image of martyrdom in the Livesof Thomas Becket鈥�, Analecta Bollandiana 99 (1981) 303鈥�14.
- 鈥楾he double martyrdom of Thomas Becket: hagiography or history?鈥�, Studies in Medieval and Renaissance History7 (1985) 185鈥�247.
Medieval Art
- 鈥業conoclasm鈥�, review article, Eastern Churches Review 10 (1978) 165鈥�9.
- Studies in the iconography of the Virtues and Vices in the Middle Ages (New York and London, 1988).
- 鈥楨arly medieval text and image: the wounded and exalted Christ鈥�, Peritia 6鈥�7 (1987鈥�88) 72鈥�118.
- 鈥楾he medieval iconography of the two trees in Eden鈥�, in A walk in the garden: biblical, iconographical and literary images of Eden, ed. P. Morris and D. Sawyer, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, supplement series 136, (Sheffield, 1992) 167鈥�204.
- 鈥楶atristic and Insular traditions of the Evangelists: exegesis and iconography鈥�, in Le isole Britanniche e Roma in eta romanobarbarica, ed. A. M. Luiselli and Eam贸nn 脫 Carrag谩in (Rome, 1998) 49鈥�94.
- 鈥楥eltic art and the Gospel鈥�, Search 24 (2001) 34鈥�42.
- 鈥楾he art of authority鈥�, in After Rome, ed. Thomas Charles-Edwards (Oxford, 2003) 141鈥�189.
- 鈥楽t John the Evangelist: between two worlds鈥�, in Insular and Anglo-Saxon Art and Thought in the Early Medieval Period, ed. Colum Hourihane (Penn State 深夜亚洲福利久久 Press, 2011) 189鈥�218.
- 鈥楽eeing the crucified Christ: image and meaning in early Irish manuscript art鈥�, in Envisioning Christ on the Cross in the early medieval West, c.500鈥�1200, ed. Juliet Mullins and Jenifer N铆 Gradaigh (Dublin, 2013) 52鈥�82.
The Anglo-Saxon Tradition
- 鈥楢n Anglo-Saxon portable altar: inscription and iconography鈥� (with Elisabeth Okasha), Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 47 (1984) 32鈥�51.
- 鈥楾he rough-hewn cross in Anglo-Saxon art鈥�, in Ireland and insular art A.D. 500-1200, ed. Michael Ryan (Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 1987; reprinted 2002) 153鈥�58.
- 鈥楽t John as a figure of the contemplative life: text and image in the art of the Anglo-Saxon Benedictine reform鈥�, in St Dunstan: his life, times and cult, ed. N. L. Ramsay, M. J. Sparks and T. Tatton-Brown (Woodbridge, 1992) 165鈥�85.
- 鈥楾esto e immagine nella riforma benedettina anglosassone鈥�, in Benedetto l鈥橢redit脿 Artistica, ed. Roberto Casanelli and E. L贸pez-Tello Garc铆a, (Milan 2007) 95鈥�110. Simultaneous publication in German (Benediktinische Kunst).
- 鈥楽igns of the Cross鈥�, in The History of British Art 600-1600, ed. Tim Ayers (Tate Britain and the Yale Center for British Art, 2008) 176鈥�99.
Insular Gospel Books
- 鈥楾he Hiberno-Latin tradition of the Evangelists and the Gospels of Mael Brigte鈥�, Peritia 9 (1995) 290鈥�309.
- 鈥楪ospel harmony and the names of Christ in Insular gospel books鈥�, in The Bible as book: the manuscript tradition, ed. J. Sharpe and K. Van Kampen (London, 1998) 73鈥�88.
- 鈥樷�淜now who and what he is鈥�: the context and inscriptions of the Durham Gospels Crucifixion image鈥�, in Making and meaning in Insular Art, ed. Rachel Moss, (Dublin, 2007) 301鈥�16.
- 鈥楾he image of orthodoxy, the mysterium Christi and Insular Gospel books鈥�, in L鈥橧rlanda e gli irlandesi nell鈥檃lto medioevo, Settimane di studio della fondazione centro italiano di studi sull鈥檃lto medioevo, LVII (2010) 651鈥�705.
- 鈥楾he iconography of the St Gall Gospels鈥�, forthcoming in the commentary volume accompanying the facsimile, ed. Damian Bracken.
The Codex Amiatinus
- 鈥樷�淎ll that Peter stands for鈥�: the romanitas of the Codex Amiatinus reconsidered鈥�, in Anglo-Saxon/Irish relations before the Vikings, ed. James Graham-Campbell and Michael Ryan, Proceedings of the British Academy 157 (Oxford, 2009) 367鈥�95.
- 鈥楾he library of Scripture: views from Vivarium and Wearmouth-Jarrow鈥�, in New offerings, ancient treasures. Studies in medieval art for George Henderson, ed. Paul Binski and Will Noel (Stroud, 2001) 3鈥�39.
The Book of Kells
- 鈥楾he Book of Kells, folio 114: a mystery revealed yet concealed鈥�, in The age of migrating ideas: early medieval art in Britain and Ireland, ed. J. Higgitt and R. M. Spearman (Stroud, 1993) 106鈥�114.
- 鈥楨xegesis and the Book of Kells: the Lucan genealogy鈥�, in The Book of Kells, ed. Felicity O鈥橫ahony (Aldershot, 1994) 344鈥�97. Reprinted in Scriptural interpretation in the Fathers, ed. Thomas Finn and Vincent Twomey (Dublin, 1995) 315鈥�55.
- 鈥楾he Book of Kells and two Breton gospel books鈥�, in Irlande et Bretagne. Actes du colloque de Rennes 1993, ed. C. Laurent and H. Davis (Rennes, 1994).
- Entry on the Book of Kells, folios 29 and 34, in Histoire de l鈥櫭ヽriture, ed. A. M. Christin (Paris, 1997; English version 2002).
- 鈥楾wo pages from the Book of Kells鈥�, in Visual practices across the 深夜亚洲福利久久, ed. James Elkins, (Munich, 2007) 164鈥�69.
- 鈥楾he Book of Kells, folio 114鈥�, in Treasures of Irish Christianity: people and places, images and texts, ed. Salvador Ryan and Brendan Leahy (Dublin, 2012) 49鈥�52.
- 'The body of Christ in the Book of Kells', in Proceedings of the International Symposium of Theology: The Ecclesiology of Communion (Dublin: Veritas, 2013), 52-62.