How did the use of the Latin alphabet change the recording of Irish literature?

The introduction of the Latin alphabet to Ireland, facilitated by the arrival of Christianity, fundamentally transformed the recording of Irish literature by transitioning it from a purely oral tradition to a written one.12

Before this shift, native lore was preserved by the filid, an aristocratic class of poets and historians who relied on oral transmission. While the earlier ogham writing existed, it was primarily used for short inscriptions on stone monuments rather than for recording extensive literary works.23

The adoption of the Latin alphabet allowed ecclesiastical scholars to commit Ireland’s vast oral culture—including history, genealogies, laws, and poetry—to manuscripts. This process also necessitated the adaptation of Irish tradition to fit within a Christian framework, as seen in works like the Book of Invasions, which linked Irish history to biblical events. Irish scribes developed a distinctive Insular script to record these texts, creating a unique synthesis of native Gaelic culture and Latin literacy that ensured the survival of the Irish language and its literary heritage.124