Study of Irish History

I had intended to include this study in my post about Irish Culture, however since there is so much content, and since I am quite the history enthusiast I figured I would make a separate post on the topic. Much of Irish history is aligned with British history as it was a territory of the British empire for nearly 800 years. And never once was Ireland considered a world power at the center of history. However Ireland has it's own identity unique of Britain, dating back to the pre-historic Gaelic people. Their ancient Celtic tribes and mythological beliefs gave way to the character of Ireland. Their culture is celebrated world-wide and for that reason I believe their history is of significant interest.


Celtic Age

It is believed that the island was first inhabited some 12,500 years ago by Mesolithic hunter and gatherers. During the Stone and Bronze Age the land became used for agriculture and by 4000 BC settlements began to develop. During this time the ancient Megalithic Tombs of Ireland were built as sacred passage graves. By 600 BC Ireland entered the Iron Age and Celtic tribes began to establish all throughout the island. The island was never controlled by the Roman Empire however there was still Roman influence.

By the late 4th century Catholicism began to spread into Ireland replacing the ancient practice of Celtic mythology and the worship of polytheistic deities. According to tradition, in the year 432 St. Patrick was sent on a mission from Roman-Britain to convert Ireland to Christianity. He thus became the famous patron saint of Ireland. By the 8th century the island was invaded by vikings from the Scandinavian region which made for a unique blend of pagan tribesmen with the Catholic Celtic tribes.


British Conquest

Following the Norman Invasion of Britain in 1066, the island of Ireland was invaded in stages. In 1169 Normans under the command of Dermot MacMurragh took control of the eastern region of Leinster. Various other Norman conquests took happened during this time with the backing of King Henry II of England. By 1175 the majority of the island was under the control of the British kingdom and marked the beginning of 800 years of British control of the island. However following the Norman Invasion many Celtic tribes were able to regain their lands. All except the walled city of Dublin, which was the British stronghold known as The Pale.

In the late 15th century, after the Wars of the Roses and the discovery of America, the Tudor dynasty began a new campaign to reconquer Ireland. The island was now seen as a valuable location for trade routes thru the Atlantic Ocean between Britain and America. However the Irish people resisted the conquest, and defended their Catholic faith against Protestant Reformation for some time. However in 1601 Gaelic Ireland was finally re-conquered by the British Empire at the Battle of Kinsale.

During the 17th century much of Ireland was divided by Protestant and Catholic peoples and various civil wars occurred. One of the most notable of these Wars of Religion that occurred in Ireland was the Irish Confederate Wars which lasted from 1641 to 1653. This was a victory for the English Parliament and a major blow to Irish Catholic power . During the 1660s Penal Laws were enforced to persecute Irish Catholics and bring Protestantism to ascension in the region.


Irish Famines

The first of two major famines in Ireland occurred in 1740 due to a period of very cold winters. This lack of agriculture brought about mass starvation and caused approx 400,000 deaths, which was an estimated 20% of the population at the time. Nearly 150,000 Irish were forced to leave the island in search of food and better living conditions. Following this event many Irish blamed the high taxes of British imports and exports as a cause of the starvation and thus brought about anti-British fervor. In 1798 the Irish people sought to emulate the American and French Revolutions and rise up. However their rebellion was quickly squashed by the British Empire.

In response to the Irish Rebellion the British Parliament dissolved the Irish Parliament and established the Acts of Union in 1800 which unified the Kingdom of Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland. King George III became king of the new entity called the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland. In the 1820s Irish lawyer Daniel O'Connell nicknamed "The Liberator" lead a movement for Catholic emancipation and tolerance throughout Ireland. In 1829 the Catholic Relief Act was passed to repeal the Penal Laws passed in the 1660s and allow Catholics to serve on parliament.

In 1845 Ireland experienced it's 2nd major famine, known as the Great Famine, which resulted in approx 100,000 hunger related deaths. The famine was a result o a potato disease and became one of the worst in European history. It resulted in massive emigrations, estimated at nearly a million and many of these Irish went on to settle in America and thus the Irish diaspora began. By 1848 this food crisis had spread into Europe and was part of the cause of the widespread European Revolutions of 1848. The Irish population dropped by 25% as a result of this famine, and Irish Nationalism began to rise placing much of the blame on Britain.


Irish Independence and Troubles

During WWI, Irish Nationalism reached it's culmination with the Easter Rising of 1916. The rebellion was squashed within a week, however paved the way for the Irish War of Independence from 1919 to 1921. This conflict was a guerrilla war waged by IRA militia-men lead by Michael Collins and other prominent Irish citizens. In 1921 the British Parliament granted an Irish Free state in the southern district of Ireland, while Northern Ireland remained a part of the United Kingdom. Many Irish were unhappy with this resolution, still as under the dominion of the British Empire, and an Irish Civil War ensued from 1922- 1923. This dispute carried on for many years throughout Ireland until finally they ratified a second constitution that established the Republic of Ireland in 1937.

In the late 1960s a major conflict erupted in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. This dispute was essentially over the status of Northern Ireland as a part of the United Kingdom against those who wanted it to be a part of the Republic of Ireland. The fighting was between the majority Protestant loyalists who wanted to remain with the United Kingdom, and Irish Catholics (considered as the rebellious minority) who wanted to join a united Ireland. The British military was eventually brought in to try and quell the situation however it was obvious they favored the loyalists forces over the nationalist forces. The conflict was finally brought to a resolution with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. This opened relationships between Northern Ireland and Rep of Ireland, and better rights for Catholics. While the violence of the troubles has surpassed, the tension however still continues to this day regarding the desire to united Northern Ireland with the Rep of Ireland.

Study of Irish Culture

Cultural studies are always my favorite things to blog about, and it's even more special when it's a study of one's heritage. I have written several posts now about various European cultures, however have yet to write about my own heritage. On my mom's side I have Colombian and Venezuelan heritage while on my dad's side I have Swedish and Irish heritage. I eventually intend to write about all four of these cultures that are a part of me, but as usual I like to be inspired by something before I write about it. And at this precise moment in the chilly rainy grim days of March, I am drawn to the culture of Ireland.

One of the first thoughts that come to mind when I think of Ireland is my grandma. My dad's mom was the epitome of an Irish old lady; friendly, gentle in spirit, hard-working, proud Catholic, and a good taste for drinking (she even had red hair). I remember her house had numerous Irish decorations and an Irish knitted blanket that I always enjoyed. She had a copy of the popular Riverdance show, starring Michael Flatley, which we watched many times at her house. In her final years before she passed she bought me a Celtic Christmas CD which I still cherish to this day. 

Apart from my grandmother being my most significant Irish influence, I have experienced Irish culture on a regular basis throughout my life. For starters Irish culture is embedded in American society, much thanks to the holiday of St. Patrick's Day. This normally includes of a day wearing green, sites of dancing leprechauns, and drunken shenanigans for the adults. Along with this holiday there are several popular American sports team that embody Irish elements specifically the Boston Celtics and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. You could almost make the case that Irish-American culture has spun into it's own sub-category apart from the mother country, often referred to as an Irish diaspora.

For this culture study I want to move away from the cliche Irish stereotypes of drunkenness and leprechauns. While I'm sure these stereotypes have validity I think it's best to start with the source, that is the motherland of Ireland. It is essentially an island in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, with beautiful coast lines and rolling green pastures, yet it has always been under the influence of the mighty British empire. The land of Ireland is split into two regions, north and south. Northern Ireland is a territory of the United Kingdom. While the southern part of the island is it's own sovereign nation the Republic of Ireland. In this post I'll probably associate more to the Republic of Ireland, however would like this to be considered a study of both regions as one land known as Ireland.

Irish Folklore and Mythology

Celtic Mythology was the ancient religion of the Celtic tribes during the Iron Age that embodied the lands of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and parts of Britain. Similar to Norse, Greek, or Roman mythology this was a time before the spread of Christianity where Europe believed in false tales and deities. However much of modern day literature and folklore can be derived from ancient tales of mythology. The stories of Irish mythology made up a majority of Celtic mythology and no doubt influenced Ireland's rich history in folklore and literature.

In Irish Mythology humanity was governed by a tribe of gods known as the Tuatha De Danann who dwell in a region known as the Otherworld. They journey to-and-from earth thru portals, referred to as a passage tombs (Stonehedge could be considered an example of an ancient religious portal). The chief of the Irish gods is Dagda, a religious druid, he is the father figure associated with strength, magic, and wisdom. The enemies of the Tuatha de Danann are the Fomorians who bring about all the evils to earth. Similar to Greek mythology each god of the Tuatha de Danann is associated with some form of virtue and later become fairies of Irish folklore.

With the emergence of Christianity during the middle ages, mythology quickly became a farce however the ancient stories were still celebrated. From the characters of Irish mythology came new tales of fairy lore. Fairies were descendants of the Irish gods who lived in deep forests and often had magical powers. One of the most iconic characters of fairy lore was the leprechaun, described as a little bearded man dressed in green. Various Irish folk tales depicted the leprechaun as a mischievous or jolly character who made shoes and had a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If a human were ever to capture a leprechaun they were granted three wishes by this magical creature. 

Irish Literature

Perhaps it's the green landscape of cliffs, hills, and pastures overlooking the Irish Sea that has made Ireland a source of great literature. It is also no doubt the rich history of Celtic-Irish Mythological and folk tales that have supplied modern day Irish literature. Some of the most notable Irish authors in history include Johnathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, and CS Lewis to name a few.  

The modern era of Irish literature began with the sagas and poetry of Jonathan Swift, most notably his satire and one of my favorites, Gulliver's Travels which was released in 1726. Swift is often considered one of the most significant modern English writers of satire. He inspired numerous famous Irish poets, playwrites, and novelists after him such as Oscar Wilde, known for his Importance of Being Earnest released in 1895. In 1897 Irish author Bram Stoker introduced the horrific Romanian character of Dracula in his famous Gothic novel. 

In 1922 James Joyce released what is often regarded as the most significant novel of the 20th century, Ulysses. The novel is considered a parallel to Homer's Odyssey and in an-depth philosophical journey of one man's consciousness. James Joyce also had various other popular novels and can be considered at the fore front along with Swift. During his time there was also George Bernard Shaw best regarded the Irish dramatist. Perhaps one of my personal favorite Irish authors is CS Lewis who wrote the famous fantasy series, Chronicles of Narnia in the 1950s. 

Irish Music and Dance

Ireland is best renown today for their traditional folk music which often consists of violins, flutes, harps, and bagpipes. This music has elements of classical, medieval, and renaissance style court music and incorporates the spirit of the land. I've always enjoyed Irish folk music and find it be very uplifting and ideal with a cold beverage. Just like with any culture however there are many different genres of music, and Ireland is also known for it's new age fusion, rock, and punk music. I especially enjoy the new age singing of Enya and the classic rock music of Van Morrison and the band U2. I also enjoyed the punk rock music of The Cranberries growing up in the 1990s.

Along with it's music Ireland also has a rich and proud tradition of dance. The style they are most identified with is that of step-dancing, sometimes referred to as the "riverdance". This style incorporates jumps, footwork, and tap dancing with a stiff upper body. This heritage of Irish dance- stepping goes back to the 1700s with the emergence of the fiddle and Irish Folk Music. However the heritage became pop-culture thanks to the theatrical show of Riverdance which premiered in 1995 touring on stage and also released a film. It is one of the most successful dance shows in history and still operates today. 

Irish Sport

While most of Europe would have soccer/football as their favorite sport, Ireland actually has two sports that are slightly more popular than the game of soccer. The sports of Gaelic Football and Hurling both originated in Ireland and for that reason are the nation's pastime. Neither Northern Ireland nor the Rep of Ireland have yet to win any major team international tournaments (such as the World Cup).

• The game of Gaelic Football is a combination of soccer and rugby where a player cannot hold the ball for more than 4 steps, and must either dribble it, kick it, or pass it elsewhere. The object is to score thru a post for 1 point, or on a goal for 3 points. The game is very popular in Ireland and constitutes 34% of sports attendance.
• The game of Hurling has a similar playing field as Gaelic Football yet instead the players use sticks to pass, dribble, balance, and shoot the ball. The game is a combination of lacrosse, field hockey, and rugby and is believed to be over 4000 years old. The sport constitutes 23% of Irish sports attendance.
• The game of soccer constitutes 16% of the nation's attendance, and many Irish soccer fans often pay more attention to the English leagues over their own Irish Association Football leagues which is much smaller in scale. The Rep of Ireland made it as far as the quarterfinals in the 1990 World Cup, and has made it to the round of 16 twice. Northern Ireland made the quarter-finals once in 1958 yet had not qualified again since 1986. 
• The game of Rugby constitutes 8% of the nation's attendance. Although they have yet to win a Rugby World Cup they are currently ranked #2 in the world. 
• Other sports such as golf, horse-racing, cricket, and boxing are also popular in Ireland. Perhaps one of the most popular mixed martial arts/boxers in the world is Connor McGregor who is from Dublin, Ireland. 

Irish Cuisine

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Irish food and drink are 3 things; Beer, whiskey, and potatoes. Over the years the Irish have developed a stereotype as a people of heavy drinkers perhaps due to their fierce yet playful personas. Guinness stout beer and Jameson whiskey have become Irish staples enjoyed on a global market. However Ireland is also known for their stews, sausage, bacon, and cabbage. Here is a list of some of the traditional Irish foods and drinks;

• Whiskey: Single pot still, mixed of malted and unmalted barley. Distilleries began producing as early as the 1600s under the reign of King James I. The Old Bushmills Distillery became the first official licensed whiskey producer, however Jameson Irish Whiskey, introduced by a Scottish businessman, based out of Dublin in 1780 has become the most successful of Irish whiskies. 
• Beer: Irish Beer comes in various forms and they are more frequently associated with stouts, ales, and lagers. Perhaps one of the most iconic of Irish beers is that of Guinness, a dry stout beer that was first introduced in Dublin in 1759. Other popular Irish beer brands include the Red Irish Ale Smithwicks (founded in 1710) and Harp Lager (founded in 1960).
• Irish Cream and Coffee: Irish Cream is a form of cream liquor that basically mixes dairy cream with Irish Whiskey. One of the most famous of these brands is Baileys (introduced in 1974). Irish Coffee is another popular mixed drink consisting of hot coffee, cream, and Irish whiskey
• Bread: The most common of Irish breads is the flatbread made of oats. Various examples of Irish bread are the Soda Bread, Potato Bread, and the Barmbrack. The Barmbrack consists of raisins and grapes and is traditionally enjoyed on Halloween. 
• Stews: Ireland is famous for their Irish Stews which normally consist of lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, and parsley. The vegetables and meat can sometimes vary, with goat or mutton serving as an alternate for the lamb. 
• Meat Dishes: Perhaps one of the more traditional Irish dinners is that of Bacon and Cabbage, There are also various mixtures of potatoes, bacon, and sausage such as the popular dish of coddle. Colcannon is a traditional dish of mashed potatoes mixed with kale or cabbage. 
• Seafood: Considering that Ireland is surrounded by water with a heavy Catholic population you would think that Seafood would be their food of choice, however that is not the case. Seafood in Ireland is well below the average consumed by the rest of Europe. Salmon and cod are the two most popular types of seafood eaten in Ireland. 
• Desserts: Popular Irish desserts consist of custard, shortbread, porter cakes, and bread pudding.

Historical Look: Irish War of Independence

So carrying on from my studies of the Progressive Era I now shift my focus to the same time period yet in a different region, across the pond to Ireland. The Irish War of Independence is a historical topic I have always been fascinated with just was waiting for the right time to dive in. Now seems ideal after my past couple months of studying the 1900-1920s. Also with it being the month of March now seems like the perfect time to enter a new phase of Irish culture appreciation. After all I am a quarter Irish on my dad's side, and my late grandma was very proud of her Irish heritage.

The historical event of an uprising, rebellion, or revolution is one that has always best captured my interest. I suppose I just find the whole idea to be quite romantic of the people uniting and rising together against their unjust rulers. We have seen this event many times throughout history, such as the American Revolution, French Revolution, Russian Revolution, and so forth. It is an instance in which the people have reached a boiling point, organized, and fought for their independence and political change. Sometimes these uprisings are driving by a desire for independence while other times they are driving by political reform.

The Irish War of Independence could be considered a much smaller version of the American Revolution. While it took place almost 140 years later and hardly involved into real military engagement, it was ultimately a declaration of independence from the mighty British Empire. This movement was not driven by any radical political motives such as the communist sentiment that was overthrowing the empire in Russia. Instead it was driven by a growing patriotic sentiment throughout Ireland to regain it's identity and establish it's own Irish Free State. The Irish people had suffered for some time now and their frustrations had finally reached the tipping point with the onset of World War I.


The Easter Rising

The desire for action finally came in 1916 when the Irish were conflicted in their involvement in WWI and no longer wanted to fight for Britain. An insurrection was thus organized by the Irish Republican Brotherhood on the Easter Week of April 24th, 1916. The rebellion consisted of the Irish Volunteers lead by Patrick Pearse who read and shared the new Proclamation of the Republic outside the General Post Office. He was joined by the Irish Citizen Army of James Connolly and the women council of Cumann na mBan. Throughout Easter Week the rebellion seized key locations throughout Dublin however was crushed by British military after a week.

The Irish resistance had support from the German Army and fought fiercely in the streets of Dublin. However they were no match for the artillery, gunboats, and greater numbers of the British army. The rebellion was finally put down by April 29th and Patrick Pearse signed an unconditional surrender. Pearse, Connolly, and other insurrection leaders were executed by British firing squad. Approximately 480 Irish and British were killed in the fighting and resulted in heavier British occupation. This heightened martial law over Irish territory only spurred the desire for independence. The Easter Uprising became the spark for the independence movement.


The War of Independence

Towards the end of World War 1 in 1918 the Germans lead their final offensive which caused the British to call for new Irish reinforcements. This Irish Conscription Act was the final straw in an already tense relationship and brought about mass demonstrations for nationalism. The election of 1918 was the political turning point for the independence movement, as the Sinn Fein leftist party took 70% of the Irish seats. In January of 1919 the Irish parliament controlled by leftist leaders decided to no longer attend UK Parliament meetings yet rather establish their own parliament which became known as the First Dali. This new First Dali government declared itself a product of the Easter Rising and a free nation that was at war with Britain.

The Irish Volunteer militiamen were re-organized into the Irish Republican Army, also known as the IRA. Their first initiative was to take control of the British Dublin castle administration, which was the headquarters of British influence. Their IRAs tactics were thru guerrilla warfare as they attacked British military posts and freed Irish prisoners. The British responded by strengthening their police force thru new forces such as the Black and Tans and the Auxiliary Division. These British counter-insurgent groups were notorious for their vicious threats and attacks on Irish civilians.

The majority of the early fighting was between the IRA and the RIC (the Royal Irish Constabulary) which was British police force aided by the Black and Tans. However also during this time labor unions began to organize general strikes against railways that were bringing in British soldiers. Dock workers also went on strike against transporting any British war materials into Ireland. By the spring of 1920 the IRA had control of much of the rural side of Ireland, while the British police forces were forced into the cities and began to demoralize.

One of the key leaders of the Independence Movement was Michael Collins. He was the Irish Republic's minister of finance and he also headed up the IRA's intelligence.  Collins was a very charismatic leader and established "the Squad" to drive out British spies and Black and Tan police forces. Collins worked jointly with Richard Mulachy who was the IRA's chief of staff and oversaw much of the guerrilla activity in cities such as Munster and Dublin.

The conflict escalated even further on Nov 21st of 1920 when Collin's squad killed 14 members of the British Intelligence "Cairo Gang". In response the RIC officers drove into Croke Park, during a soccer match and opened fire on the crowd killing 14 civilians. This day of bloodshed infamously became known as Bloody Sunday. Violence continued to spread and intensify throughout the province of Munster and in December of 1920 the center of Cork City was burnt by the British forces.

The winter of 1920 to 1921 was the most violent period of the war, and saw significant death tolls on both sides. The British police force began publicly executing IRA leaders yet this only strengthened the Irish cause and in March of 1921 the Gali government formally declared war on Britain. By the spring of 1921 the conflict had gotten out of hand and the British government began receiving heavy criticism for their handling of the crisis. King George V was especially upset at the actions of the Black and Tans and called for swift resolution. Prime Minister David Lloyd George thus instituted a truce and a treaty.


The Irish Civil War

The first act towards resolution was the Partition of Ireland in May 3rd of 1921. This essentially split Ireland into two territories, North and South. The intention was for both territories to be self-governed provinces of the United Kingdom, however the Southern territory of Ireland had different ideas. In June of 1921 the British and Irish agreed to a ceasefire to discuss a new treaty. In December of 1921 Irish leaders, Michael Collins and Arthur Griffin met with British prime minister David Lloyd George to sign the Anglo-Irish treaty. This recognized the southern territory of Ireland as a free nation, under the "dominion" of the British Empire.

However there were many within the newly established Free State of Ireland who felt dissatisfied with the Ango-Irish Treaty, specifically because they were still under the dominion of the British Empire. This eventually led to the Irish Civil War in June of 1922 with brought on infighting between those who supported an Irish Free State against those who preferred an Irish Republic. This 10 month conflict pinned former IRA members against one another.

Michael Collins lead the National Army of the Irish Free State against Eamon de Valera and the Republic Army who was against the treaty. Collins felt that this treaty was a necessary stepping stone to achieving ultimate independence, or as he put it, "it was a freedom to achieve freedom". However he was ambushed and assassinated by Irish Republic forces in August of 1922. Despite this loss the National Army was able to subdue the Republic Army thanks to provisional support from the British government. The Civil War ended in May of 1923 with the Irish Free State retaining control.

Nonetheless Ireland remained in political dispute years after this civil war concerning how they were to be recognized. In 1937 a second Constitution was adapted by the Irish Parliament which recognized Ireland not under the dominion of Britain yet rather as it's own sovereign state.It thenceforth became known as the Republic of Ireland. While Britain disapproved of this claim, they did not take any major action, perhaps due to the oncoming storm of World War II and their control of Northern Ireland. Nonetheless from then on the Ireland had finally achieved it's independence.