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.
Celtic Age
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 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.
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