Irish History over the Ages

Beginning from a period around 8000 B.C. human settlements had been formed in Ireland. This began with the arrival of the hunter-gatherers. It is the descendants of such settlers or the groups that arrived later that were responsible for giving rise to the Neolithic sites like the one that can be found at Newgrange. The Celtic belief system was prevalent in Ireland (as also other parts of Europe) in the pre-Christian Roman times. This had a special place for symbolism and symbols and geometric patterns had a special place in Celtic artwork. Stone carvings dating back to even 3000 B.C. have been found featuring important Celtic symbols of spirals, lozenges, chevrons, knots, crosses and pentacles.

 

Irish history subsequent to advent of Christianity

 

The indigenous pagan (Celtic) religion that was prevalent in Ireland was subsumed by Christianity by 600 A.D. This was brought forth by the arrival of St. Patrick and other Christian missionaries in the early to mid fifth century. The early Christian missionaries advocated creating a fusion of the pagan symbols and ideas with Christian ideas and objects in an effort to further their activities of preaching the Christian faith. Ever since its advent and propagation in Ireland, Christianity has been playing a significant role in the history, culture and internal conflict of the nation.

 

The monastic culture of Ireland as well as the various regional dynasties of the island were threatened and greatly disturbed by over a century of Viking invasions that began from around 800 A.D. However, the institutions of monasteries and regional dynasties were sufficiently strong and resilient to overcome the havoc created and also to assimilate the invaders.

 

Period of direct English involvement and thereafter

 

With the arrival of the Cambro-Norman mercenaries in 1169 began a period of direct English involvement in Ireland. This lasted for more than 800 years. However, the English crown had not asserted its full control over Ireland until after the English Reformation. Then the questions over the loyalty of the Irish vassals were raised and an impetus was generated to carry out the series of military campaigns between 1534 and 1691 leading to full control by the English crown. It was during this period that the official English policy of plantation led to the arrival of thousands of English and Scottish Protestant settlers and the seeds of sectarian conflict were sown that went on to become a recurrent phenomenon in Irish history.

 

Though it was during this period that Ireland managed to regain a form of self-governing status yet the power was limited to the Anglo-Irish, Anglican minority and the majority Roman Catholic population was subject to serious political and economic deprivations. The Parliament of Ireland that had been formed was abolished in 1801 while Ireland became an integral part of a new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

 

The Irish War of Independence led to the secession of the southern and western 26 counties of Ireland from the United Kingdom in 1922. These formed the independent Irish Free State which became the Republic of Ireland after 1948. The remainder of the island as known as Northern Ireland remained as part of the U.K.

 

Learn more about Irish history and culture at The Celtic Place.