Ireland is an island located at the far Western edge of Europe
in the Atlantic Ocean
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Lying to the West of England, Ireland is composed of four
provinces and 32 counties
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While 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland comprise the independent
Republic of Ireland, six northern counties are still part of the
United Kingdom
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Irish population = approximately 4 million 25% are under the
age of 30 About 15% now new immigrants Centuries of emigration
(late 18 th 1970s) have resulted in an Irish population dispersed
around the English-speaking world (the Irish Diaspora) Status as a
new nation has made the Irish very conscious of a distinctive
identity
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Many prehistoric monuments, including ring forts, burial
mounds, and dolmens such as this one in Sligo, are evidence of pre-
Celtic history in Ireland
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Historians speculate that the Celts may have arrived in Ireland
as early as 400 B.C. The Celts brought Iron Age technology and
European Celtic artistic styles (known as La Tne style) with
them.
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Much of what we know about the Celts is speculation based on
slim historical evidence. Many historians, however, believe that
women held unusually high status in Celtic culture.
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Fantastic heroic tales and myths from Irish Celtic culture were
transcribed by Christian monks in the centuries following the
apparently peaceful Christianization of Ireland (supposed to have
been brought about by St. Patrick in 432 A.D.). Among the most
famous human heroes were Finn MacCumhail and Cuchulain.
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The Tain bo Cualigne, or Cattle Raid of Cooley, tells the story
of Queen Medbhs raid on Ulster. Seeking the Brown Bull of Cooley,
she attacked while all the men of Ulster but one were incapacitated
by labor pains. Cuchulain, who was exempt from this curse, defended
Ulster against the Men of Ireland.
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The Celtic myths retain a cultural potency in Ireland, where
Cuchulain, for example, serves as a symbol of heroism and defiance
for Nationalists and Loyalists.
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Celtic Christianity thrived in Ireland during the European Dark
Ages and produced artistic masterpieces such as the 8th century
Book of Kells.
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Irish-speaking vs. English-speaking Illiterate (an oral
culture) vs. literate Therefore, primitive vs. civilized Tribal vs.
national Musical dancing (performers) musicians (harper) Feckless
(irresponsible, carefree, drunken) vs. practical, responsible,
reliable.
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Plantations, war, emigration and Penal Laws helped to effect a
gradual transfer of land from Catholic to Protestant hands between
1641 and 1703, as these maps show.
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Daniel OConnell organized a movement for Catholic emancipation
that succeeded in 1829; he then began a movement to repeal the Act
of Union, which was brought to a halt by famine in 1845.
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An Gorta Mr, or the Great Hunger, began when the potato crop
failed in 1845. For the next few years, a devastating famine
followed, reducing the population drastically and changing Irish
society forever. Historians still debate the question of whether
the English government did enough to alleviate the effects of the
crop failure.
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Charles Stewart Parnell, the uncrowned king of Ireland, led the
Irish parliamentary movement for Home Rule until he was stopped by
scandal in 1890. He died soon after, in 1891.
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The Easter Rising in 1916 declared an Irish Republic and led to
harsh English reprisals, executions, and finally, a war of
independence.