History of Ireland
The Ireland of today is a beautiful and flourishing island in Europe. It is comprised of the country of Ireland (Republic of Ireland) and Northern Ireland, which is governed by the United Kingdom. Currently, the entire island boasts a population of over six million. However, the first known residents, Mesolithic Stone Age inhabitants, arrived as far back as 8,000 BC. Due to the drastically lower sea levels at the time, Ireland was not actually yet an island, but still connected to the great continent of Europe, making it accessible by foot. Agriculture developed some 4,000 years later with the Neolithic era. Irish civilization reached a new plateau around 2500 BC with the arrival of the Bronze Age, when bronze and gold began being used to forge weapons and tools.
Up until the arrival of St Patrick and various other Christian missionaries in the early-mid 5th century AD, the indigenous people of Ireland belonged to a pagan religion. Beginning around 800 AD there were a slew of often brutal Viking invasions that lasted over a hundred years, testing the endurance of the monastic culture and the regional dynasties which eventually prevailed. In the mid-12th century, Cambro-Norman mercenaries arrived and marked the beginning of what would come to be over 700 years of Norman occupation in Ireland. During that time the English arrived, and eventually seized control of the entire Island.
In 1613 the Catholic majority was overthrown by the Protestants, essentially by creating a vast amount of Protestant dominated boroughs. This was also around the time when the beginnings of traditional Irish music surfaced, as harp musicians were often patronized by nobility. Other instruments were later introduced and inspired the rich tradition of Irish dancing. By the close of the 17th century, all Catholics were banned from the Irish Parliament, even though they comprised roughly 85% of Ireland’s entire population. This lasted until 1801 when the Act of Union abolished the colonial parliament, as part of a new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
In 1922, less than a year after the Irish War of Independence, a mass secession of the twenty-six counties of Ireland created the independent Irish Free State, which became the Republic of Ireland in 1948. The remaining counties now comprise Northern Ireland.
Today, Ireland is world renowned for its incredible beauty and rich culture. From its bustling cities to historic castles, Ireland truly has it all.