Ireland, A Tribute
Facts about Ireland

The following are just a few basic facts about the Emerald Isle.

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    • Basic Facts

    Government Type: Republic

    Capital: Republic of Ireland: Dublin; Northern Ireland: Belfast

    Administrative divisions: Ireland consists of four provinces which are broken down into 32 counties:
    Ulster: Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan ( all in the Republic), Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh, anf Tyrone (all in Northern Ireland).
    Leinster: Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow.
    Munster: Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford.
    Connacht: Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, and Leitrim.

    Independence: December 6, 1921 (from UK)

    National Holiday: St. Patrick's Day, March 17

    Constitution: December 29, 1937; adopted July 1, 1937 by plebiscite

    Legal system: Based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.

    Voting: 18 years of age; universal

    Religions:
    Roman Catholic 91.6 per cent
    Church of Ireland 2.5 per cent
    others 5.9 per cent

    Languages: English is the language generally used; Irish is spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard

    Literacy: (definition: age 15 and over can read and write) total population: 98 per cent

    Key Dates

    c. 7500 b.c.
    Earliest settlers arrived in Ireland in the Mesolithic period. They crossed by land bridge from Scotland.
    c. 3000 b.c.
    Colonists of the Neolithic period reached Ireland. These people were farmers. One of their monuments, a megalithic tomb at Newgrange in County Meath, has survived.
    c. 2000 b.c.
    Prospectors and metalworkers arrived. Metal deposits were discovered, and soon bronze and gold objects were made.
    c. 1200 b.c.
    More people reached Ireland, producing a greater variety of weapons and artifacts. A common dwelling of this period was the crannóg, an artificial island constructed in the middle of a lake.
    c. 600 b.c.
    Celts started arriving in Ireland from central Europe. they continued to arrive up to the time of Christianity. they soon began to dominate Ireland and the earliest settlers.
    c. 200 b.c.
    The Celtic culture of the La Téne civilization, named after a Celtic site in Switzerland, reached Ireland. Celtic Ireland was divided into about 150 miniature kingdoms, each called a tuath.
    c. 100 b.c.
    Arrival of the Gaels.
    a.d. 200
    Beginnings of High Kingshop at Tara in County Meath.
    c. 300
    Ireland inhabited by tribes known as Scoti.
    377-405
    Niall of the Nine Hostages, HIgh King.
    428-63
    Reign of King McNeill
    431
    Pope Celestine I sent Palladius to the Irish as their first bishop. Palladius died soon after.
    432
    Arrival of St. Patrick to help convert pagan Gaelic kings to Christianity
    550
    Irish monks started to re-Christianize Europe.

    Time of Written History

    461
    St. Patrick died.
    521
    Birth of St. Columba at Gartan in Tyrconnell, County Donegal.
    561
    Battle of Culdremna.
    563
    St. Columba sailed to Iona, where he Christianized Scotland and much of England.
    597
    St. Columba died.
    800
    Ireland attacked by Viking Norsemen, on Lambay Island, off Dublin
    841
    Vikings constructed a defended camp on the site of present-day Dublin
    908
    The Eoghanachta were defeated when they tried to subject Leinster to Cashel's rule. Their king, Cormac MacCullenan, was killed.
    914
    Vikings established settlements at Waterford.
    920
    Vikings established settlements at Limerick.
    940
    Brian Boru was born.
    976
    Brian succeeded his brother Mahon as king of Dal Chais until 1014.
    978
    Battle of Belach Lechtna.
    1002
    Brian Boru wins recognition as the High King of Ireland.
    1014
    High King Brian Boru killed at Battle of Clontarf.
    1066
    Norman invasion of England.
    1156
    Death of Turloch More O'Connor, king of Connacht, who became high King in 1119, and who was the greatest of Brian Boru's successors.
    1167-69
    Norman invasion of Ireland commences.
    1170
    Arrival of Richard FitzGilbert de Clare, known as Strongbow.
    1171
    Strongbow crowned king of Leinster. Arrival of Henry II, end of the Milesian kings; thus began the political involvement of England in Ireland's affairs.
    1166-75
    Reign of Rory O'Conner, last native High King of Ireland
    1235
    Richard de Burgo conquered Connacht.
    1258
    Gallowglasses (mercenary soldiers) from Scotland arrived in Ulster.
    1264
    Walter de Burgo was made Earl of Ulster.
    1272
    The English had now conquered Ulster, east of Lough Neagh, Meath and most of Connacht and Munster.
    1315
    After the Battle of Bannockburn, Edward Bruce of Scotland invaded Ireland but failed in his attempt to overthrow Norman rule.
    1318
    Edward Bruce killed by the English near Dundalk, county Louth.
    1361
    An edict bans native men from becoming mayors, bailiffs, officers of the King or clergymen, serving the English.
    1366
    The Statutes of Kilkenny forbade Irish/English marriages and prevented the English from using the Irish language, customs or laws.
    1394
    October: King Richard II landed at Waterford and marched up to Dublin.
    1478
    Gearóid Mór FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, assumed role of chief governor of Ireland.
    1507
    Accession of Henry VIII.
    1515
    Anarchy in Ireland.
    1529-36
    Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church in England.
    1534
    Kildare rebellion.
    1541
    HenryVIII delcares himself King of Ireland.
    1545-63
    The Council of Trent.
    1547
    Henry VIII died and was succeded by the boy king Edward VI. England and Ireland were ruled by the senior nobility of England.
    1553
    Accession of Mary I.
    1558
    Accession of Elizabeth I.
    1562
    Elizabethan wars in Ireland.
    1588
    Spanish Armada sent Philip of Spain to conquer England.
    1594
    August: Hugh O'Neill defeated a small English force at the Ford of Biscuits near Enniskillen.
    1595
    Rebellion of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.
    1598
    O'Neill's great victory at Yellow Ford in Ulster.
    1601
    Defeat of O'Neill, O'Donnell, and Spaniards by Lord Mountjoy at Battle of Kinsale.
    1603
    Accession of James I. Surrender of Hugh O'Neill. Enforcement of English Law in Ireland.
    1606
    Settlement of Scots in Ards Peninsula. Land in six counties of Ulster confiscated by English.
    1607
    "The Flight of the Earls" (including O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell) to Spain.
    1608
    A government survey of confiscated Ulster lands is initiated.
    1625
    Accession of Charles I.
    1628
    Charles I granted 51 Graces for subsidies.
    1632-38
    Compilation of the Annals of the Four Masters.
    1633
    Thomas Wentworth appointed governor of Ireland.
    1641
    Great Catholic-Gaelic rebellion for return of lands; later joined by Old English Catholics in Ireland. Under leadership of Irish Chieftain, Rory O'More, a conspiracy was formed to seize Dublin and expel the English. English settlers were driven out of Ulster.
    1642
    Confederation of Kilkenny met.
    1647
    Alliance between lords of the Pale and native Irishmen came to an end.
    1649
    Oliver Cromwell landed at Dublin. His troops killed 2,00 men. A great amount of land in Munster, Leinster, and Ulster was confiscated and given to the English soldiers.
    1650
    Catholic landowners exiled to Connacht.
    1656
    Over 60,000 Irish Catholics had been sent as slaves to Barbados, and other islands in the Caribbean.
    1658
    The population of Ireland, estimated at 1,500,000 before Cromwell, was reduced to 500,000 at Cromwell's death in 1658.
    1660
    Accession of Charles II.
    1661-68
    The Duke of Ormond ruled Ireland as Viceroy.
    1685
    Accession of James II.
    1688
    James II deposed in England. Gates of Derry shut in face of James's troops.
    1689
    Siege and relief of Derry. James II's Parliament restored all lands confiscated since 1641.
    1690
    William of Orange (William III) lands at Carrickfergus and defeats James II at Battle of the Boyne. Flight of the "Wild Geese" to France.
    1691
    Catholic defeat at Aughrim and surrender at Limerick.
    1692-1829
    Exclusion of Catholics from Parliament and all professions.
    1695
    Anti-Catholic penal laws introduced.
    1775
    Henry Grattan becomes leader of Patriot Party.
    1782
    Legislative independence won from Britain by Irish Parliament.
    1798
    Arrest and death of Lord Edward Fitzgerald. Battle of Vinegar Hill. Battle of Antrim. French forces attempted to invade Ireland. Death of Theobald Wolfe Tone.
    1798
    Daniel O'Connell takes law degree at Trinity College, and is admitted to the Bar.
    1800
    Act of Union passed (effective January 1, 1801).
    1803
    Robert Emmet's rebellion is crushed.
    1823
    Daniel O'Connell's Catholic Association founded.
    1828
    O'Connell elected for County Clare.
    1829
    Catholic emancipation passed. Tithe war began.
    1837
    Accession of Queen Victoria.
    1839
    January 6: The Night of the "Big Wind".
    1840
    O'Connell's Repeal Association founded.
    1842
    The Nation newspaper founded by Thomas Davis.
    1843
    O'Connell's "Monster Meetings" for the repeal of the Union.
    1845
    Blight in the potato harvest.
    1845-49
    Start of the Famine. Charles Travalyan, permanent head of treasury. Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister, imports Indian corn.
    1846
    April. Trvelyan opened depots for the sale of Indian corn, but closed them later in summer. Corn laws repealed.
    1846
    July: Lord John russell replaced Peel as Prime Minister. August: Total failure of potato harvest. October: First deaths from starvation.
    1847
    Fever spreading. Trevelyan winds up Soup Kitchen Act, and retires.
    1848-49
    Worst years of Famine. Ireland's population has decreased by more than two million people.
    1848
    Smith O'Brien (Young Ireland leader) arrested. James Stephens fled to France.
    1856
    Stephens returnd from France.
    1858
    Irish Republican Brotherhood founded by Stephens. Fenian Brotherhood founded in America.
    1863
    Irish People newspaper founded.
    1865
    Irish People editorial board arrested. James Stephens arrested but escaped from Richmond Jail.
    1867
    February: Abortive raid on Chester Castle. March: Fenian rising in Ireland. December: Clerkenwell explosion.
    1869
    Gladstone, Prime Minister, dis-established Protestant Church in Irleand.
    1870
    Gladstone's first Land Act.
    1875
    Charles Steward Parnell elected MP for County Meath.
    1879
    Threat of famine. Irish National League founded.
    1879-82
    Land War
    1881
    Gladstone's 2nd land Act. Parnell imprisoned.
    1884
    Gaelic Athletic Association formed.
    1885
    "Ashbourne" Land Act.
    1886
    First Home Rule bill.
    1891
    Parnell loses three by-elections in Ireland. He dies in October.
    1893
    Second Home Rule bill. Gaelic League founded.
    1903
    Land Purchase Act (Wyndham Act).
    1905
    Sinn Féin formed.
    1906
    General election won by the Liberals.
    1909
    Land Purchase Act.
    1914
    Outbreak of World War I. Home Rule bill passed.
    1916
    Easter Rising in Dublin.
    1917
    East Clare by-election won by De Valera.
    1918
    November: End of World War I.
    1919-21
    Irish War of Independence against Britain.
    1921
    December: Anglo-Irish Treaty.
    1922-23
    Civil War.
    1926
    De Valera founds Fianna Fáil.
    1927
    General elections in Ireland. De Valera and Fianna F&aaucte;il enter Dáil.
    1932
    General election. Fianna Fial victory.
    1937
    Constitution of Eire claims 32 counties.
    1939
    World War II begins.
    1945
    End of World War II.
    1948
    General election. Fianna Fail defeated.
    1949
    REpeal of External Relations Act. Ireland (26 counties) officially declared a republic and is no longer in the Commonweath.
    1951-62
    IRA campaign in Northern Ireland.
    1955
    Ireland admitted into the United Nations.
    1965
    O'Neill-Lemass talks.
    1967
    Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association founded.
    1968
    August: First Civil Rights march. October: Derry Civil Rights march, banned by William Craig, Minister of Home Affairs; held but broken up by police.
    1969
    January: People's Democracy Belfast to Derry Civil Rights march. January 4: Marchers attacked at Burntollet Bridge. April: Resignation of O'Neill. Succeeded by chichester Clark as the Northern Ireland Prime Minister. August 14: British troops ordered into Derry. October: Protestant roit in Belfast.
    1970
    Dublin Arms Trial.
    1971
    First British soldier killed by IRA in Belfast. Chichester Clark resigns, Faulkner Prime Minister. Unionist Government of Northern Ireland introduced internment without trial for suspected republicans.
    1972
    Ireland joined the European Economic Community.
    1972
    January 30: Bloody Sunday in Derry. British paratroopers shot 31 civilians during Civil Rights march. March: Stormont suspended.
    1973
    Sunningdal Agreement.
    1974
    Faulkner and the Assembly brought down by Ulster Worker's Strike. Direct Rule is reimposed. Dublin and Monaghan bombed by loyalists.
    1981-82
    10 republicans died on hunger strike in the Maze Prison, Northern Ireland. Prisoner Bobby Sands elected to the British Parliament.
    1993
    Downing Street Declaration: British Government accepts the right of the people of Ireland to self-determination.
    1994
    Cease-fire declared by the IRA.
    1996
    Cease-fire ended after British Government refused to allow Sinn Fé:in to join all-party talks on Northern Ireland.
    1997
    IRA cease-fire resumed; talks started in Belfast between politicians from Dublin, Westminster, and Northern Ireland.
    1998
    Good Friday Agreement signed.
    2002
    Ireland puts the EU currency (IEP) into circulation and abolishes the Irish pound.