Ireland
A Brief History
There is evidence that the first humans inhabited Ireland as early as 12,000 BC when Ireland was mostly covered with trees. During the stone age, the Irish built portal tombs and architectural marvels predating the pyramids.
The Celts arrived in Ireland circa 500 BC during the Iron age. They brought with them architecture, art and metalwork.
The Christians arrived in Ireland in the latter part of the 5th Century and converted the Irish from pagan to Christianity.
Drawn by the resources and wealth of the monasteries, the Vikings begin plundering Ireland at the end of the 9th Century and soon settled. The Vikings created cities, minted coin and brought trade to the island.
In 1170 The Normans invaded Ireland, invited by an Irish king to help him defeat his rivals. The English were not far behind and for the next 700 years the English and Irish fought. Many of the castles in Ireland were built by the Normans or the English as protection from the Irish.
Finally, after many bloody battles, Ireland achieved its independence from England in 1921.
