Timeline of Irish History

Please note that
if the same image is used for different historical milestones
then clicking on any one of those links
will bring you to the same link


Links
18000BC
Esker Riada formed by retreating Ice Age
3000BC
Newgrange, one of the world's oldest structures, is built
390BC
Celts sack Rome.
82
Romans decide not to invade Ireland
3rd Cent.
Druids are a well established force
427
Laeghaire crowned first king of Tara in Ireland
8000-7000BC
First people cross landbridge to Ireland
Links
800BC
Celtic culture appears
across Europe.
225BC
The decline of the Celts.
200
The High Kingship of Ireland begins at Tara
432
St. Patrick arrives in Ireland
433
St. Patrick lights a fire on Slane to challenge Laeghaire's druids
540
Diarmaid becomes High King of Tara with Ciaran's help.
6-9th Cent
The Golden Age of Clonmacnoise and Ireland
760
Attacks by the Irish on monasteries
10th Cent.
First stone buildings in Clonmacnoise
1105
The myths of Cuchulain are recorded - The book of the Dun Cow
5th Cent.
Monasticism dominates Irish church for next 5 Centuries
544
St. Ciaran founds Clonmacnoise and dies a few months later
7/8/9th Cent
Irish monks travel through Europe bringing customs like confession
9th Cent.
Viking and Norsemen attacks begin
1014
Norsemen deafeated at Clontarf
1169
The Anglo Norman Invasion begins
13th Cent
Clonmacnoise goes into decline
1541
Henry VII declares himself head of the Church of Ireland
17th Cent
Powerful Irish families flee and anti-catholic laws are introduced
1798
Wolfe Tone leads a rebellion which is quickly suppressed
1916
Uprising and Independence
1200's
Normans build Irish castles as strongholds.
Feudal system is introduced into Ireland
1552
Clonmacnoise is totally destroyed and lies in ruins
1690
The Irish support the catholic King James in the battle of the Boyne
19th Cent.
Famine. Population reduced by 2 million
Catholics allowed sit in Parliament




After independence was gained Ireland faced many more problems.


6 counties in the northern part of Ireland, which were mainly protestant, had not wanted to be included with the predominantly catholic south.


By way of resolving this problem the division of Ireland into two parts was proposed and accepted at a treaty in London.


However this decision was not accepted by all back home and so Ireland faced a brief but violent civil war over the issue of partition.


In it's wake the people of Ireland were left divided over issues of geography, religion and politics.


In an effort to put all of these divisions behind them the new State tried to find ways that all Irish people might rediscover their common heritage.


One such way was the creation of the Office Of Public Works and it's efforts to protect and promote places of Ireland's heritage.


Clonmacnoise is a fine example of such a place.... a place where religious and cultural differences are forgotten in common history.