History of Ireland

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Not everybody goes to Ireland eager to find out everything they can about the history of the people who live there, and those who do often know a fair amount already. All the same, in order to gain a little better appreciation for the depth and richness of the history of the Irish people, it helps a great deal to know some of the history of the island itself.

It is believed that Ireland may have been populated as long ago as 6000BC. It was not until approximately 2000BC, however, that various groups of people from somewhere in southern Europe came to the island, and established a reign of Neolithic culture. Many archaeological sites dating from this time period are still in evidence around the island, and are great favourites with visitors.

The Vikings launched an initial attack on Ireland shortly before the onset of the ninth century, but the second attack did not come until over forty years later. At the time the Vikings were driven back by the indigenous Irish people, but they returned in greater force and eventually set up a small camp in what is known as present-day Dublin.

Perhaps one of the best-known periods in Irish history is one of its most tragic. In the 19th century a terrible famine struck Ireland as a result of prolonged blight on the potato crops. Over a million people perished of hunger, and over a period of two years, close to eight million Irish participated in a mass emigration in search of work and food and a chance at survival. It is now believed that the descendants of these emigrants number something close to 80 million, and many of them return to Ireland even now in search of their roots.

They do not, however, find the Ireland that their ancestors left behind. Instead they find a thriving culture, rich in culture and history and boasting a great diversity of ethnicities. This is an Ireland with a bright and hopeful future, and it’s no wonder that it is such a popular destination for tourists the world over.