The first settlers in Ireland were the Stone Age people around 7000 B.C. The Stone Age people are specifically called that because they used stones as their hunting tools and their day to day tools. Archaeologists have found these stone tools around Ireland, which is why we can deduce that they were probably the first settlers in the Ireland area. When these Stone Age people first arrived they lived by the ocean and rivers because they were hunters and ate fish. The Stone Age people didn't stay in one place long and when moving from place to place they would eat what they could find along the trails. Foods like, fruit, berries, and they would even kill some wild animals. Around 3500 B.C. the Stone Age people started to cut down the forests so they could use those areas to have farms. The Stone Age lasted for a very long time and because of this, historians have come up with different names for the Stone Age people that lived at different times. The times are split up into three simple names; the early stone age people, the middle stone age people (mesolithic), and the new stone age people (neolithic). The Neolithic people were mainly farmers and would cultivate land and also raise cattle. With all this being said, farming in Ireland can be traced back to around 6000 years ago!
The Neolithic people of Ireland were highly skilled builders and archaeologists have found their treasures through out Ireland to prove how highly gifted they really were. But during the Neolithic time they mainly used stone to make their buildings and build their day to day necessities. After the Neolithic people, during the Bronze Age, metals were brought into the mix of tools and buildings. According to historians, the metal they probably used was copper to make their tools. There is also evidence that these Irish people around the time would trade overseas with people because there have been findings of the Irish metal tools in Britain. In the late Bronze Age the early Irish settlers found ways to make swords and shields. Jewelry and decorated pottery were also made during the late Bronze Age. After the Bronze Age came the Iron Age. These settlers are called Celts and they brought the first language to the land of Ireland. Even though there has been a large dispute between historians, evidence shows that the Celts also brought the use of Iron to build their tools and weapons. The Celts also had a specific type of artwork that they did, and this style can still be found in the Celtic arts that are still popular in Ireland today.
All of the people that I have talked about up to this point have been Ireland's pre-Christian people. Christianity wasn't introduced in Ireland until about the 5th century. The association with Christianity originally stated with Saint Patrick, hence the holiday on March 17th, who arrived in Ireland to spread the word about Christianity. Historians do say that there could have been other Christians in the country before the arrival of Saint Patrick, but Saint Patrick is the most well-known. The first development of Christianity in Ireland would be the building of monasteries. The famous monasteries, Gelndalough and Clonmacnoise, were hubs of culture and learning. The Irish used the monasteries to bring the faith of Christianity to Britain and Europe in the 6th century.
During the 9th century and 10th century, Ireland was attacked by the Vikings. During this time of war, monasteries were demolished and some of the Christian culture was lost. After the Vikings came the Danes, which became the Danish settlers. The Danish settlers would happy to accept the culture and religion of Christianity. Once the four main provinces, Ulster, Leinster, Munster, and Connacht, were created the united church was formed by the Danish and Gaelic. Many people did not like how the church was coming about so eventually Henry the II was given the opportunity to be King of Ireland and he and his people made many reforms. These reforms had to do with the granting of land, but the reforms also went against the traditional polices and social structure of Ireland at this time. Once Henry the II was given power many people from England started to move to Ireland. There were clashes between the native Irish people and the new colonists. Because of the clashing a law was put forth in 1367 to make sure to keep the populations, native Irish and colonists, separate.
Between the time of Henry the II and todays present Ireland there were many changes in the Church and in the lordship. In today's present day Ireland the church and state have been separated. To this day Ireland still depends greatly on their amazing agriculture, they have grown in economic and industrial industry. The Catholic church has recently experienced many great downfalls with their people of Ireland. There have been many priests that were convicted of child abuse which made many people question the authority of the Catholic church. Because of all this negative up roar, in 2011 Ireland closed their embassy to the Vatican.
The Neolithic people of Ireland were highly skilled builders and archaeologists have found their treasures through out Ireland to prove how highly gifted they really were. But during the Neolithic time they mainly used stone to make their buildings and build their day to day necessities. After the Neolithic people, during the Bronze Age, metals were brought into the mix of tools and buildings. According to historians, the metal they probably used was copper to make their tools. There is also evidence that these Irish people around the time would trade overseas with people because there have been findings of the Irish metal tools in Britain. In the late Bronze Age the early Irish settlers found ways to make swords and shields. Jewelry and decorated pottery were also made during the late Bronze Age. After the Bronze Age came the Iron Age. These settlers are called Celts and they brought the first language to the land of Ireland. Even though there has been a large dispute between historians, evidence shows that the Celts also brought the use of Iron to build their tools and weapons. The Celts also had a specific type of artwork that they did, and this style can still be found in the Celtic arts that are still popular in Ireland today.
All of the people that I have talked about up to this point have been Ireland's pre-Christian people. Christianity wasn't introduced in Ireland until about the 5th century. The association with Christianity originally stated with Saint Patrick, hence the holiday on March 17th, who arrived in Ireland to spread the word about Christianity. Historians do say that there could have been other Christians in the country before the arrival of Saint Patrick, but Saint Patrick is the most well-known. The first development of Christianity in Ireland would be the building of monasteries. The famous monasteries, Gelndalough and Clonmacnoise, were hubs of culture and learning. The Irish used the monasteries to bring the faith of Christianity to Britain and Europe in the 6th century.
During the 9th century and 10th century, Ireland was attacked by the Vikings. During this time of war, monasteries were demolished and some of the Christian culture was lost. After the Vikings came the Danes, which became the Danish settlers. The Danish settlers would happy to accept the culture and religion of Christianity. Once the four main provinces, Ulster, Leinster, Munster, and Connacht, were created the united church was formed by the Danish and Gaelic. Many people did not like how the church was coming about so eventually Henry the II was given the opportunity to be King of Ireland and he and his people made many reforms. These reforms had to do with the granting of land, but the reforms also went against the traditional polices and social structure of Ireland at this time. Once Henry the II was given power many people from England started to move to Ireland. There were clashes between the native Irish people and the new colonists. Because of the clashing a law was put forth in 1367 to make sure to keep the populations, native Irish and colonists, separate.
Between the time of Henry the II and todays present Ireland there were many changes in the Church and in the lordship. In today's present day Ireland the church and state have been separated. To this day Ireland still depends greatly on their amazing agriculture, they have grown in economic and industrial industry. The Catholic church has recently experienced many great downfalls with their people of Ireland. There have been many priests that were convicted of child abuse which made many people question the authority of the Catholic church. Because of all this negative up roar, in 2011 Ireland closed their embassy to the Vatican.