Early History• First signs of human activity around 10,000 BC • Many surviving Megalithic tombs• Celts start coming to Ireland in the Iron Age (from 600 BC)• Gaelic culture is gradually created

Newgrange

Christianity in Ireland• In 432 AD St. Patrick comes to Ireland• Ireland gradually becomes a bastion of learning• First English involvement in 684 AD

Book of Kells

Viking age• Vikings begin raiding Ireland in late 8th century• Found several settlements, such as Dublin• Never fully conquered Ireland• With the beginning of the 11th century Viking power declines

Brian Boru

Norman rule• Henry II invaded Ireland in 1171 • Made his son John the Lord of Ireland• Normans never ruled the entire land

Kingdom of Ireland• Henry VIII decided to fully conquer Ireland• This took nearly a century• And didn‘t convert the populace to Protestantism• Protestant settlers sent over to rule the catholics• Didn‘t go over well

Irish independence• Great Famine in 1845 – 1849• Home rule granted in 1912• Easter Rising in 1916• Irish Free State (1922 – 1937)• Formally declared a republic in 1949, left the Commonwealth

Geography

Climate• Mild with a lot of rain• On average coler summers and warmer winters than the Czech

Republic• Extreme weather is rare

Carrauntoohil

Record breakers• River Shannon – longest river in

the British Isles (360 km)• Lough Neagh – largest lake of

the British Isles

Political geography

Political geograpy• Four provinces• Each province divided into counties• 32 total counties, 6 of them are Northern Ireland

Blarney Castle

Guinness Storehouse