Changes

==History==

==History==

===Early History===

===Early History===

The earliest inhabitants--people of a mid-Stone Age culture--arrived about 6000 BC. About 4,000 years later, tribes from southern Europe arrived and established a high Neolithic culture, leaving behind gold ornaments and huge stone monuments. The Bronze Age people, who arrived during the next 1,000 years, produced elaborate gold and bronze ornaments and weapons.  

The earliest inhabitants--people of a mid-Stone Age culture--arrived about 6000 BC. About 4,000 years later, tribes from southern Europe arrived and established a high Neolithic culture, leaving behind gold ornaments and huge stone monuments. The [[Bronze Age]] people, who arrived during the next 1,000 years, produced elaborate gold and bronze ornaments and weapons.  

The Iron Age arrived abruptly in the fourth century BC with the invasion of the Celts, a tall, energetic people who had spread across Europe and Great Britain in the preceding centuries. The Celts, or Gaels, and their more numerous predecessors divided into five kingdoms in which, despite constant strife, a rich culture flourished.  

The [[Iron Age]] arrived abruptly in the fourth century BC with the invasion of the Celts, a tall, energetic people who had spread across Europe and Great Britain in the preceding centuries. The Celts, or Gaels, and their more numerous predecessors divided into five kingdoms in which, despite constant strife, a rich culture flourished.  

===Early Christian Ireland===

===Early Christian Ireland===

===Medieval Ireland===

===Medieval Ireland===

At the end of the 8th Century, Norse and Danish raiders (commonly called Vikings) began to appear on Ireland's shores (as they were appearing in much of Europe at the same time).  Several waves of attacks followed.  The first were small, quick raids by small groups of boats on outlying areas (coastal settlements, islands off the coast, etc).  Later raiding parties grew much larger, and began making inroads into the island.  Eventually, the raiders began to build longphorts in Ireland, which were the first towns.  Among these were Dublin, Waterford, and Wexford.  The Vikings eventually became integrated into Irish politics and culture, and had major effects on many aspects of Irish life.

At the end of the 8th Century, Norse and Danish raiders (commonly called [[Vikings]]) began to appear on Ireland's shores (as they were appearing in much of Europe at the same time).  Several waves of attacks followed.  The first were small, quick raids by small groups of boats on outlying areas (coastal settlements, islands off the coast, etc).  Later raiding parties grew much larger, and began making inroads into the island.  Eventually, the raiders began to build longphorts in Ireland, which were the first towns.  Among these were Dublin, Waterford, and Wexford.  The Vikings eventually became integrated into Irish politics and culture, and had major effects on many aspects of Irish life.

In the 12th century, Norman lords invaded Ireland at the behest of Diarmait MacMurrough who wanted their help to regain land that he had lost.  While they quickly spread across most of the island, their conquest was incomplete. The Native Irish later began to retake much of the land that was lost and many Normans began to adopt Gaelic culture, which made the island very difficult to govern from England. The English were unable to bring the entire island under their control until the 17th century, after the defeat of the Irish in the Nine Years War. King James I of England (King James VI of Scotland) decided to plant Ulster, in the North of Ireland, with English and Scottish Protestant settlers, in an attempt to prevent future rebellions.<ref>[http://www.hoganstand.com/general/Identity/stories/ulster.htm]</ref>

In the 12th century, Norman lords invaded Ireland at the behest of Diarmait MacMurrough who wanted their help to regain land that he had lost.  While they quickly spread across most of the island, their conquest was incomplete. The Native Irish later began to retake much of the land that was lost and many Normans began to adopt Gaelic culture, which made the island very difficult to govern from England. The English were unable to bring the entire island under their control until the 17th century, after the defeat of the Irish in the Nine Years War. King James I of England (King James VI of Scotland) decided to plant Ulster, in the North of Ireland, with English and Scottish Protestant settlers, in an attempt to prevent future rebellions.<ref>[http://www.hoganstand.com/general/Identity/stories/ulster.htm]</ref>