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== History ==
== History ==
Historically, Ireland's culture has been distinct from other regional cultures, as it was the one of the only [[Celtic]] territories never conquered by the [[Roman Empire]].
Historically, Ireland's culture has been distinct from other regional cultures, as it was one of the only [[Celtic]] territories never conquered by the [[Roman Empire]].
Ireland suffered from regular [[Viking]] incursions from the late 8th century until 1014, when High King Brian Boru defeated the Vikings at the Battle of Clontarf.
Its people had an [[Iron Age]] culture at the time of Roman rule in Britain. They had no proper towns, and mainly lived in 'raths' (small fortified farmsteads) though there were larger hillforts. They were [[heathens]] worshipping a number of [[Celtic]] deities, including the Dagda (good god). The [[Druids]] were their priests and law-speakers, and knwew some science and medicine.
Patrick (Latin 'Patricius') was a Romanised [[Briton]] captured by Irish raiders, who escaped from slavery in Ireland and felt called by God to return and evangelise the Irish, this being in the 5th century AD. He did not do this work alone, but he wrote a kind of autobiography (‘Confessio’) so we know a lot about his life and work.
Columba (Irish ‘Columcille’ = ‘dove of the church’) was a Northern Irish noble who went to [[Scotland]] and founded the monastery of [[Iona]], going from there to the Scottish mainland as a missionary to the Picts.
Ireland suffered from regular [[Viking]] incursions from the late 8th century until 1014, when High King Brian Boru defeated the Vikings at the Battle of Clontarf (though some Vikings fought for Brian). Dublin, the Irish capital, was founded as a Viking trading port.
In the 12th century, the Pope granted Ireland to the English crown as a papal fief. This was Pope [[Adrian IV]], the only Englishman to become bishop of Rome. The English however, 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, the Pope granted Ireland to the English crown as a papal fief. This was Pope [[Adrian IV]], the only Englishman to become bishop of Rome. The English however, 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>