Ireland
The first humans arrived in Ireland between 7,000 and 6,000 BC after the end of the last ice age. About 4,000 BC farming was introduced to Ireland. The Stone Age farmers were the first people to leave monuments in the form of burial mounds such as court cairns, stone galleries, dolmens (massive vertical stones with horizontal stones on top), and passage graves covered with mounds of earth. About 2,000 BC bronze was introduced into Ireland and was used for making tools and weapons. They also built crannogs or lake dwellings, which were easy to defend. Then about 500 BC the Celts arrived in Ireland with iron tools and weapons. The Celts were a warlike people and they built stone forts across Ireland. At that time Ireland was divided into many small kingdoms and warfare between them was frequent. The priests of the Celts were called Druids and they practiced polytheism.
In the 4th century Christianity spread to Ireland. In 432 a man named Patrick arrived in Ireland. He was captured by Irish raiders at the age of 16 and was taken to Ireland as a slave. After 6 years as a slave Patrick managed to escape back to England. Patrick became a missionary to Ireland until his death in 461. From 500 to 800 was the golden age of the Irish church. In Irish monasteries learning and the arts flourished. One of the greatest arts was making decorated books called illuminated manuscripts. The Vikings first attacked Ireland in 795. They looted monasteries and took slaves. In the 9th century they founded Ireland's first towns and settled down. Around 940 the great High King Brian Boru was born. At that time the Danes had conquered much of the kingdom of Munster. Brian defeated them in several battles and eventually became High Kind of Ireland. However in 1014 Leinster, the people of Dublin and the Danes joined forces against him. Brian fought and defeated them at the battle of Clontarf, although he was killed himself. This victory ended the Viking threat to Ireland.
In 1166, Tiernan O'Rourke forced MacMurrough to flee from Ireland. MacMurrough enlisted the support of a man named Richard FitzGilbert de Clare (better known as Strongbow) to help him regain his kingdom. In return MacMurrough promised that Strongbow could marry his daughter and would become king of Leinster after him. MacMurrough returned to South Leinster in 1167. The first English soldiers arrived in 1169. Henry II became alarmed that Strongbow was becoming too powerful and ordered all English soldiers to return to England by Easter 1171. Strongbow agreed to submit to king Henry and accept him as Lord if he was allowed to continue. In the meantime Dermait died and Strongbow became king of Leinster. The English king Henry landed in Ireland in October 1171. Strongbow, most of the Irish Kings, and the High King submitted to him.
The first Irish parliament was called in 1264 but it represented only the Anglo-Irish ruling class. In 1315 the Scots invaded Ireland hoping to open up a second front in their war with the English. Robert the Bruce's brother led the Scottish army with considerable success and was even crowned king of Ireland but was defeated and killed by the English in 1318. In 1394 the English king Richard II led an army to Ireland to try and re-assert English control. The Irish submitted to him but promptly rebelled once he had left. Richard returned in 1399 but he was forced to leave due to trouble at home. From then on English control continued to wane until by the middle of the 15th century the English only ruled Dublin and the surrounding 'Pale'. Henry VII made the first attempt to 'plant' loyal English people in Ireland as a way of controlling the country. Land confiscated from the Irish was given to English settlers, but were later abandoned in the face of attacks from the Irish. After Edwards death his sister Mary (1553-1558) became queen. She carried out the first successful plantation of Ireland.
Under King James the plantation was to be far more thorough, by having Protestant settlers outnumber the native Irish. However the native Irish resented the plantation and in 1641 Ulster rose in rebellion and massacres of Protestants occurred. In the South in 1642 the Anglo-Irish and the native Irish formed an alliance called the Confederation of Kilkenny. They quickly took over most of Ireland while England was distracted by civil war. The English civil war ended in 1646 and the English parliament turned its attention to Ireland. Oliver Cromwell was determined to crush Irish resistance and impose Protestantism on Ireland. By 1651 all of Ireland was in English hands.
In the 19th century the British government decided to abolish the Irish parliament and unite Ireland with Britain. In 1845 a large part of the Irish population lived on potatoes and buttermilk. The potato blight returned in 1846. From over 8 million in 1841 it fell to about 6 1/2 million in 1851 and it continued to fall. An estimated 1 million people died during the famine. Many others emigrated. In 1886 and 1893 Gladstone introduced his Home Rule bill to the British Parliament. Finally, a Home Rule Bill received the Royal Assent on 15 September 1914 but was put on hold for the duration of the First World War. The war split opinion in Ireland. Some people were willing to wait for the end of the war believing that Ireland would then become independent. Some were not. During the Easter Rising, insurgents occupied the Post Office in O'Connell Street where their leader Patrick Pearse announced an Irish Republic. However, the British crushed the rebellion and the insurgents surrendered on 29 April and 15 of them were executed. Public opinion in Ireland was appalled and alienated by the executions.
In January 1919 the Irish Volunteers renamed themselves the IRA the IRA began a guerrilla war which continued through 1920 and 1921. In July 1921, the war ended. Meanwhile in 1920 the British government passed the Government of Ireland Act, creating 2 parliaments in Ireland, one in the north and one in the south. However both parliaments would be subordinate to the British parliament. In 1948 Ireland was made a republic and the last ties with Britain were cut.
In the 4th century Christianity spread to Ireland. In 432 a man named Patrick arrived in Ireland. He was captured by Irish raiders at the age of 16 and was taken to Ireland as a slave. After 6 years as a slave Patrick managed to escape back to England. Patrick became a missionary to Ireland until his death in 461. From 500 to 800 was the golden age of the Irish church. In Irish monasteries learning and the arts flourished. One of the greatest arts was making decorated books called illuminated manuscripts. The Vikings first attacked Ireland in 795. They looted monasteries and took slaves. In the 9th century they founded Ireland's first towns and settled down. Around 940 the great High King Brian Boru was born. At that time the Danes had conquered much of the kingdom of Munster. Brian defeated them in several battles and eventually became High Kind of Ireland. However in 1014 Leinster, the people of Dublin and the Danes joined forces against him. Brian fought and defeated them at the battle of Clontarf, although he was killed himself. This victory ended the Viking threat to Ireland.
In 1166, Tiernan O'Rourke forced MacMurrough to flee from Ireland. MacMurrough enlisted the support of a man named Richard FitzGilbert de Clare (better known as Strongbow) to help him regain his kingdom. In return MacMurrough promised that Strongbow could marry his daughter and would become king of Leinster after him. MacMurrough returned to South Leinster in 1167. The first English soldiers arrived in 1169. Henry II became alarmed that Strongbow was becoming too powerful and ordered all English soldiers to return to England by Easter 1171. Strongbow agreed to submit to king Henry and accept him as Lord if he was allowed to continue. In the meantime Dermait died and Strongbow became king of Leinster. The English king Henry landed in Ireland in October 1171. Strongbow, most of the Irish Kings, and the High King submitted to him.
The first Irish parliament was called in 1264 but it represented only the Anglo-Irish ruling class. In 1315 the Scots invaded Ireland hoping to open up a second front in their war with the English. Robert the Bruce's brother led the Scottish army with considerable success and was even crowned king of Ireland but was defeated and killed by the English in 1318. In 1394 the English king Richard II led an army to Ireland to try and re-assert English control. The Irish submitted to him but promptly rebelled once he had left. Richard returned in 1399 but he was forced to leave due to trouble at home. From then on English control continued to wane until by the middle of the 15th century the English only ruled Dublin and the surrounding 'Pale'. Henry VII made the first attempt to 'plant' loyal English people in Ireland as a way of controlling the country. Land confiscated from the Irish was given to English settlers, but were later abandoned in the face of attacks from the Irish. After Edwards death his sister Mary (1553-1558) became queen. She carried out the first successful plantation of Ireland.
Under King James the plantation was to be far more thorough, by having Protestant settlers outnumber the native Irish. However the native Irish resented the plantation and in 1641 Ulster rose in rebellion and massacres of Protestants occurred. In the South in 1642 the Anglo-Irish and the native Irish formed an alliance called the Confederation of Kilkenny. They quickly took over most of Ireland while England was distracted by civil war. The English civil war ended in 1646 and the English parliament turned its attention to Ireland. Oliver Cromwell was determined to crush Irish resistance and impose Protestantism on Ireland. By 1651 all of Ireland was in English hands.
In the 19th century the British government decided to abolish the Irish parliament and unite Ireland with Britain. In 1845 a large part of the Irish population lived on potatoes and buttermilk. The potato blight returned in 1846. From over 8 million in 1841 it fell to about 6 1/2 million in 1851 and it continued to fall. An estimated 1 million people died during the famine. Many others emigrated. In 1886 and 1893 Gladstone introduced his Home Rule bill to the British Parliament. Finally, a Home Rule Bill received the Royal Assent on 15 September 1914 but was put on hold for the duration of the First World War. The war split opinion in Ireland. Some people were willing to wait for the end of the war believing that Ireland would then become independent. Some were not. During the Easter Rising, insurgents occupied the Post Office in O'Connell Street where their leader Patrick Pearse announced an Irish Republic. However, the British crushed the rebellion and the insurgents surrendered on 29 April and 15 of them were executed. Public opinion in Ireland was appalled and alienated by the executions.
In January 1919 the Irish Volunteers renamed themselves the IRA the IRA began a guerrilla war which continued through 1920 and 1921. In July 1921, the war ended. Meanwhile in 1920 the British government passed the Government of Ireland Act, creating 2 parliaments in Ireland, one in the north and one in the south. However both parliaments would be subordinate to the British parliament. In 1948 Ireland was made a republic and the last ties with Britain were cut.
Adare
The name Adare comes from the Irish Áth Dara meaning the 'ford of the oaks'. Members of the Kildare family founded Adare's three monasteries. The Trinitarian abbey was founded about the year 1230 for the Trinitarian Canons of the Redemption of Captives, and was the only house of the Order in Ireland. The Augustinian Friary was founded in 1315 by Thomas, Earl of Kildare, and his Countess Joan, who was buried within the friary itself. The friary of St Augustine was inhabited by the Order of the Eremites. The friary, which was situated on the west bridge of Adare, was called the Black Abbey due to the black habit of the monks. A Franciscan friary was founded here, the remains of which are situated in the demesne of Adare Manor, on the bank of the river Maigue. This Franciscan Friary, founded in 1464, was attacked and burned in 1647. At this time, Limerick County had suffered greatly from raids by the parliamentary troops. Having entered Limerick, the troops proceeded as far as Adare, where they burned the Franciscan convent. The modern village was largely an early 19th century creation of the Dunravens.
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Holy Trinity Adare Church
John FitzThomas FitzGerald (ca 1265-1316), 1st Earl of Kildare, who held lands throughout Ireland, may have endowed the abbey in the late 13th century rebuilt it in 1272, when he was attempting to force his cousin’s widow, Agnes de Valence, to hand over her estates in Co Limerick. Peter, the minister, and three other canons at Adare were accused of seizing goods from their neighbours, the Augustinian friars in Adare, in 1319. With the dissolution of the monastic houses at the Reformation, the abbey was dissolved in February 1539. Despite popular belief and local lore, the prior was not beheaded, having refused to take the Oath of Supremacy, nor were 42 monks from the abbey imprisoned. The abbey was leased to James Gold in 1583, and it was granted to Sir Henry Wallop in 1595. But within a century, the abbey was the property of the Earl of Kildare. In 1683, he granted possession of the abbey to Thady Quin (1645-1725), a lawyer and a descendent of the O’Quin family of Inchquin, Co Clare. By the early 19th century, the abbey was in ruins, and the church was first restored in 1811, when Valentine Quin (1752-1824), 1st Earl of Dunraven, reroofed the church and added the north transept. Wyndham Quin (1782-1850), 2nd Earl of Dunraven, made a gift of the ruined abbey to the Roman Catholic parishioners of Adare in 1824 and he initiated a programme of restoration that was continued by his successors. |
Blarney
It is situated on a river of the same name, over which is a bridge of 3 arches. The noted castle of Blarney was built in 1446, by Cormac McCarthy who was descended in a direct line from the hereditary kings of Desmond or South Munster. The village, though now of little importance, was once the most thriving in the county, and between the years 1765 and 1782, when the linen manufacture was carried on, had not less than 13 mills in operation. The cotton trade was afterwards introduced and flourished for a time, but has decayed since.
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Blarney Castle
The first Blarney Castle, built in the 10th century, consisted of a wooden structure. Two centuries later, around 1210, a stone fortification replaced the original wooden structure. In 1446, King Dermot McCarthy demolished the stone structure and enlarged Blarney Castle, reinstalling the fabled Blarney Stone. The McCarty Clan fought several rivals in order to maintain possession of the castle, including the Desmond Clan. In 1586, Queen Elizabeth I commissioned the Earl of Leicester to take the land from the McCarthy Clan; however, the clan found ways to delay negotiations. Constant delays frustrated the Queen, and the family held onto Blarney Castle until the Confederate War (1641 to 1652). Oliver Cromwell died in 1658. The McCarthys reclaimed Blarney Castle in 1661 after King Charles II ascended to the English throne. The family chieftain Donough McCarthy earned the title Earl of Clancarty. In 1688, Donough McCarthy joined forces with the Jacobites of Scotland. The Duke of Malborough, an ancestor of Winston Churchill, took Donough McCarthy prisoner during the 1690 battle for Cork. He escaped from the Tower of London and fled to France, joining fellow Irish expatriates. In the next two centuries, Blarney Castle changed ownership numerous times. The Hollow Sword Blade Company of London purchased the land soon after the McCarthy Clan left. In 1703, Sir Richard Payne, the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland bought the land from the company. Afraid of that the McCarthys would return, Payne sold the land to Sir James Jefferyes, governor of Cork City. The family turned the property into an estate village with 90 houses, a small church and three mud cabins. In the 1800, the Jefferyes family married into the Colthurst family--their descendants maintain ownership of the castle today. Since the late 1800s, visitors have converged on Blarney Castle to ascend the stairs and kiss the Blarney Stone. Past visitors include Winston Churchill and President William H. Taft. |
Blarney Stone
The Blarney Stone is a single block of bluestone, the same material as the megaliths of Stonehenge. Some people believe the Blarney Stone is half of the original Stone of Scone upon which the first King of Scots was seated during his coronation in 847. It is said that part of this stone was presented to Cormac McCarthy by Robert the Bruce in 1314. It was his gift to the Irish for supporting the Scots in the Battle of Bannockburn. It was originally known as Lia Fáil or the Stone of Destiny, and its mysterious powers were first revealed to the McCarthy family by a witch they had saved from drowning. Among some of the more colorful tales of the history of the stone: The Stone was used by Jacob for his pillow and was brought to Ireland by the prohet Jeremiah; that David hid behind the Stone while running from King Saul. (The Stone was then returned to Ireland during the Crusades); it is the very rock Moses struck with his staff to supply the Israelites with water as they fled slavery in Egypt. According to Irish folklore, anyone who kisses the stone receives the ability to speak with eloquence, or “The Gift of the Gab.” In 2006, Discovery’s Travel Channel listed kissing the Blarney Stone as one of the 99 things to do before you die. |
Bunratty
The first settlement in Bunratty may have been set up by Vikings in the 10th century. The Annals of the Four Masters report that Brian Boru destroyed a Viking settlement in the area in 977. Around 1250 the Anglo-Norman ruler Mucegros was given the right to hold a market and fair at Bunratty. He built the castle in 1277. The castle became the main residence of Richard de Clare, owner of all of Thomond. In the late 13th century, Bunratty had about 1,000 inhabitants. Richard de Clare was killed in 1311, and in 1314 the town of Bunratty was burned to the ground by the local people. The castle was sacked in 1332. The current Bunratty Castle was built by the MacNamara family in the early part of the 15th century. It later became property of the O’Briens, who eventually made it their principal seat as Earls of Thomond. In the early 18th century it came into the possession of the Studdert family, who built Bunratty House in 1804.
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Bunratty Castle
The site on which Bunratty Castle stands was originally a Viking trading camp in 970. Robert De Muscegros, a Norman, built the first defensive fortress (an earthen mound with a strong wooden tower on top) in 1250. His lands were later granted to Thomas De Clare who built the first stone castle on the site. In 1318 Richard De Clare, son of Thomas was killed in a battle between the Irish and the Normans. His followers were routed and the castle and town were completely destroyed. The castle was restored for the King of England but was laid waste in 1332 by the Irish Chieftains of Thomond under the O'Briens and MacNamaras. It lay in ruins for 21 years until it was rebuilt by Sir Thomas Rokeby but was once again attacked by the Irish and the castle remained in Irish hands thereafter. The powerful MacNamara family built the present structure around 1425 but by 1475 it had become the stronghold of the O'Briens, the largest clan in North Munster. Under Henry VIII's 'surrender and re-grant' scheme, the O'Brien's were granted the title 'Earls of Thomond' and they agreed to profess loyalty to the King of England. The reign of the O'Briens came to an end with the arrival of the Cromwellian troops and the castle and its grounds were surrendered. Bunratty Castle and its lands were granted to various Plantation families, the last of whom was the Studdart family. They left the castle in 1804 (allowing it to fall into disrepair). Bunratty returned to its former splendor when Viscount Lord Gort purchased it in 1954. It is the most complete and authentically restored and furnished castle in Ireland. |
Cashel
The Rock of Cashel, to which the town below owes its origin, is an isolated elevation of stratified limestone, rising abruptly from a broad and fertile plain called the Golden Vale. The top of this eminence is crowned by a group of remarkable ruins. Originally known as Fairy Hill, or Sid-Druim, the Rock was, in pagan times, the dun, or castle, of the ancient Eoghnacht Chiefs of Munster. In Gaelic, Caiseal denotes a circular stone fort and is the name of several places in Ireland. Here Corc, grandfather of Aengus Mac Natfraich, erected a fort. Cashel subsequently became the capital of Munster and a celebrated court. At the time of St. Patrick, when Aengus ruled as king, Cashel claimed supremacy over all the royal duns of the province. In the 5th century, the Eóganachta dynasty founded their capital on and around the rock. Many kings of Munster have reigned here since. Saint Patrick is believed to have baptised Cashel's third king, Aengus. In 977 the Dal gCais usurper, Brian Boru, was crowned here as the first non-Eóghanacht king of Cashel and Munster in over five hundred years. In 1101 his great-grandson, King Muirchertach Ua Briain, gave the place to the bishop of Limerick, thus denying it forever to the MacCarthys, the senior branch of the Eóganachta.
Rock of Cashel
Legend associates the Rock of Cashel with St. Patrick, but the name comes from Caiseal, meaning "stone fort," and the hill was originally the residence of the kings of Munster. Excavations have revealed some evidence of burials and church buildings from the 9th or 10th century, but it was in the early 12th century that the Rock began to be developed into a major Christian center. In 1101, Muirchertach O Briain, king of Munster, gave the Rock of Cashel to the church. A round tower, which still stands today, was erected shortly after this. A decade later, in 1111, Cashel became the seat of an archbishop. The original cathedral was located where the choir of the present one now stands, but nothing is known of it. Cormac's Chapel, a magnificent little Romanesque church that still survives today, was consecrated in 1134, probably for Benedictine monks. The town of Cashel at the foot of the rock was founded by the archbishop sometime before 1218 and a Dominican priory was established in 1243. The present cathedral was erected in the 13th century as well. The frescoes in Cormac's Chapel, which are the oldest Romanesque wall paintings in Ireland, were covered with whitewash at the Reformation (16th century) and remained hidden until the 1980s. |
Cobh
For many years Cobh was the port of Cork and has always had a strong connection with Atlantic crossings. In 1838 the Sirius, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, sailed from Cobh. The Titanic made its last stop here before its fateful journey in 1912, and when the Lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of Kinsale in 1915, it was here that many of the survivors were brought and the dead buried. Cobh was also the last glimpse of Ireland for the people who emigrated during the Famine. In 1849 Cobh was renamed Queenstown after Queen Victoria paid a visit. The name lasted until Irish independence in 1921 when, the local council reverted to the Irish Cobh. The world’s first yacht club, the Royal Cork Yacht Club, was founded here in 1720, but now operates from Crosshaven on the other side of Cork Harbour.
County Clare
County Clare hosts the oldest known evidence of human activity in Ireland. The patella of a bear, which was subject to butchering close to the time of death (10,500 BC), was found in the Alice and Gwendoline Cave. There was a Neolithic civilization in the Clare area – the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen. Clare is one of the richest places in Ireland for these tombs.Ptolemy created a map of Ireland in his Geographia with information dating from 100 AD; it is the oldest written account of the island that includes geographical features. Within his map, Ptolemy names the Gaelic tribes inhabiting it and the areas in which they resided; in the area of Clare, he identified a tribe known as the Gangani.
During the Early Middle Ages, the area was part of the Kingdom of Connacht ruled by the Ui Fiachrach Aidhne. In the Middle Ages, it was annexed to the Kingdom of Munster to be settled by the Dalcassians. It was renamed Thomond, meaning North Munster. Brian Boru became a leader from here during this period, perhaps the most noted High King of Ireland. From 1118 onwards the Kingdom of Thomond was in place as its own petty kingdom, ruled by the O’Brien Clan. After the Norma invasion of Ireland, Thomas de Clare established a short-lived Norman lordship of Thomond, extinguished at the Battle of Dysert O’Dea in 1318 during Edward Bruce’s invasion. In 1543, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, Murrough O’Brien, by surrender and regrant to Henry VIII, became Earl of Thomond within Henry's Kingdom of Ireland.
During the Early Middle Ages, the area was part of the Kingdom of Connacht ruled by the Ui Fiachrach Aidhne. In the Middle Ages, it was annexed to the Kingdom of Munster to be settled by the Dalcassians. It was renamed Thomond, meaning North Munster. Brian Boru became a leader from here during this period, perhaps the most noted High King of Ireland. From 1118 onwards the Kingdom of Thomond was in place as its own petty kingdom, ruled by the O’Brien Clan. After the Norma invasion of Ireland, Thomas de Clare established a short-lived Norman lordship of Thomond, extinguished at the Battle of Dysert O’Dea in 1318 during Edward Bruce’s invasion. In 1543, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, Murrough O’Brien, by surrender and regrant to Henry VIII, became Earl of Thomond within Henry's Kingdom of Ireland.
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Cliffs of Moher
Standing 702 feet at their highest point, on a clear day visitors may be lucky enough to see the Aran Islands and Galway Bay to the west as well as the Dingle Peninsula and the Blasket Islands in Kerry. The Cliffs of Moher translated means ‘the cliffs of the ruined fort’ and although there is no trace remaining of this two thousand year old Mothar fort, Moher Tower stands in its place today. It is believed the cliffs are over 320 million years old, dating back to when Ireland’s ancient rivers laid down sediments on the seabed to form the rocks of the Cliffs of Moher – sandstone, siltstone and shale. It’s only in more recent times that their unique beauty has been so widely appreciated. |
Poulnabrone Portal Tomb
This tomb was in use during the Neolithic and radiocarbon dates place its use between 3,800 - 3,600 BC. The burial chamber was 25 cm deep. The dolmen, which is also called a portal tomb, is made up of a large single capstone that rests on two portal stones, two more orthostats, and an end stone. The remains of up to 22 individuals from the Neolithic were found. Sixteen adults, six children, and one newborn (from the Bronze Age) were among the remains. Their bodies were not cremated. Only one adult was over the age of 40 while most died before they reached 30. Most of the children were between the ages of five and fifteen. Grykes are crevices in the limestone that were then filled with remains. Chamber and grykes also were filled with the bones of various large and small animals. |
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County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Roich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective describing a dark complexion. The suffix raighe, meaning people/tribe, is found in various -ry place names in Ireland, such as Osry--Osraighe Deer-People/Tribe. The county's nickname is the Kingdom.
On 27 August 1329, by Letters Patent, Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond was confirmed in the feudal seniority of the entire county palatine of Kerry, to him and his heirs male, to hold of the Crown by the service of one knight's fee. In 1580, during the Second Desmond Rebellion, one of the most infamous massacres of the Sixteenth century, the Siege of Smerwick, took place at Dún an Óir. The 600-strong Italian, Spanish and Irish papal invasion force of James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald was besieged by the English forces and massacred. In 1588, when the fleet of the Spanish Armada in Ireland were returning to Spain during stormy weather, many of its ships sought shelter at the Blasket Islands and some were wrecked. During the Nine Years’ War, Kerry was again the scene of conflict, as the O'Sullivan Beare clan joined the rebellion. In 1602 their castle at Dunboy was besieged and taken by English troops. Donal O’Sullivan Beare, in an effort to escape English retribution and to reach his allies in Ulster, marched all the clan's members and dependants to the north of Ireland. Due to harassment by hostile forces and freezing weather, very few of the 1,000 O'Sullivans who set out reached their destination. In the aftermath of the War, much of the native owned land in Kerry was confiscated and given to English settlers or 'planters'.
In the 18th and 19th centuries Kerry became increasingly populated by poor tenant farmers, who came to rely on the potato as their main food source. As a result, when the potato crop failed in 1845, Kerry was very hard hit by the Great Irish Famine of 1845–49. In the wake of the famine, many thousands of poor farmers emigrated to seek a better life in America and elsewhere. Kerry was to remain a source of emigration until recent times (up to the 1980s). In the 20th century, Kerry was one of the counties most affected by the Irish War of Independence (1919–21) and Irish Civil War (1922–23). In the war of Independence, the Irish Republican Army fought a guerilla war against the Royal Irish Constabulary, and British military.
On 27 August 1329, by Letters Patent, Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond was confirmed in the feudal seniority of the entire county palatine of Kerry, to him and his heirs male, to hold of the Crown by the service of one knight's fee. In 1580, during the Second Desmond Rebellion, one of the most infamous massacres of the Sixteenth century, the Siege of Smerwick, took place at Dún an Óir. The 600-strong Italian, Spanish and Irish papal invasion force of James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald was besieged by the English forces and massacred. In 1588, when the fleet of the Spanish Armada in Ireland were returning to Spain during stormy weather, many of its ships sought shelter at the Blasket Islands and some were wrecked. During the Nine Years’ War, Kerry was again the scene of conflict, as the O'Sullivan Beare clan joined the rebellion. In 1602 their castle at Dunboy was besieged and taken by English troops. Donal O’Sullivan Beare, in an effort to escape English retribution and to reach his allies in Ulster, marched all the clan's members and dependants to the north of Ireland. Due to harassment by hostile forces and freezing weather, very few of the 1,000 O'Sullivans who set out reached their destination. In the aftermath of the War, much of the native owned land in Kerry was confiscated and given to English settlers or 'planters'.
In the 18th and 19th centuries Kerry became increasingly populated by poor tenant farmers, who came to rely on the potato as their main food source. As a result, when the potato crop failed in 1845, Kerry was very hard hit by the Great Irish Famine of 1845–49. In the wake of the famine, many thousands of poor farmers emigrated to seek a better life in America and elsewhere. Kerry was to remain a source of emigration until recent times (up to the 1980s). In the 20th century, Kerry was one of the counties most affected by the Irish War of Independence (1919–21) and Irish Civil War (1922–23). In the war of Independence, the Irish Republican Army fought a guerilla war against the Royal Irish Constabulary, and British military.
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Kerry Bog Village
The Kerry Bog Village gives people a fascinating insight into how people lived and worked in Ireland in the 18th-19th Century. The village is the only one of its kind in Europe and is a heritage award winner. It was extensively researched prior to being recreated. Great care was taken to ensure the dwellings that visitors see before them, are exact replicas of those used in Ireland in the 1800's. Old sites were visited, ruins measured, and old documents consulted. One of the houses was moved from North Kerry and rebuilt within the Bog Village. The village is located in vast Bog land, visitors will learn about the bog, it's wildlife, and equipment used to extract the turf. |
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Leacanabuaile Stone Fort
Ring forts are usually known locally by names such as ‘rath’, ‘lios’, ‘cathair’ or ‘caiseal’. Rath and lios are usually applied to earthen ring forts while terms like cathair and caiseal are applied to stone forts. The Iveragh Peninsula has some 247 such monuments classified as ringforts. Leacanabuaile means The Slope of the Booley. ‘Booley’ is a Gaelic term for transhumance, a term well recognised in many cultures where during the summer months, farmers would take their cattle to higher ground for grazing. The fort has an interior diameter of 70ft and walls 10ft thick and a number of structures are clearly visible internally. Excavations revealed both Bronze and Iron Age objects suggesting that there was a farming community here from an early date. These forts have been carefully restored and preserved and are well located giving a wide view of the surrounding countryside and many of the views are seaward which could suggest a strategic purpose. It is generally agreed that they were community built but it is unclear for what purpose. There are many possibilities as to the function of these forts – agriculture, living quarters for an important family or families; community protection, an assembly point for the local community, sporting contests, a centre for textile industry or craft, even religious activity |
The Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is a 179km circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry in South Western Ireland. It takes in the towns of Killarney, Beaufort, Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel, Sneem and Kenmare. It’s often a narrow, winding route that, with only brief stops, will take a day to drive. |
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Sneem
Sneem is a town situated on the Iveragh Peninsula (part of the Ring of Kerry) in County Kerry in the southwest of Ireland. It lies on the estuary of the River Sneem. The Irish town name, "An tSnaidhm", means "The Knot" in English. One explanation of the name is that a knot-like swirling is said to take place where the Sneem river meets the currents of Kenmare Bay in the estuary just below the village. A less common explanation is that Sneem is the knot in the scenic Ring of Kerry.
River Sneem
The name of Sneem in Irish is An tSnaidhm and means ‘The Knot.’ There are several explanations for this name: 1. A knot-like swirling is said to be visible where the River Sneem meets the currents of Kenmare Bay in the estuary, just below the village. 2. Sneem has two squares, North and South, and the bridge in the middle of Sneem acts as a knot between the two squares. 3. Sneem is the knot in the Ring of Kerry. |
Dublin
The first documented history of Dublin begins with the Viking raids in the 8th and 9th century. These led to the establishment of a settlement on the southside of the mouth of the Liffey, named Dubh Linn (Black Pool) after the lake where the Danes first moored their boats. The Danes were slowly converted to Christianity and the first Bishop of Dublin was appointed in 1028. By the 11th Century, Dublin prospered, mainly due to close trading links with the English towns of Chester and Bristol and soon became the most important town in Ireland with a population of about 4,000. 1169 marked the beginning of 700 years of Norman rule. The King of Leinster, Mac Murrough, enlisted the help of Strongbow, the Earl of Pembroke, to conquer Dublin. After Mac Murrough’s death, Strongbow declared himself King of Leinster, defeating both the Vikings and the High King of Ireland to win control of the city. However, the king of England, afraid Strongbow might become too powerful, pronounced himself Lord of Ireland and gave Dublin to the merchants of Bristol.
Following their victory at Bannockburn in 1314 the Scots invaded Ireland. Desperate efforts were made to repair the walls around Dublin and the bridge over the Liffey was destroyed to prevent the Scots using it. Finally, the authorities set fire to the suburbs of Dublin (in case they provided cover for an advancing army). Unfortunately, the fire got out of hand and destroyed far more buildings than was intended. Shortly afterwards the Scots abandoned the siege. From the 14th to 18th centuries, Dublin was incorporated into the English Crown as The Pale and, for a time, became the second city of the British Empire. In 1537, a revolt occurred when the Lord Deputy of Ireland was executed in London. His son renounced English sovereignty and set about gathering an army to attack Dublin. However, he was defeated and subsequently executed. The city had a population of 20,000 in 1640 before plague in 1650 wiped out almost half of the inhabitants. But the city prospered again soon after as a result of the wool and linen trade with England, reaching a population of 60,000 in 1700.
The city grew even more rapidly during the 18th century. Ireland's famous Guinness stout was first brewed in 1759 and a stagecoach service to other towns began. Towards the end of the century O’Connell Bridge and Kilmainham Gaol had been built and by 1800 the population had swollen to 180,000. However, this overpopulation brought with it great poverty and disease. Overall Dublin suffered a steep political and economic decline with the seat of government moving to Westminster in 1800 under the Act Of Union. Things were to change dramatically in the 20th Century with the 1916 Easter Rising, the War For Independence and the subsequent Civil War which eventually led to the establishment of the Republic of Ireland. As the seat of English administration, Dublin was the setting for many key events during the Irish struggle for independence. Since the mid-1990s, an economic boom christened the ‘Celtic Tiger’ brought massive expansion and development to the city. Some 1.2m people live in the greater Dublin area, that equals 28% of the country's total population of 4.2m. The boom brought many new ethnic groups into the city and created a more international feel, particularly in the north inner city.
Following their victory at Bannockburn in 1314 the Scots invaded Ireland. Desperate efforts were made to repair the walls around Dublin and the bridge over the Liffey was destroyed to prevent the Scots using it. Finally, the authorities set fire to the suburbs of Dublin (in case they provided cover for an advancing army). Unfortunately, the fire got out of hand and destroyed far more buildings than was intended. Shortly afterwards the Scots abandoned the siege. From the 14th to 18th centuries, Dublin was incorporated into the English Crown as The Pale and, for a time, became the second city of the British Empire. In 1537, a revolt occurred when the Lord Deputy of Ireland was executed in London. His son renounced English sovereignty and set about gathering an army to attack Dublin. However, he was defeated and subsequently executed. The city had a population of 20,000 in 1640 before plague in 1650 wiped out almost half of the inhabitants. But the city prospered again soon after as a result of the wool and linen trade with England, reaching a population of 60,000 in 1700.
The city grew even more rapidly during the 18th century. Ireland's famous Guinness stout was first brewed in 1759 and a stagecoach service to other towns began. Towards the end of the century O’Connell Bridge and Kilmainham Gaol had been built and by 1800 the population had swollen to 180,000. However, this overpopulation brought with it great poverty and disease. Overall Dublin suffered a steep political and economic decline with the seat of government moving to Westminster in 1800 under the Act Of Union. Things were to change dramatically in the 20th Century with the 1916 Easter Rising, the War For Independence and the subsequent Civil War which eventually led to the establishment of the Republic of Ireland. As the seat of English administration, Dublin was the setting for many key events during the Irish struggle for independence. Since the mid-1990s, an economic boom christened the ‘Celtic Tiger’ brought massive expansion and development to the city. Some 1.2m people live in the greater Dublin area, that equals 28% of the country's total population of 4.2m. The boom brought many new ethnic groups into the city and created a more international feel, particularly in the north inner city.
Door of Reconciliation
In 1492 two Irish families, the Butlers of Ormonde and the FitzGeralds of Kildare, were involved in a bitter feud. This disagreement centered around the position of Lord Deputy. Both families wanted one of their own to hold the position. In 1492 this tension broke into outright warfare and a small skirmish occurred between the two families just outside the city walls. The Butlers, realizing that the fighting was getting out of control, took refuge in the Chapter House of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The FitzGeralds followed them into the Cathedral and asked them to come out and make peace. The Butlers, afraid that if they did so they would be slaughtered, refused. As a gesture of good faith the head of the Kildare family, Gerald FitzGerald, ordered that a hole be cut in the door. He then thrust his arm through the door and offered his hand in peace to those on the other side. Upon seeing that FitzGerald was willing to risk his arm by putting it through the door the Butlers reasoned that he was serious in his intention. They shook hands through the door, the Butlers emerged from the Chapter House and the two families made peace. Today this door is known as the “Door of Reconciliation” and is on display in the Cathedral’s north transept. This story also lives on in a famous expression in Ireland “To chance your arm”. |
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Garden of Remembrance
The Garden of Remembrance is a large sunken garden designed by Dáithí Hanly and it features a pool in the shape of a non-denominational cross designed to be inclusive of all religions, creeds or colors. The floor of the cross is lined with mosaics of shattered swords and broken shields - echoing the rituals of ancient clans who would break their weapons at the end of battle and throw them into the rivers or large bodies of water to symbolize the end of a conflict. The Garden of Remembrance is dedicated to the memory of all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom. It also features a large statue created by Oisín Kelly of the Children of Lir that signifies rebirth and resurrection and is based on a famous Irish myth. It is built on the site of where the Irish Volunteers were founded in 1913 and it was unveiled in 1966, exactly fifty years after they joined the short-lived but effective rebellion known as the Easter Rising of 1916. It is a garden steeped in Nationalist history, and it is lined with harps and other symbols of the Irish Republican movement. In May of 2011, Queen Elizabeth II laid a wreath in the Garden of Remembrance. This was a very controversial move that was heralded by the Irish media as further proof that the armed conflict between the two nations had come to an end. The garden is intended as a place of quiet remembrance and reflection. |
General Post Office
The GPO was designed by the Irish architect Francis Johnson, part of a group of architects responsible for Sackville Street (now O’Connell Street). In the neoclassical style typical of the Georgian period, it features a wide portico – or porch – supported by six columns, deriving from classical Greek and Roman architecture. It was unveiled in January 1818.It has been claimed that the GPO headquarters was chosen by the Irish rebels because of its status as a symbol of occupation, serving as a means of communication with the British empire and having been designed in the Georgian style associated with the Church of Ireland elite. The Easter Rising was intended to take place across Ireland; however, various circumstances resulted in it being carried out primarily in Dublin. On April 24, 1916, the rebel leaders and their followers (whose numbers reached some 1,600 people over the course of the insurrection, and many of whom were members of a nationalist organization called the Irish Volunteers, or a small radical militia group, the Irish Citizen Army), seized the city’s general post office and other strategic locations. Early that afternoon, from the steps of the post office, Patrick Pearse (1879-1916), one of the uprising’s leaders, read a proclamation declaring Ireland an independent republic and stating that a provisional government (comprised of IRB members) had been appointed. In May, 15 leaders of the uprising were executed by firing squad. More than 3,000 people suspected of supporting the uprising, directly or indirectly, were arrested, and some 1,800 were sent to England and imprisoned there without trial. The rushed executions, mass arrests and martial law (which remained in effect through the fall of 1916), fueled public resentment toward the British and were among the factors that helped build support for the rebels and the movement for Irish independence. The British gunship Helga shelled O’Connell Street from the Liffey during the 1916 Rising, resulting in most of the buildings close to the river being destroyed. The original GPO building was almost entirely demolished, leaving only the façade with its grand columns. A few years after the establishment of the Irish Free State, it was rebuilt, reopening in 1929. |
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Georgian Doors of Dublin
There are many popular stories explaining why the doors are all unique. One story is that the writers George Moore and Oliver St. John Gogarty who were neighbors on Ely Place. Gogarty had a habit of coming home drunk and knocking on Moore’s door instead of his own. Moore painted his door green so he wouldn’t get confused. Then Gogarty retaliated and painted his red. It was a domino effect from there. Another story goes that after Queen Victoria died, England ordered Irish citizens to paint the doors black in mourning. The Irish rebelled and took out the bright paints instead. And yet another tale that circulates in Dublin is that the painting of colorful doors was started by women. Women painted their doors so their drunk husbands wouldn’t mistake other homes for their own. And wake up in bed with another woman. The fact is that the Georgian style exteriors of these townhouses, by virtue of strict rules laid down by the developer, had to adhere to very specific architectural guidelines - they were all, to the smallest detail, uniformly built. So, in order to set themselves apart, the residents of Georgian Dublin started painting their front doors whatever color struck their fancy. They, also, added ornate door-knockers, elegant fanlights above the door and wrought iron boot scrapers near the entrance. Beginning in the 1950's - in an attempt by Irish government to wipe away physical reminders of Ireland's colonial past - scores of these beautiful Georgian town homes were destroyed. Thanks to diligent efforts by historians, architects and preservationists, the carnage finally came to a halt. |
Guinness Factory
Guinness was founded in Dublin in 1759. It was first brewed by Arthur Guinness in a disused brewery which he leased for 9,000 years at the rate of £45 per annum. Arthur started by brewing Dublin ale, but soon diversified into 'porter' — so-called because of its popularity with market porters. This was a fairly new beer, characterized by its dark color acquired through the roasted barley used in its brewing process. Within 10 years, Guinness Extra Strong Porter was being exported to England. It became known as Guinness Stout as a strong porter was known as a stout porter. By the nineteenth century, Guinness focused its brewing activities on stout alone. Expansion into foreign markets was spearheaded under the guidance of Arthur's three sons who succeeded him in the family business. By 1883, the St James's Gate Guinness brewery was the largest in Ireland, accommodating ever growing production capacity to meet demand. In between times, the O'Neill harp and Arthur Guinness' signature was introduced as a trademark label in 1862. Today, Guinness Limited has breweries in 51 countries worldwide and Guinness stout is drunk in 150 countries. Over 10 million glasses of Guinness stout are drunk every day worldwide. |
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Jonathan Swift
Known to most as the author of “Gulliver’s Travels”, Jonathan Swift was also Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral from 1713 until his death in 1745. He was obviously a gifted writer, but he was also a man who fought hard against social injustice and what he felt were unjust impositions on the Irish people, despite the fact that he would have preferred an appointment in England. He lived to be almost 78 years old, a remarkable age for the time, which historians have put down to his love of exercise and obsession with cleanliness. Amongst Jonathan Swift’s successful struggles for Ireland were his writings as M.B. Drapier which helped prevent a debased currency from being imposed by the government on the Irish people. For his contribution to this cause, he was presented with the freedom of the City of Dublin by Dublin Corporation. In his later years Swift was troubled by imbalance and noises in his ears, This, combined with a stroke in 1742, led many to declare him mad. Ninety years after he died, his body was exhumed and examined by Sir William Wilde, a prominent physician in the city, and also Oscar Wilde’s father. Sir William discovered that Swift had a loose bone in his inner ear, and that this ‘Ménière’s disease’ was at the root of many of Swift’s problems. It is ironic that Swift was thought mad, as he had left money in his will to found a hospital for treating those with mental illness, a hospital which still exists today just over a mile from the Cathedral: Saint Patrick’s Hospital or “Dr Swift’s” as it was also known. Swift’s grave is marked by a simple brass plaque on the floor at the west end of the Cathedral. |
The Old Parliament Building
The Irish Houses of Parliament, currently houses the Bank of Ireland, College Green, was the world’s first purpose-built two-chamber parliament house. It served as the seat of both chambers (the Lords and Commons) of the Irish Parliament of the Kingdom of Ireland for most of the 18th century until that parliament was abolished by the Act of Union of 1800. Designed by Edward Lovett Pearce, who also built Stormount in Belfast, the new Parliament building was a radical design and its style has been copied all over the world. The building was extended by the famed architect, James Gandon (Dublin’s Four Court & Custom House) before it became obsolete in 1801 because of the Act of Union. The Building in currently used as a bank and some of its grandeur is on public display, with the still intact House of Lords chamber available for public viewing. On occasion, College Green is used to host large public meetings, including New Year’s Festivities and visiting dignitaries. |
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Papal Cross
The Papal Cross is a simple large white cross that was erected near the edge of the Fifteen Acres area in Phoenix Park for the Papal visit of Pope John Paul II on the 29th September 1979. On this day, Pope John Paul II delivered an open-air sermon to more than 1.25 million people. The Papal Cross was designed by the Irish firm of Scott, Tallon Walker Architects and constructed by John Sisk & Sons. It stands 116 feet high and is made of steel girders. After several attempts to erect the cross, it was eventually put in place on the 14th September, which is also the feast day of the Exaltation of the Cross. |
St. Patrick Cathedral
Traditionally Saint Patrick is the man credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. According to legend he used a well somewhere in the general area of the Cathedral to baptize new converts to Christianity. At the start of the Twentieth Century Celtic grave slabs were found at the entrance to what is now the park next door to the Cathedral. These stones have been dated to approximately the Tenth Century AD. One of these stones covered the entrance to an ancient well and it is possible that this is Saint Patrick’s Well. Some sort of church has probably existed on the site for over a thousand years. The arrival of the Normans in Ireland in 1169 brought new skills and techniques in church building. One of the Normans’ first acts was to rebuild (in stone) Dublin’s existing Cathedral, Christ Church. In 1191 Archbishop John Comyn raised the status of Saint Patrick’s to that of a Cathedral. The English Reformation led to a split in the church in Ireland. Most major churches, cathedrals and sites followed the official line taken by the establishment in England and became reformed Catholic/Protestant. By the middle of the 1500s Saint Patrick’s was operating as an Anglican church. The building was then restored to Cathedral status in 1555 by Queen Mary who also sought to restore Roman Catholicism as the established religion across Britain and Ireland. This was once again reversed by her successor Elizabeth I. |
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Trinity College
Trinity College Dublin was created by royal charter in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth, at which point Dublin Corporation provided a suitable site, the former Priory of All Hallows. Its foundation came at a time when many universities were being established across western Europe in the belief that they would give prestige to the state in which they were located and that their graduates, clergy for the most part, would perform a vital service as civil administrators. The group of citizens, lay and clerical, who were main promoters of the scheme believed that the establishment of a university was an essential step in bringing Ireland into the mainstream of European learning and in strengthening the Protestant Reformation within the country. The organizational design of the new institution was influenced by Oxford, Cambridge and continental precursors, but from the beginning it was an autonomous corporation governed by ‘provost and fellows’, committed to teaching and to scholarship, the first and (as it turned out) only college of the degree-awarding University of Dublin. Many of its early graduates, well grounded in philosophy and theology, proceeded to clerical ordination in the state church, the Anglican Church of Ireland. Famous alumni include Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, Jonathan Swift, etc. |
The Brazen Head
The Brazen Head is Dublin’s oldest pub, founded in 1198. The present building dates from the 1750’s. The pub was at its height in the mid-17th century, mainly due to the fact that the Father Matthew Bridge, on which the pub is situated, was the main crossing point from north to south Dublin at that time. The pub was used by the United Irishmen to plan their strategy in plotting against British Rule. Robert Emmet kept a room on the premises, place over a passage by the main door so he could see possible enemies. He planned the 1803 rising from here. He tried to capture Dublin Castle, but this plan failed and he was arrested and sentenced to hang. The pub was almost destroyed in the Easter Rising of 1916 and again during the civil war of 1922. |
Galway
It is generally agreed that the town was named after the river, which was known until recently as the Galway River rather than the Corrib. The Irish name for river is 'Gaillimh'. One version has it that Gaillimh was the name of the daughter of an Iron-age chieftain who was drowned in the river. Recent finds of stone implements suggest that there has been human habitation at the site since neolithic (New Stone Age) times. A dun (or fort) was built at some time, and there was probably a settlement of fishermen at what is known as The Claddagh from early times. The Vikings visited the area in 927A.D. and ravaged the local monasteries, but failed to found a town as they did in other places.
The O'Connors built a dun with wooden fortifications near the mouth of the river in 1124. In 1132 O'Brien (King of Munster) sent a force which destroyed it. It is recorded that in 1154 ships sailed from beside the dun, which had been rebuilt. This establishes Galway as a port for the first time. The Anglo-Normans under Richard de Burgo invaded Connacht and captured the dun in 1235 from the O’Flahertys, and established a castle there. Despite frequent attacks by the dispossessed O'Flahertys, De Burgo held firm. By 1450 the well-known town houses began to appear, as the famous 14 Families (incorrectly known as the '14 Tribes’'), began to establish themselves at the top of civic life. Later, a charter from Richard III (1452-1485) emancipated Galway from the control of the descendants of the de Burgos. This charter gave Galway considerable self-government. The town's church, St. Nicholas of Myra, was governed by the diocese of Tuam. The city notables disliked this, and contrived to have the Pope Innocent VIII (reign 1484-1492) issue a Bull (Papal declaration) that the church in Galway would be free of diocesan control and instead would be ruled by a Warden assisted by eight vicars. Thus by 1484 Galway had both civil and ecclesiastical independence, and its remote location guaranteed it the status of a city state.
For the next hundred years Galway traded extensively with the continent, especially Spain, exporting local produce such as fish, wool and leather, and importing fruit, oil and most importantly wine. Under the rule of a series of Mayors drawn from the 14 families, the city became extremely wealthy and prospered. The success of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) in his struggle with the King was bad news for Galway. In 1651 Sir Charles Coote invested the town by land and sea, and in 1652 starvation forced a surrender on apparently favourable terms which were not adhered to. All Catholics were expelled from the town, and the great town houses of the 14 families were confiscated and given to soldiers of the occupying forces in lieu of pay. They quickly fell into ruin as the prosperity of the town declined. During the famine years, great numbers of poor people flocked to Galway port to travel to the United States. In the 20th century Galway staged a slow recovery. Today Galway is reputed to be the fastest growing city in Europe.
The O'Connors built a dun with wooden fortifications near the mouth of the river in 1124. In 1132 O'Brien (King of Munster) sent a force which destroyed it. It is recorded that in 1154 ships sailed from beside the dun, which had been rebuilt. This establishes Galway as a port for the first time. The Anglo-Normans under Richard de Burgo invaded Connacht and captured the dun in 1235 from the O’Flahertys, and established a castle there. Despite frequent attacks by the dispossessed O'Flahertys, De Burgo held firm. By 1450 the well-known town houses began to appear, as the famous 14 Families (incorrectly known as the '14 Tribes’'), began to establish themselves at the top of civic life. Later, a charter from Richard III (1452-1485) emancipated Galway from the control of the descendants of the de Burgos. This charter gave Galway considerable self-government. The town's church, St. Nicholas of Myra, was governed by the diocese of Tuam. The city notables disliked this, and contrived to have the Pope Innocent VIII (reign 1484-1492) issue a Bull (Papal declaration) that the church in Galway would be free of diocesan control and instead would be ruled by a Warden assisted by eight vicars. Thus by 1484 Galway had both civil and ecclesiastical independence, and its remote location guaranteed it the status of a city state.
For the next hundred years Galway traded extensively with the continent, especially Spain, exporting local produce such as fish, wool and leather, and importing fruit, oil and most importantly wine. Under the rule of a series of Mayors drawn from the 14 families, the city became extremely wealthy and prospered. The success of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) in his struggle with the King was bad news for Galway. In 1651 Sir Charles Coote invested the town by land and sea, and in 1652 starvation forced a surrender on apparently favourable terms which were not adhered to. All Catholics were expelled from the town, and the great town houses of the 14 families were confiscated and given to soldiers of the occupying forces in lieu of pay. They quickly fell into ruin as the prosperity of the town declined. During the famine years, great numbers of poor people flocked to Galway port to travel to the United States. In the 20th century Galway staged a slow recovery. Today Galway is reputed to be the fastest growing city in Europe.
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Connemara
Connemara in County Galway, is one of the most scenic areas of Ireland, in a wildish way. As with most of Galway, Connemara's history goes back thousands of years. The first inhabitants of the Galway region were there over 5,000 years ago. Celtic colonization of this area thereafter explains the presence of sites of this period. With the arrival of Christianity, many monasteries were built in the area. Galway city developed more after the invasion by the English and Welsh and the Irish quickly took possession of their city again. The Claddagh ('Cladach') means a stony foreshore, and a settlement of fishermen seems to have existed here since the earliest times. The city walls never enclosed the Claddagh, which retained its own customs, a large degree of self-government and its own 'King'. |
Oscar Wilde and Eduard Wilde
There is a statue of Oscar Wilde sitting on a bench in conversation with Estonian writer Eduard Wilde. This is one of a pair of identical statues – the other one stands in Tartu in Estonia – and was presented to Galway to mark the occasion of Estonia joining the EU in 2004. Though they share a surname the two men are unrelated and never actually met or chatted in real life, though they were contemporaries. |
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Spiddal
Spiddal is a small seaside village located just 12 miles West of Galway City. An Spidéal is a vibrant friendly town where the people speak both Irish and English. Spiddal is probably best known for Colaiste Chonnacht to which students come from all over Ireland and the world to learn the Irish language, culture and traditions. The Connemara village name is thought to have come from Ospidéal, meaning hospital, named after a hospital within the village many centuries ago. The signposts are all in the Irish language and you will hear it spoken in the shops, pubs and restaurants. |
Kildare
Kildare is one of the oldest towns in Ireland. It originated in pre-Christian times when it was the site of a shrine to the Celtic Goddess Brigid. It later became the site of the great Christian foundation of St. Brigid. It is generally accepted that towns, as such, did not exist in Ireland before the Vikings began to establish the coastal towns such as Dublin, Wexford etc. However, it would appear that Kildare had developed urban characteristics long before the Vikings came to Ireland. It can therefore claim to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest, town in Ireland. Kildare owes its ancient importance to St. Brigid who founded her monastery here in the late 5th century. However Kildare would appear to have even older pagan origins as a shrine to the Celtic goddess Brigid, served by a group of young women who tended a perpetual fire. Brigid was goddess of arts and poetry, healing, and especially of livestock and the yield of the earth. Nothing is known of the original shrine though it was probably at the site of the present St. Brigid’s Cathedral and it might have been associated with a particular sacred oak tree which grew on the site.
The foundation flourished from the early 7th century onwards. It became a centre of learning and a school was established which attracted pupils from abroad as well as from the sons of the Gaelic nobility. Naturally as the foundation grew, the requirement for artisans, traders, and tillers of the soil also grew until Kildare became at least a proto-town. As it grew in importance it also grew in political and secular importance. The local kings of Leinster, who at the time had their base in Naas, made sure to keep tight political control over the foundation. Many instances of Viking raids on Kildare are recorded.
Very shortly after the Normans landed in Ireland in 1169, they occupied Kildare and Strongbow made it the centre of his campaign to conquer Leinster. In 1798 Kildare was deeply involved in the Rebellion. Lord Edward Fitzgerald, the leader of the rebellion, had his home in the town and some 350 local men were massacred in Gibbet Rath in the early days of the rebellion when they were trying to surrender.
With the founding of the Jockey Club in the town in the 1700s and the establishment of training stables at the nearby Curragh the town became inextricably linked with the horse racing industry. In the 1800s the establishment of a British Army artillery barracks in the town established a link with the military that carried on with the taking over of the barracks by the army following the establishment of the State. This link continued until the closing of the barracks and the transfer of units to the Curragh Camp nearby.
The foundation flourished from the early 7th century onwards. It became a centre of learning and a school was established which attracted pupils from abroad as well as from the sons of the Gaelic nobility. Naturally as the foundation grew, the requirement for artisans, traders, and tillers of the soil also grew until Kildare became at least a proto-town. As it grew in importance it also grew in political and secular importance. The local kings of Leinster, who at the time had their base in Naas, made sure to keep tight political control over the foundation. Many instances of Viking raids on Kildare are recorded.
Very shortly after the Normans landed in Ireland in 1169, they occupied Kildare and Strongbow made it the centre of his campaign to conquer Leinster. In 1798 Kildare was deeply involved in the Rebellion. Lord Edward Fitzgerald, the leader of the rebellion, had his home in the town and some 350 local men were massacred in Gibbet Rath in the early days of the rebellion when they were trying to surrender.
With the founding of the Jockey Club in the town in the 1700s and the establishment of training stables at the nearby Curragh the town became inextricably linked with the horse racing industry. In the 1800s the establishment of a British Army artillery barracks in the town established a link with the military that carried on with the taking over of the barracks by the army following the establishment of the State. This link continued until the closing of the barracks and the transfer of units to the Curragh Camp nearby.
Irish National Stud & Garden
The farm at Tully was purchased from the Fay family in 1900 by Colonel William Hall Walker. Hall Walker became the most successful breeder of the age, enjoying his finest hour when King Edward VII led Minoru, born and raised at Tully, into Epsom’s winners’ enclosure following a famous victory in the 1909 Derby. In 1915 the farm and all its stock was gifted to the Crown and became The National Stud under the leadership of Sir Henry Greer. The success continued with the farm producing the winners of all five Classics. In 1942 Sun Chariot, born and bred at Tully, earned herself an indelible place in racing history when landing the fillies’ Triple Crown – the 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and St. Leger – for King George VI. In 1943, the newly formed Irish Government took over the land and buildings at an agreed valuation. In 1945 the Irish National Stud Company Ltd. was formed and it officially took over the running of the Stud on 31st August, 1946. |
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Killarney
Killarney featured prominently in early Irish history, with religious settlements playing an important part of its recorded history. Its first significantly historical settlement was the monastery on nearby Innisfallen Island founded in 640 by St. Finian the Leper, which was occupied for approximately 850 years.
Aghadoe, the local townland which overlooks present day Killarney, may have begun as a pagan religious site. The site has also been associated with the 5th century missionary St. Abban, but 7th century ogham stones mark the first clear evidence of Aghadoe being used as an important site. According to legend, St. Finian founded a monastery at Aghadoe in the 6th or 7th century. The first written record of a monastery dates from 939 AD in the Annals of Innishfallen where the Aghadoe monastery is referred to as the "Old Abbey." According to tradition, the Irish High King Brian Boru received his education at Innisfallen.
Following the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, the Normans built Parkavonear Castle, also at Aghadoe. The castle was perhaps intended as an early warning outpost due to its views of the entire Killarney valley and lakes region. Ross Castle was built on the lake shore in the late 15th century by local ruling clan the O'Donoghues Mor (Ross). Ownership of the castle changed hands during the Desmond Rebellions of the 1580s to the Mac Carty Mor.
Killarney was heavily involved in the Irish War of Independence. The town, and indeed the entire county, had strong republican ties, and skirmishes with the British forces happened on a regular basis. The Great Southern Hotel was for a while taken over by the British, both as an office and barracks, and to protect the neighbouring railway station. One notable event during the war was the Headford Ambush when the IRA attacked a railway train a few kilometres from town.
Aghadoe, the local townland which overlooks present day Killarney, may have begun as a pagan religious site. The site has also been associated with the 5th century missionary St. Abban, but 7th century ogham stones mark the first clear evidence of Aghadoe being used as an important site. According to legend, St. Finian founded a monastery at Aghadoe in the 6th or 7th century. The first written record of a monastery dates from 939 AD in the Annals of Innishfallen where the Aghadoe monastery is referred to as the "Old Abbey." According to tradition, the Irish High King Brian Boru received his education at Innisfallen.
Following the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, the Normans built Parkavonear Castle, also at Aghadoe. The castle was perhaps intended as an early warning outpost due to its views of the entire Killarney valley and lakes region. Ross Castle was built on the lake shore in the late 15th century by local ruling clan the O'Donoghues Mor (Ross). Ownership of the castle changed hands during the Desmond Rebellions of the 1580s to the Mac Carty Mor.
Killarney was heavily involved in the Irish War of Independence. The town, and indeed the entire county, had strong republican ties, and skirmishes with the British forces happened on a regular basis. The Great Southern Hotel was for a while taken over by the British, both as an office and barracks, and to protect the neighbouring railway station. One notable event during the war was the Headford Ambush when the IRA attacked a railway train a few kilometres from town.
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Killarney National Park
Evidence of prehistoric settlement in the area of KNP dates back at least 4,000 years. Copper mining began at Ross Island at the dawn of the Bronze Age (c. 2400-1800 BC) and these mines are now recognised as the oldest in north western Europe. Monastic sites provide the main evidence of the history and occupation of the Killarney area in early Christian times. During the early Christian period, the Killarney area was ruled over by the Kings of Eoganacht Locha Léin. Following the Norman invasion, the McCarthys, Kings of South Munster, retreated to South Kerry and West Cork where they displaced the local chieftains. The Normans made several unsuccessful attempts to take control. The lands of the McCarthys remained in their ownership, despite disputed inheritance and temporary confiscations, until the 18th century. Early in that century, the Herbert family leased land at Muckross from the McCarthys. Florence McCarthy Mór married Agnes Herbert, a member of this family, and when their heir died unmarried in 1770, he left the McCarthy Estates to the Herberts. However, by the late 19th century a series of financial problems heralded the end of the Herbert family at Muckross. In 1899, the Muckross Estate, encompassing approximately 1,300 acres of demesne lands was sold to Lord Ardilaun, a member of the Guinness family. He then sold the property to a Californian, Mr. William Bowers Bourn in 1911, who gave the estate to his daughter Maud and her husband. The estate, comprising about 4,300 ha, was given to the State in 1932 as the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park, in memory of Maud who died in 1929. |