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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011
From Norman invaders, religious wars--and the struggle for independence--the fascinating, turbulent history of a tortured nation and its gifted people When Shakespeare referred to England as a "jewel set in a silver sea," he could just as well have been speaking of Ireland. Not only has its luminous green landscape been the backdrop for bloody Catholic/Protestant conflict and a devastating famine, Ireland's great voices--like Joyce and Yeats--are now indelibly part of world literature. In Irish History For Dummies, readers will not only get a bird's-eye view of key historical events (Ten Turning Points) but, also, a detailed, chapter-by-chapter timeline of Irish history beginning with the first Stone Age farmers to the recent rise and fall of the Celtic tiger economy. In the informal, friendly For Dummies style, the book details historic highs like building an Irish Free State in the 1920s--and devastating lows (including the Troubles in the '60s and '70s), as well as key figures (like MP Charles Parnell and President Eamon de Valera) central to the cause of Irish nationalism. The book also details historic artifacts, offbeat places, and little-known facts key to the life of Ireland past and present. * Includes Ten Major Documents--including the Confession of St. Patrick, The Book of Kells, the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, and Ulysses * Lists Ten Things the Irish Have Given the World--including Irish coffee, U.S. Presidents, the submarine, shorthand writing, and the hypodermic syringe * Details Ten Great Irish Places to Visit--including Cobh, Irish National Stud and Museum, Giants Causeway, and Derry * Includes an online cheat sheet that gives readers a robust and expanded quick reference guide to relevant dates and historical figures * Includes a Who's Who in Irish History section on dummies.com With a light-hearted touch, this informative guide sheds light on how this ancient land has survived wars, invasions, uprisings, and emigration to forge a unique nation, renowned the world over for its superb literature, music, and indomitable spirit.
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Irish History For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
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Table of Contents
Irish History For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
by Mike Cronin
Irish History For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
Published byJohn Wiley & Sons, LtdThe AtriumSouthern GateChichesterWest SussexPO19 8SQEngland
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Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex, England
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-119-99587-6 (paperback), 978-1-119-97306-5 (ebook), 978-1-119-97307-2 (ebook), 978-1-119-97308-9 (ebook)
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Bell & Bain Ltd., Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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About the Author
Mike Cronin studied history at the University of Kent and at Oxford, and has taught history to university students for the past fifteen years. He has published widely on the history of Ireland, and also on the history of sport. His books include a history of sport and nationalism in Ireland, a jointly authored history of St Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world, and a general history of Ireland. He is currently the Academic Director at Boston College’s Centre for Irish Programmes in Dublin, and is researching the history of major public spectacles and festivals in twentieth century Ireland.
Author’s Acknowledgments
Over the years I have taught many university students who knew no Irish history and had no Irish heritage. This was a challenging and fascinating process as it forced me to rethink my teaching of Irish history from the beginning. Much of what appears in this book, and the ways that different periods of Irish history are explained, emerge from the challenges laid down to me by my students over the years. To all of them, for their patience and their interest, I offer my thanks.
I would also like to acknowledge the work of two important people at Wiley: Alison Yates who first came to me with the idea for this book, and Rachael Chilvers who worked long and hard in making sure that everything was done properly. The efforts of the development editor, Tracy Barr, the copy editor, Martin Key, and the technical editor, Neil Fleming, are much appreciated, and all made incisive and valuable comments that have improved the text. For the new edition, I have to thank Mike Baker and Simon Bell for holding my hand and going through this all again.
My colleagues at the Centre for Irish Programmes at Boston College were, as always, a mine of useful information and a source of support, and in Dublin, Thea Gilien graciously allowed Dummies to interfere with the work of the office. For his help (again) with the Irish language, and his general enthusiasm for life, I’d like to thank Brian Ó Conchubhair. At home, my family, Moynagh, Ellen and Samson, were as joyful as always, and their love and support invaluable in everything I do. Anything that is amiss with the book is all my fault, and all the wonderful people listed above are blameless!
Publisher’s Acknowledgements
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Commissioning, Editorial, and Media Development
Project Editor: Simon Bell, (Previous Edition: Rachael Chilvers)
Commissioning Editor: Mike Baker, (Previous Edition: Alison Yates)
Assistant Editor: Ben Kemble
Copy Editor: Martin Key
Technical Editor: Dr N.C. Fleming, Queen’s University, Belfast
Publisher: David Palmer
Production Manager: Daniel Mersey
Cover Photos: © CORBIS: Brooks Kraft, Bettmann, Hutton-Deutsch Collection, Reuters; Hulton Archive/Getty Images; The Irish Image Collection
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Composition Services
Project Coordinator: Kristie Rees
Layout and Graphics: Carl Byers, Joyce Haughey, Corrie Socolovitch, Kim Tabor
Proofreader: Laura Albert
Indexer: Claudia Bourbeau
Introduction
When I first travelled to Ireland to do some research, I was amazed by the reaction of the people I talked to. After I had explained what I was doing, I was half expecting people to nod politely and then run off to watch paint dry because that would be more interesting than talking about Irish history. What I found instead was a country full of people who were passionate and excited about their history and wanted to talk and talk and talk about it. Every person had their own story. This could be about a family member who had been involved in or witnessed a great moment in history, or the story of the local area and the events that had unfolded there. And these were great stories. They weren’t boring facts recited without any humour or excitement, but tales that brought the events of the past to life.
I quickly realised that in Ireland, unlike any other country I had ever visited, history was alive and well and everyone seemed to own it and have their version of it. True, it wasn’t always accurate and if the stories I heard are to be believed, then the General Post Office in Easter 1916 (see Chapter 21) was the busiest place in the world as everyone’s grandfather, uncle, aunt, and cousin seems to have been there. In a way the accuracy of these tales doesn’t really matter. They show that everyone wants to be involved in the story of their country. Not everyone can be centre stage, but we can twist the past a little bit to make sure that our relatives had at least a walk-on role. History in Ireland is everywhere. It’s in people’s heads, it’s in the architecture and the landscape, it’s on television, and it’s always causing rows in bars across the land. In some parts of Ireland history has been made into tourist attractions, in Northern Ireland historical conflicts are still being politically fought out, and across the island history is being made every day. For this new edition of the book, I’ve taken the story bang up to date, and added some extra information from recent years to help you learn more about Ireland.
About This Book
While you’ve been standing in the bookshop or searching online before you bought this book you would have noticed one thing: there are lots and lots of books about Irish history out there. So what’s different about this one? Well, unlike the others it doesn’t presume any prior knowledge about Ireland and things Irish. Most other books are also very dense with endless pages of text that don’t offer much fun or any distractions along the way. Also, many of the books out there concentrate on specific bits of Irish history – Ireland in the nineteenth century, Ireland before, after or during the famine, Ireland since yesterday, or even Ireland before time began. That’s not to criticise any of these books, most of them are very good, but they are date-specific. What’s offered here is one big, entertaining sweep of Irish history. The story takes us from the first people arriving in Ireland, right to the present. The journey is a long one but there’s lots to see on the way and loads of interesting Irish people to meet.
One big question we’ve got to deal with from the outset is to define what we are dealing with in this book. What does ‘Ireland’ actually mean? Well, this book looks at Ireland in several different ways. At one level this is simply a book about the history of the island of Ireland. All of it, from Malin Head in the north, to Mizen Head in the south. But Ireland, like any other country, isn’t an island (well it clearly is an actual island, but you know what I mean. Its history isn’t one of isolation). As well as taking in the history of Ireland, the book also deals with all those external forces and countries that had an impact of Irish history: England and Britain, America, France, and so on. We’ll also take a look at how Ireland influenced the rest of the world, and how, in the twentieth century the two bits of Ireland (the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland) got on with each other.
Of course, the big issues in history are contentious. People worry whether or not history as it’s told is true, and whether or not the whole thing is biased one way or the other. Well, my answers to those questions are simple. First of all the truth . . . what I’ve tried to do here is to tell the story as it happened and without bias. Remember, Irish history is very contentious and both the nationalist and unionist communities have their own version of the past. However, there are lots of interesting things in history that weren’t strictly true and have become part of the whole folklore and mystery of Irish history. We can’t simply ignore these tales, so they are included here but with an explanation. As to the whole question of bias, this is a tough one. We all have our opinions, and I am sure you’ll have yours. Make up your own mind as you go along, and if you don’t agree, that’s great. History is made up of rows and fights, so our disagreements just fit into a long and noble tradition.
Conventions Used in This Book
The way that this book is put together has been planned to entertain and inform you. You will find a lot of detail and a whole host of icons that explain different bits and pieces along the way.
Sidebars (text that is enclosed in a shaded grey box) are pieces of information that are interesting. They’re not central to the story however. You can either skip them altogether, save them for later, or read them with the general text. They’re just there to help you understand the joys of Irish history in its entirety. The same is true for text next to the Technical Stuff icon. It’s there for your information, and will give you the inner detail. But the material isn’t necessary for your understanding of the topic. Again, skip it if you want. This isn’t homework, and no one will know.
Foolish Assumptions
Obviously I don’t know you (so hello, nice to meet you), and I had to make some assumptions about the kind of person who’d want to read this book. As a result I’m assuming that you’re a really great person and that:
You’re interested in Ireland because you’ve got some Irish blood in you, are visiting the place for the first time, or have seen it on the news and wanted to know more.
Maybe you know a bit of Irish history, but find it all very confusing figuring out who’s who and what’s what.
Perhaps you did learn some Irish history at school but it’s all gone a little hazy since then.
You know about Irish things from listening to other people and just want to know more.
Or you recognise a good story when you see one.
How This Book Is Organised
This book has been put together so that you can go from beginning to end or, if you fancy it, jump from topic to topic. To make getting round the book, and the history of Ireland, easier I’ve divided the book into parts (there’s seven of them). Each part relates to a specific period in Irish history, and contains a series of chapters with information about that era. The sections in the book, as well as the kind of material you’ll find in them, are listed below.
Part I: The Snakes Leave Ireland
In Irish history there is no Christopher Columbus or Captain Cook. Ireland was never discovered you see, it simply emerged one day from under the glaciers of the last ice age. It sat there unnoticed and unloved for a while until people from Scotland started taking holidays there, and liked it so much that they decided to stay. The first settlers were a fairly simple people and restricted themselves to a bit of hunting and gathering. It gets interesting once the Stone Age starts and people start building big tombs, and then, later still, things get even more interesting when the Celts and the first Gaelic people arrive. Men start throwing their weight around and get to be king of various bits and pieces of Ireland, and a system of rule begins to emerge. The period closes with the arrival of the most famous Irishman of all – St Patrick. Not only does his life end up being celebrated by green beer around the world, but he also brings Christianity to Ireland and chases away all the snakes (or so they say).
Part II: The Normans Are Coming! The Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries
Ireland got very used to being invaded during this period of history. Whether it was the landscape, the beauty of the monasteries, or the weather, Ireland certainly seemed to be able to attract a whole string of people who wanted to visit the place and take over. First to arrive were the Vikings. Initially they were happy to content themselves with a little bit of plundering, but eventually they decided to settle – they even started up a small town called Dublin. The Irish kings seemed fairly powerless to do anything about the Vikings, and let themselves be walked all over for a few decades. Eventually they got their act together and convinced the Vikings to go home. Problem was that the Normans got involved in Irish politics and they came invading too. It was the start of centuries of constant interaction between Ireland and the people from across the Irish Sea.
Part III: The Invading English Kings: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries
Once the Normans had paved the way, the English got a taste for Ireland and seemed reluctant to leave. The constant problem for the English was that the Irish were a troublesome lot, and wouldn’t quietly accept being ruled by an English king. They were constantly plotting and causing all kinds of problems. Also, they always seemed happy to make friends with anyone, such as the Scots or the French, whom the English hated. During these two centuries Ireland was a fairly unsettled place, and successive English kings struggled to know what to do. At various times they poured troops into Ireland to try and suppress the country, or else they stuck their heads in the sand and tried to ignore it. They also tried to control the Irish by laws which were supposed to make them more English. The problem was that many of the English who settled in Ireland liked it so much they started speaking Irish, marrying Irish girls, and becoming like the natives.
Part IV: Religious Wars and Family Feuds: The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
As well as being invaded, religion became one of the great themes of Irish history. Since the time of St Patrick all had been straightforward. Ireland and England, despite their differences, both accepted that the Pope was a really important guy, and in things God-related they all took their orders from Rome. In the sixteenth century however it all went pear-shaped. Henry VIII decided he didn’t like his wife anymore, and tried to get a divorce. The Pope wouldn’t let him, so Henry went off in a huff and set up his own Church. Protestantism was born. Ireland didn’t take to the change in religion well, and resisted the new religion, preferring instead to keep its priests and their links with Rome. England tried to change Ireland by sending over Protestant settlers by a process of plantation, but that simply set up two separate communities who deeply distrusted each other. In the end, it all came down to a royal war between Protestant King William and Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne. William won, and the last hope of a Catholic on the English throne disappeared.
Part V: Catholic and Protestant: The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
Ireland and Britain struggled to find a way to get on during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The British were a bit paranoid. They saw Ireland as a troublesome, backward place that was still dominated by Catholicism. This was a real pain as Britain was busy trying to build an Empire and see off annoying European enemies such as the French. The real problem was that the Irish, in search of some level of independence, encouraged the French to help them in a rebellion in 1798. The whole period saw an upswing in demands for some form of liberty for Ireland. At first, and spearheaded by Daniel O’Connell, these demands were just for religious freedom. But in the second half of the nineteenth century they changed into political demands for national freedom. Also during this period the Great Famine of 1846–51 struck. It killed countless thousands and encouraged a million more to emigrate. This was the beginning of the large scale Irish diaspora and they would have a major impact wherever they went.
Part VI: Divided in Two: Life from the 1880s
By the end of the nineteenth century many people in Ireland were sick and tired of British rule and wanted to do something about it. The first big movement was a cultural one that convinced Irish people to embrace their own culture. If they wanted to be truly Irish they had to stop adopting British habits. The Cultural Revival, as it was called, encouraged people to speak Irish, read Irish plays and novels, and play Irish games. There’d be no more cricket for the Irish. The success of the Cultural Revival found an echo in politics, and demands for Home Rule (political freedom from Britain) increased. It was all looking good for Ireland until a million Germans heaved into view and started the First World War. The War fractured politics in Ireland, and led to the rise of Sinn Fein and the IRA. They fought a war against the British and won a partial freedom for Ireland in 1922. Partitioned Ireland (Northern Ireland as part of Britain and the Republic of Ireland as a separate state) was always an uncomfortable fit, and the whole thing exploded into violence in the 1960s. The Troubles in Northern Ireland lasted for over three decades and were violent and bloody. Fortunately it now looks like they may be all behind us. While the Irish Republic enjoyed a brief boom, in the form of the Celtic Tiger, it is sadly once more a place of economic depression and outward migration.
Part VII: The Part of Tens
This bit of the book is intended to give you a whole load of information and some gems of knowledge that will allow you to impress friends, family, and strangers alike. They’ll tell you what the most important events were in Irish history, explain which are the most important Irish documents, and also give you a list of the ten great things that the Irish have given the world (the ejector seat for example). There’s also a list of Irish people who deserve to be better known, and for those of you who decide to visit Ireland, a list of places that you simply must see. Remember, it’s a personal list of mine, so feel free to add some of your own.
Icons Used in This Book
Obviously there’s loads of history in this book, and a mass of information for you. But history isn’t just about facts and figures, and famous people. As you’ll see when you read the book there’s loads more. Throughout the text there are a series of icons that will give you extra information, settle some arguments, and get you thinking about how history has affected the present.
Great stories abound in Irish history, but there’s always a thin line between fact and fiction. This icon means that we’ll check out whether or not some stories in Irish history are really true.
What happened in the past continues to affect the future. This icon highlights how historical events are still shaping life in Ireland today.
One thing that historians love more than history is a good old-fashioned punch-up. Irish historians have been particularly prone to disagreeing with each other, and this icon will highlight different interpretations of Irish history that have been put forward.
This icon highlights certain points that are important in making sense of what’s coming up.
You can skip these bits, but they’re there to assist you understand some of the more complex points and give you additional information.
Where to Go from Here
In an old Irish joke, a tourist is lost and stops to ask a local directions. The local scratches his head, thinks for a brief moment and then tells the tourist: ‘Well, if I wanted to go there, I wouldn’t start from here.’ The sentiment is a good guide for this book. There is no right way of reading this book, and no right place to start from. You can do the traditional thing and begin at the beginning and finish at the end or, alternatively, you can just dive in where you fancy. If you want to know about the Famine, then go to chapter 18, but equally if St Patrick takes your fancy, then start at chapter 4. All the parts and all the chapters have been written so they can be read in isolation. Wherever you choose to start, enjoy it and enjoy Ireland and its history.
Part I
The Snakes Leave Ireland
In this part . . .
Ireland, or what would come to be known as Ireland, lay under a sheet of ice for a very long time, and not much happened. But then finally, as the ice melted, people started visiting Ireland from Britain. Some of them liked it so much that they decided to stay. These first people figured out how to grow crops, set up some of Ireland’s first towns, and brought some life to the place.
The first Gaelic people arrived during this time, and started making Ireland truly distinct. They had their own language and started a system of ruling through kings that would dominate for centuries. Also, one of the most famous Irishmen ever came to the island: St Patrick. He brought Christianity with him and transformed the Irish into religious people. It was a big step because it made Ireland one of the most cultured places in Europe at the time.
Chapter 1
No Man Is an Ireland
In This Chapter
Listing what makes up Ireland
Figuring out the big issues
Identifying Ireland’s place in the world
Most of us know bits and pieces of Irish history. When we drink green beer or go parading on 17 March for example, most of us know the celebration is about St Patrick, and has something to do with snakes and the shamrock. But how much do we know about the ways in which this day became so important to Ireland and the Irish around the world? And what about the troubles in Northern Ireland? We know that the troubles involve Catholics and Protestants, and that the IRA (Irish Republican Army) has been in the middle of it all, but how did the troubles actually come about? And there’s some fourteen centuries of history between the arrival of St Patrick and the troubles!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
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