Irish History Timeline

2000 BCE
The Bronze Age

Bronze tools and weapons begin to be used in Ireland.

600 BCE
The Celts Arrive

Celtic peoples begin to arrive on the island from mainland Europe.

200 BCE

Ireland is ruled by a large number of small kingdoms.

200 CE

According to legend, Cormac mac Airt rules Ireland as the High King

378 CE

Niall of the Nine Hostages becomes High King.

432 CE
Christianity

Saint Patrick arrives in Ireland and introduces Christianity.

795 CE
Vikings Arrive In Ireland

The Vikings invade Ireland attacking monasteries and towns along the coast.

900's

The Vikings establish settlements in Ireland in the early 900s including the city of Dublin.

1014
Brian Boru

The Vikings are defeated by Irish King Brian Boru.

1171
England Invades Ireland

King Henry II of England comes to Ireland and claims the land as part of his empire.

1216

King Henry III issues the Great Charter of Ireland.

1315

Scottish leader Edward Bruce arrives to help fight against the Norman leaders.

1348
Death

The Black Plague strikes Ireland killing around 30% of the population.

1366

The Statutes of Kilkenny are passed to keep the English and Irish cultures from merging. The English and Irish are forbidden to intermarry.

1534
Rebellion

Thomas FitzGerald rebels against England. He is hung for his offenses three years later.

1542
Church of England

The Kingdom of Ireland is established with King Henry VIII of England as king.

1594
War

The Nine Years' War begins between Ireland and England. The Irish are eventually defeated.

1601
Defeat

The Irish led by Hugh O'Neill are defeated at the Battle of Kinsale.

1609
Plantations of Ulster

The northern area of Ulster is mostly populated by Scottish and English.

1689
William of Orange

The Williamite War begins between the Jacobites (Catholics) and the Williamites (Protestants). The Williamites win.

1740
Starvation

A terrible famine strikes and hundreds of thousands die.

1761
The Whiteboys

Night time raids are held to fight against rack-rents, tithe-collection, excessive priests' dues, evictions, and other oppressive acts. 

1798
Wolfe Tone

The Irish rebel with the help of the French.

1803
Robert Emmett

Robert Emmett and a small band of republican revolutionaries proclaimed the independence of Ireland.

1845
The Great Hunger

A potato blight results in mass crop failures. Food continues to be exported to England while about a million perish, and a million flee starvation.

1867
The Irish Republican Brotherhood

Rebels against British rule in what is called the Fenian Rising.

1914
World War I Begins

A new law for Irish home rule is delayed.

1916
The Easter Rising

Members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood proclaim a free Irish Republic and seize government buildings in Dublin. Most of the rebel leaders are executed by the British.

1919
War of Independence

Sinn Féin wins majority in elections and refuse to take their seats in parliament; declares independence from Britain. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) begins to fight against British forces.

1921
Partition

Northern Ireland is established as part of the United Kingdom. The rest of Ireland becomes the Irish Free State.

1922
Civil War

Civil war breaks out between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the National Army.

1937
Free State

The Irish Free State is named Ireland by a new constitution.

1949
Free Republic

Ireland is declared a free republic.

1969
The Troubles

The Troubles begin in Northern Ireland between the IRA and the loyalists. Constant violence between the two groups exists up until 1998.

1998
Good Friday Agreement

The Belfast Agreement is signed reducing the violence and putting an end to The Troubles.

2021
Brexit/Northern Ireland Protocol

The protocol has been a source of tension since it came into force at the start of 2021.

Disagreements over the protocol have stopped the Northern Ireland Assembly functioning.

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United Ireland

The Belfast Good Friday agreement (BGFA) of 1998 gives the Northern Ireland secretary discretion to call a referendum at any point. However he is legally obliged to call one if there is a majority in Northern Ireland in favour of unification.