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| 3. Ireland |
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| Neolithic inhabitants, followed by Celts and Goidels (c. 600–500 B.C.E.). The “fifths” (Ulster, Leinster, Connaught, East and West Munster) may date from the Goidel arrival. Belgic and other Brythonic migrations (300–150 B.C.E.) probably in the southeast. Supremacy of the Brythonic kingdom of Tara in the 4th century C.E. The Picts pushed into Antrim and Down. There is an enormous body of legend dealing with the early origins. | 1 |
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| 431 |
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| Traditional date for the arrival of Bishop Palladius and his mission. | 2 |
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| 432 |
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| PATRICK, a pupil of Germanus of Auxerre, especially trained for this mission, arrived to continue Palladius's work. He founded churches in Meath, Ulster, Connaught, and probably established the bishopric of Armagh. Chieftains were converted, but much paganism survived. Patrick began the education of the priesthood. Patrick's ecclesiastical organization was probably close to that of Britain and Gaul, but with the withdrawal of the Roman legions from the latter countries the Roman connection was cut, and there was a recrudescence of paganism. The diocesan organization of Patrick apparently slipped back into the native system. | 3 |
| Chieftains, on their conversion, made donations of land to the Church, and at first the ecclesiastical offices seem to have remained in the hands of the sept, with the coarb (inheritor) as bishop or abbot. The cenobitic organization of the 5th century was that of a sept, whose chief was a Christian. Later there was a rigorous form that separated the sexes. As the earlier diocesan organization declined, the number of bishops rose to fantastic figures. There was a great exodus of Irish scholars and monks to Europe during the 8th and 9th centuries. | 4 |
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| c. 500–800 |
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| The Golden Age of Irish monastic scholarship occurred in the 6th to the 9th centuries. A great school founded by Eudo, prince of Oriel (c. 450–540), at Aranmore drew scholars from all Europe. Establishment of the monastery of Clonard (c. 520) under Welsh inspiration. Here there were said to be 3000 students living in separate, wattled huts and receiving open-air instruction. From Clonard went forth the so-called Twelve Apostles of Ireland, founding schools all over Ireland and later the Continent. | 5 |
| Columba founded Iona (563), the Mother Church of Scotland, whence Aidan, the apostle of England, founded Lindisfarne (635) for the conversion of Northumbria. The Book of Kells and the flowering of Gaelic vernacular poetry date from this period. | 6 |
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| 590 |
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| Columban of Leinster, from Bangor, began his mission to Europe, founding Luxeuil and a great series of other foundations (e.g., Gall, Würzburg, Salzburg, Tarantum, Bobbio). The 8th century saw a great wave of missions from the Rhine-Meuse area inland to the Rhône-Alps line. Irish and English missionaries to the Continent carried penitentials, manuals for the instruction of priests, containing a list of sins and recommended penances; penitentials played a large role in the conversion of pagan peoples. This powerful advance of Celtic Christianity at one time seemed destined to win northern Europe from Rome. The chief formal differences from Rome were in tonsure, the date of Easter, the consecration of bishops. In the 7th century the Irish Church conformed to Roman usage, but the bond with Rome was not close. | 7 |
| Before the coming of the Norse there were no cities, no stone bridges in Ireland, and no foreign trade of importance. | 8 |
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| 795 |
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| The first Norse attack. Dublin (840), Waterford, and Limerick founded as centers of Norse trade with the Continent. The Scandinavians remained chiefly in the ports. | 9 |
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| 1002–14 |
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| Brian of Munster established his supremacy. A period of road and fort building. At Clontarf (1014) Brian defeated the Norse, ending the domination of Dublin, though the Norse remained in their cities. Brian fell in the battle and anarchy followed—the struggle of the O'Brians of Munster, the O'Neils of Ulster, the O'Connors of Connaught—which ended in an appeal to King Henry II of England by Dermond (or Dermot) MacMurrough. | 10 |
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| 1152 |
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| The Synod of Kells established the diocesan system of Ireland, recognized the primacy of Armagh and the archbishoprics of Cashel, Tuam, Dublin. Tithes were voted. | 11 |
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| 1167–71 |
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| The Norman Conquest. Henry II, on his accession, had the idea of conquering Ireland. John of Salisbury records that on his request, as Henry's envoy (1155), Pope Adrian IV sent Henry a letter granting him lordship of Ireland and a ring as the symbol of his investiture. | 12 |
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| 1167 |
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| On the appeal of Dermond MacMurrough, Henry issued a letter allowing Dermond to raise troops in England for his cause. Dermond came to terms with Richard of Clare, a Norman, earl of Pembroke, and with other Normans, most of whom were related to one another. A series of expeditions to Ireland brought to the island a group of Norman families (e.g., Fitzmaurices, Carews, Gerards, Davids, Barries), who began to establish a powerful colony. This greatly alarmed Henry. | 13 |
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| 1171 |
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| HENRY II, with papal sanction, landed in Ireland to assert his supremacy and to reconcile the natives. The Synod of Cashel, at which Henry was not present, acknowledged his sovereignty. (See Ireland) | 14 |
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