Ireland from the Beginning I Fall 2021 Robert Ehrlich ([email protected]) The history of Ireland from the first settlers to the English takeover by the Tudors, Stuarts and Cromwell. The story of prehistoric invaders, iron age Celts, Christian Ireland of the golden age that “saved Europe,” the Vikings who established cities and the Normans, Tudors and Stuarts is based on archaeology, legends and, finally, written texts. Part one of a two semester course. Topics This gives the approximate order of coverage but may not correspond to what is covered in a single session. Prehistoric Ireland 1. Geography. Paleolithic and Mesolithic Hunter-Gathers. The Neolithic transition in Ireland 2. Neolithic Newgrange and Carrowmore; Beaker, Bronze and Gold; Metal working 3. Late Bronze Age to Iron Age Ireland and interactions with Rome. The early legendary kingdoms. Ogham inscriptions. Celtic Ireland 4. Iren Age to Christian Age. Conversion of Ireland – Palladius and St. Patrick. Irish monasticism. The connections between Ireland and Scotland. 5. Kingdoms. Life and law in early medieval Ireland. High Crosses, Round Towers 6. The golden age of monasticism and the Irish save Europe(?). Integrating with the Roman Church: Synod of Whitby. Celtic art. Illuminated manuscripts. Derrynaflan Hoard 7. Viking Ireland – destruction of monasteries and establishment of urban settlements. Dublin. Brian Boru and the O’Neills. Anglo-Norman Ireland 8. Norman Ireland and Anglo-Norman Ireland. Trim Castle. Henry II and Richard de Clare. 9. Norman Lordship of Ireland. Consolidation of Anglo-Norman supremacy. 10. Anglo-Normans and English rule. Norman decline. Reformation and Plantation Ireland 11. Tudor reformation. The Spanish. Stuart rule. English plantations vs. Irish nationalism. 12. Early Stuart Ireland, Cromwell and Ireland. 13. Restoration and Revolution: William of Orange References Moody, T W, F X. Martin, Dermot Keogh, and Patrick Kiely, editors, The Course of Irish History. 5th edition, Lanham, MD: Roberts Rinehart Publishers, 2012 R. F. Foster (ed.) The Oxford Illustrated History of Ireland Oxford University Press 2001 Prehistoric Ireland Pryor, Francis. Britain B.C. London: HarperCollins, 2003 Medieval Ireland Nicholls, K.W. Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland in the Middle Ages Lilliput Pr Ltd; 2nd edition 2004 Cróinín, Dáibhí Ó. Early Medieval Ireland 400-1200. Taylor & Francis, 2016. Foster, R. F. Modern Ireland 1600-1972 Penguin Books 1989 Videos BBC Northern Ireland The Story of Ireland Other sources A New History of Ireland: Each of these run about 1000 pages. Almost all contributors are from Ireland but some chapters are not up to date. Not light reading. Volume I: Prehistoric and Early Ireland Ed., Dáibhí Ó Cróinín 2008 Volume II: Medieval Ireland 1169-1534 Ed., Art Cosgrove 2008 Volume III: Early Modern Ireland 1534-1691 Ed., T.W. Moody, F.X. Martin and F.J. Byrne 2009 These are traditional divisions. The counties differ somewhat from the current political units (for example, Dublin is divided into four districts) and Northern Ireland has been divided into administrative districts that do not coincide with county lines. The major cities (filled circles) follow county names unless labeled. .