Ireland.A Presentation on the history, culture, traditions and people of Ireland. By Mr. Robert Kelly.IrelandIreland is an island at the western edge of europe. Ireland has two separate juristictions.Republic of Ireland Capital: Dublin Population: 4.3million Currency: EuroNorthern Ireland Capital: Belfast Population: 1.7million Currency: PoundEnglish and Irish is spoken in both ROI and NI.Geography and Climate A ring of coastal mountains surrounds low central plains. The island has a mild oceanic climate. Not too hot, not too cold. Rain and wind is year round. It receives the full force of storms from the Atlantic Ocean, especially in winter.Wildlife Wild life animals of Ireland are typically woodland animals. Red deer, red fox, mountain hare, badgerFarmed animals Cows and especially sheep are found everywhere in Ireland. They are very important to the Irish economy.Irish History9000 years ago Ireland was covered in ice. And the Ice Age ended. Stone age people arrived from Europe about 8000 BC. Agriculture (farming) began about 4000 BC.The Celts The Celtic race of people arrived from Europe to Ireland between 800-100 BC. Ireland became a Celtic country. It was from this tribal people that the modern Irish language came from and Irish identity is founded upon.Christianity Christianity began to arrive in Ireland from about 431AD onwards. The Celts adopted the new religion. St. Patrick is credited with bringing the religion to Ireland and St. Patricks day is celebrated on March 17th every year.Christian monasteries.Ireland began to attract many Christian monks from Europe as a place of learning and a life of religion. Its remote location appealed to many monks to build many monasteries. The ruins of one of the oldest and remotest monasteries is Scellig Mhicael, now a tourist attraction.The ruins of Monasteries are found throughout Ireland and are now very popular tourist attractions.Viking raiders.Vikings from the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) began raiding towns and monasteries on the Irish coasts in the 9th Century. The Vikings especially raided Christian monasteries where precious treasures and goods could be stolen. The monks built tall round towers to hide in when the Vikings attacked. Later the Vikings began to settle in Ireland and build port towns such as Dublin.The NormansNormans came in the 12th century and built castles all over the country and founded many towns. The Normans came originally from Normandy in France. Over many years the division between the 3 (Celts, Normans and Vikings) disappeared and they became a single Irish race, speaking the Irish language and living the Irish way of life. Norman castles can be found across Ireland.The start of British rule in Ireland.In 1171 King Henry 2 of England came to Ireland to claim sovereignty over Ireland. However in reality English control was only maintained in Dublin. The rest of the country continued to be a wild place, which remained under the control of the Irish kings.The Plantations of Ireland.Serious attempts by the English Crown to bring Ireland under the control of London did not begin until the 15th and 16th centuries. Lands were taken from the Irish kings by invading British. Land was given to loyal English settlers. The most successful plantation was in the north. Most people in Northern Ireland today are descendants from the English settlers. These people are still loyal to England.Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell won the Civil war in England. He was determined to bring Ireland under his control. He conquered all of Ireland by 1652.The Great Famine 1845- 1850 The staple diet of the Irish people at this time was the potato. The potato was almost entirely releyed upon by Irish people. Many people died or emigrated to America. Since the 1840s emigration became a part of Iirsh life up until the late 1990s. Emigration People left to find a better life and good jobs in other countries. The struggle with England and a poor economy was the cause of so many leaving. The population of Ireland has always been small as a result and today is only 6 million. The 1916 Rising The 1916 Rising was the start of the War of Independence against England. Independence was declared by Irish Volunteers at the General Post Office (GPO). In 2006 the Irish Government celebrated 90 years since the Rising.Independence and the division of Ireland. Michael Collins had led the war effort against Britain. A treaty was signed after the War of Independence in 1921. However the people of Northern Ireland did not want to separate from England and so they remained part of the United Kingdom (UK). Many of the NI people felt betrayed by the British government for giving independence to the Irish.Civil war in Ireland 1921-1923Almost half of t