Old Irish photos.

3 Most Pivotal Events in Irish History

Ireland is rich with its own traditions and long standing history of fighting invaders including the Romans, the English, the Normans, and the Vikings. The country has collectively lived through struggles to achieve the peace it has today. All of these things have defined the fabric of the nation and added to the resilience of its people.

Some events, in particular, have changed the course of history for the country and had a permanent impact on it. Here are some of the most pivotal and defining events that will forever be remembered in Irish history.

1. Arrival of St Patrick

In 432 AD, Christianity arrived in Ireland with St Patrick. He openly denounced the pagan rituals that were prevalent in the country at the time and defied the High Kings. He was responsible for spreading the word of Christianity across Ireland and making the country one of the most active learning hubs for the religion. During his mission, he made at least 365 churches across the country, established missionary schools and convents, and consecrated hundreds of bishops.

2. The Potato Famine

In 1845, Ireland grappled with the Potato Famine, also called the Great Famine. It happened when disease spread across potato crops and wiped them out completely. At the time, potatoes were a staple in Ireland and it resulted in extreme poverty and hunger. One eighth of the population died because of it.

In addition to this, hundreds of thousands left Ireland and settled in other countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia. This continued happening for the four years that the famine lasted and the population kept declining in the decade after that as well.

3. The Irish Civil War

The Irish Civil War is arguably one of the biggest events in the history of the country. It started in 1919 when small rebellions turned into a full-blown civil war between the British forces and the Irish Republic Army (IRA). In the next six years, there were many guerilla attacks led by different factions of the IRA which eventually weakened the British position.

After six years in In 1922, having seceded from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, it became the Irish Free State. It comprised 32 counties until 6 counties under the control of Unionists opted out. The 1937 constitiution renamed the ‘Southern Ireland state ‘Ireland’. This is what led to the current political and geographic.

Greyscale family photo of four

Learn More about Your Irish Descent with My Ireland Family Heritage

Many people with Irish descent have lost touch with their culture and heritage. If you have an Irish descent and you want to trace your Irish roots, you can do this by hiring My Ireland Family Heritage. We offer high-quality ancestry research which will help you locate your original Irish homestead and teach you about your heritage.

We also provide customised genealogy tour for our clients so they can explore their ancestral townland. If you want to feel closer to your Irish roots, our Irish ancestry and genealogy tours will surely help you.

Contact us now to learn about our services.

 

Scroll to Top

Customised Genealogy & Historical Tour

Review of My Ireland Heritage Tours Presented on Trip adviser Oct 2024 By • Family TomBarron2013 New York City, NY2

Once in a lifetime experience

Oct 2024 • Family

We highly recommend My Ireland Heritage for anyone who wants to learn and be guided to their Irish “roots” and much, much more. Sean Quinn and Ian Darragh of My Ireland Family Heritage have deep knowledge or the areas we wanted to visit in Meath, Sligo and Kilkenny. While we knew about one side of the family history back to 1690, there was nothing known about the other that arrived in the US in the 1870s.

Ian, Sean, and Nicola did thorough research on our localities and locations from which our ancestors left for America in 1849 and later. In addition, Ian and Sean did separate day-long “recons” in advance of our time with them, seeking out local people and the specific properties with maps and whatever records still available. Their results were absolutely outstanding! In both our cases, they found and took us to our still-existing cottages and shops from the early 1820s.

It was so enjoyable to be with Ian for three days and for a special day with Sean. Whether it was the Newgrange World Heritage sites 5,500 years old , the Battle of the Boyne 1690 , or the local cemeteries and churches of our ancestors. Ian was especially attentive to my wife throughout the travels after she twisted her ankle in a rain-soaked old cemetery.

Throughout the process of trip preparation over months to giving us the final, wonderful books of Meath and Sligo, Aisling was highly professional and responsive with all the many details. The bound books she prepared are treasures! Thanks to all for truly exceptional experiences.

Newgrange World Unesco Site 5500 years old
Battle of the Boyne 1690 AD
Customised Historical Tours Trim Castle
Entrance stone at Newgrange

Self Drive Product

Review of My Ireland Heritage Tours Presented on Trip adviser by Shelley L @ sjlively

Exceptional in every way!

Over the last few months of preparing for our trip, every single detail was meticulously attended, not only professionally, but helpfully, and in such a friendly manner, that I felt as if I knew Sean, Aisling and Ian before I even stepped off the plane.

The amount of work these wonderful people put into our personal history is mindboggling. My mother was an avid amateur genealogist, and had worked for decades to bring to light the trail our family took, but our resources are limited.

Sean knows exactly where to look, and was able to fill in so many gaps that had eluded us for generations. Some of the information he found, unbeknownst even to him, actually solidified the findings we had amassed over the years. Ours was a family in coal mining – I only found on our tour that they had originated from a mining area, and their arrival on the  border coincided exactly with the decline in the mining industry in County Wicklow.

I would have been overjoyed simply with the knowledge of why they left when they did, about 12 years before the famine. Breaking through our brick wall of great grandparents even farther back on the family tree was a dream come true, but to be able to set foot on not only the area they lived, and find that the house is still there was overwhelming. Seeing the family church and cemetery where our ancestors and extended family still rest is a truly moving experience.

The care taken by this company in each and every aspect of the journey cannot be overstated. Only about 2 weeks prior to my trip, Sean contacted me to let me know that he had also stumbled across some of my husband’s family name in the process and included them as well in his research. How often can anyone say that they not only got what they paid for, but more than they ever imagined? I can say that. They were even kind enough to answer a few follow-up questions after my return home, as I was so stunned on my tour with Ian that I didn’t think ask at the time.If you have the opportunity to make the trip to Ireland, contact My Ireland Family Heritage before you go.

If your family was there, Sean will go above and beyond to find them. Even without family, contact them anyway. Ian is a walking encyclopedia of history, and so fun to talk to. Aisling will make sure every “I” is dotted, and every “T” is crossed.  Thank you so much for the trip of a lifetime, and the opportunity to pass on everything we have discovered to future generations

The Consultation at Hotel / Office or by Phone opens all doors
Genealogy gets you off the Beaten Track to see the Real Ireland

Unique to Every Address with My Ireland Family Research