Timeline of Irish History

take a step back in time

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2011

General Election sees meltdown of Fianna Fáil and major changes in electoral and political landscape.

2010

Irish government accepts the terms of ECB/IMF bailout.

2008

Global financial crisis; credit crunch; Irish government issues state guarantee to the banks.

2002

Introduction of the Euro; Irish Punt is taken out of circulation.

1998

The Good Friday Agreement.

1992

Maastricht Treaty

1987

Single European Act.

1993

Downing Street Declaration.

1985

Anglo-Irish Agreement.

1973

Ireland joins the EEC.

1968

Civil Rights movement in Northern Ireland.

1950s

IRA Border Campaign.

1948

The Republic of Ireland Act. Ireland leaves the British Commonwealth (now The Commonwealth).

1939-45

Second World War (also referred to as The Emergency in Éire - Ireland).

1937

Bunreacht na hÉireann enacted.

1930s

Emergence of Fianna Fáil. Also the period of The Blueshirts.

1922/23

Civil War.

1921

Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiated.

1920

Government of Ireland Act.

1919

Dáil Éireann meets for first time.

1918/22

General Election sees Home Rule party wiped out. Sinn Féin emerge as new leaders of nationalist Ireland. Women vote for the first time in a franchise restricted to mainly married women over age of 30 and all men over the age of 21.

War of Independence begins.

1916

Easter Rising.

1914-18

First World War.

1893

Gaelic League founded.

1884

Gaelic Athletic Association founded.

1879-1882

The Land War. Beginning of Land League agitation.

1870

Beginning of Home Rule movement.

1867

Fenian Rising.

1858

Irish Republican Brotherhood (Fenians) founded.

1848

Young Irelanders Rebellion.

1845-48

The Great Famine.

1829

Catholic Relief Act. Focus shifts to Repeal of the Act of Union.

1823

Beginning of campaign for Catholic Emancipation led by Daniel O'Connell.

1803

Robert Emmet's rebellion.

1801

Acts of Union come into effect on 1st January.

1798

United Irishmen rebellion.

1782

Beginning of period of Grattan's parliament.

1690

Battle of the Boyne.

1649-1653

Cromwellian Conquest.

1641

Rebellion.

1608-1610

Plantation of Ulster.

1607

Flight of the Earls.

1595-1603

Hugh O'Neill's Rebellion.

1541

Henry VIII is King of Ireland.

1534

Revolt of Silken Thomas.

1478-1513

Earl of Kildare's Supremacy.

1347

Bubonic plague arrives in Dublin killing one-third of population.

1169

Norman Invasion.

1014

Battle of Clontarf.

795

First Viking raids.

432

St. Patrick's mission begins. Christianity introduced.

BC

c. 500 BC

Arrival of the Celts.

c. 3200

Neolithic period. Newgrange is built.

c. 4500 - 4000

Agricultural communities in existence. Céide Fields. Sheep, goats, cattle and cereals believed to have imported from the Iberian peninsula.

c. 8000 BC

End of the last Ice Age. Mesolithic Stone Age begins. Earliest inhabitants arrive.

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Think you can improve on the Timeline presented here? Then you are probably right. Take part in the Online Forum discussion to build, improve and enhance this exciting new web project. You can also Contact Us privately if you prefer.