Although I've never yet been there, Ireland and irish things have always held a special facination for me. Perhaps because my grandparents, the best a kid ever had, were from there. They came from the town of Cootehill, county Cavan. See MAP.

   Here is a short gallery of some of the things and people that I admire about Ireland and it's history. I'm always practicing my tin whistle and gaelic phrases so I'll be ready when I finally do visit.

Erin Go Bragh!

At the left is a modern day reconstruction of a crannog at Craggaunowen, Co. Clare. These were common dwelings in Ireland in ancient times. They were forts built on man-made island within lakes and were used well into the middle ages.

Remains of a stone hill fort in Co. Kerry

Stone fort on an island in Co. Donegal

Large stone at the enterance to the burial passage tombs at Newgrange, in the Boyne Valley. One of the oldest man-made structures in Europe, it dates to about 3000 B.C.

St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland by the 5th century, AD. The early bee-hive church, right and the stone celtic cross, below, date from shortly after his time.

This was the golden age of Irish culture and art. Many of the decorative manuscripts such as the Book of Kells was created in monasteries.

  This great period of Irish art came to a close at about the year 1000. when Viking raiders plundered many of the monasteries for the treasures of gold and silver. Shown right is one of the many roundtowers that dot Ireland. They were built for the purpose of shelter during Viking raids.
   Many of today's historians believe that most of the damage done to the monasteries was not by Dains (Vikings) as much as native Irish cheiftans seeking plunder for themselves.

  At left is a 19th century view of an Irish horseman fighter of the middle ages. Following old celtic tridition, he holds his lance overhead, as opposed to under the arm in standard European manner.
   At right is a modern reconstruction of old irish mantle garb of  wool. It is believed to be typical garb worn at 1600.

  An old illustration of various styles of 16th century irish dress. Many foreign travelers in Ireland in those times disliked people wearing the long mantle-cape fearing that a person might conceal a knife under it.

An irish piper, chieftain, and his kern, or assistant, of the 16th century.

  The Battle of the Boyne, where James II was defeated by the armies of William of Orange in 1691. The result of this was the harsh supression of the Catholic population of many civil rights for more than a century. 

  George Berkley, renown writer and philosopher from Kilkenny in the early 1700's. An ordained minister of the Church of Ireland (Anglican Church), he often spoke out on reform for the living conditions of Ireland's poor. After spending some time in Newport, Rhode Island, he returned to Ireland with his family and was made Bishop of Cloyne.

Dublin harbor in the mid 1700's

  Thomas Francis Meagher. Was a well educated politician from county Wexford. His outspoken opinions on Irish nationalism and anti-British sentiments got him sent to Tasmania. He averted a death sentance and emigrated to New York in 1852, where he again was an outspoken patriot for Irish freedom. He raised and commanded the Irish Brigade - a five regiment heavily Irish populated batallian for Union service in the Civil War. After the war he became Governer of Montana. In 1867 an accident ended his life when he fell from a riverboat on a dark night. Being that he had many political enemies, some think he was pushed into the river.