TD civi GB 27/02 and 04/04

Flashcards of vocabulary about Ireland History.

Island of Ireland area

84,421km2, with Northern Ireland occupying 14,330 km2. Never more than 100km from the sea, featuring rivers, loughs (lakes), hills, and low mountains. The west has infertile, rocky soil, with 10% bogland, while the southeast and north have fertile land.

Republic of Ireland

Also known as Eire, it is an independent, sovereign republic since 1937.

Northern Ireland

Part of the UK since 1921.

Oireachtas

Irish Parliament, consisting of the Senate (Seanad Éireann) and the House of Representatives (Dáil Éireann). Located in Leinster House, Dublin.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael

Two-party system in Ireland, originating from the Irish Civil War 1922-23. They are centre-right parties, with either one in power since 1932.

Gaeltacht areas

Regions where Irish (Gaelic) is spoken daily by less than 74,000 people, despite being the national language and first official language.

The Book of Invasions

Medieval book from the 11th century, a mythological account of the origins of Ireland and the Irish, detailing successive invasions. (Cessair, Partholonians, Nemedians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha Dé Danann, and Milesians)

Fomorians

Mysterious race of hostile, monstrous supernatural beings in Irish mythology, representing destructive powers of nature and darkness, who battled the Nemedians.

Tuatha Dé Danann

Race of deities, "the folk of the goddess Danu" (Celtic mother goddess), prominent in Irish mythology, who fought and defeated the Fir Bolg. Settle in the world below.

Milesians

Group that sails to Ireland from Iberia (Spain/Portugal), representing the Irish people/Gaels, who wage war with the Tuatha Dé Danann and agree to divide Ireland.

Celtic Otherworld

"The land of Youth" settled by the Tuatha Dé Danann, a parallel world where time moves differently, associated with Irish "fairies" (sí) who live in "fairy" mounds.

Hallstatt Culture

Celtic era (c. 1200-450 BCE) in Austria/Central Europe, characterized by rich burial sites, extensive trade networks, and advanced metalworking using iron from 800 BC.

La Tène Culture

Celtic era (c. 450 BCE-Roman Conquest: 1 century BC) centered in Gaul, featuring the development of ‘celtic art’, tribal societies ruled by kings and chieftains, and a warrior culture.

Tuath

Kingdoms which compromised the political structure of Gaelic Ireland. There was around 150 kingdoms.

Fine

Clan or family group of four generations, all descendants of the same great-grandfather, forming the basis of society in Gaelic Ireland.

Brehon law

Legal experts of Ireland, the judges of Ireland

Druids

Druí, organized worship, conducted sacrifices, practiced divination, 12–20-year training period sacred knowledge = unwritten, philosophers? (according to the romans) believed in reincarnation?

Beltaine, Lughnasadh, Samhain, Imbole

Seasonal rituals in Ancient Irish religion

Mythological Cycle

Tales about the Tuatha Dé Danann

The Dagda

‘All-father’: protector of the tribe associated with fertility and agriculture, strength, magic, Druidry and wisdom.

Brigid

Daughter of the Dagda, associated w wisdom, poetry, wisdom, fire, healing, smithing, domesticated animals. A triple Goddess: the healer, the smith, poetry, associated w pagan festival of Imbolc= beginning of Spring Brigid (one of patron saint of Ireland).

Lugh

Kingship and war, arts and crafts, truth and the law, magic spear of fire, an invincible hound.

The Morrígan

‘Great queen’, goddess of fate, war, death and doom, guardian of the territory and its people. Triple goddess: Badb, Matcha, and the Morrígan. Shapeshifter: crown form= the Badb, causes fear or brings courage on the battlefield. Later associated with the figure of the banshee.

Cú Chulainn

Hero/ demigod, son of Lugh and a mortal woman. ‘the hound of Chulainn’, became a great warrior, associated w the north of Ireland (Ulster). Magic sword ans spear, battle frenzy.

Fionn Mac Cumhail

Demigod too. When he was a boy, trained by the druid Finegas. Gained wisdom from the Salmon of knowledge. Leader of the Fianna, a legendary band of warriors. Based on real-life groups of young elite fighters.

Syncretism

Integration of Christian beliefs with Celtic traditions.

Books of Durrow, Kells, Armagh

Famous manuscripts from Ireland when Ireland became a center for manuscript illumination and goldwork.

King = Brian Boru

Rise of powerful Gaelic dynasty: Munster, Captured Viking cities: Limerick & Dublin, Conquered Gaelic kingdoms, 1002: ‘High King of Ireland ’

Hiberno-Norse

Hybrid culture formed from Vikings gradually shifted from raiders to settlers, intermarrying with the Irish.

The Pale

Area around Dublin which was only controlled by the Normans, Established feudal system: Irish lords became vassals to the English king.

Old English

Irish people of Anglo-Norman descent

Gaelic

Irish people of Gaelic descent

Henry VIII policy of ‘anglicization’

Attempt to impose English social and cultural norms language culture religion

Plantation

In the 16th n 17th c ireland, the confiscation of land by the English crown and the colonization of this land by Protestant settlers from England and Scotland

Ulster Scots

Scottish version of Calvinism, more radical protestants) -language:

Protestant Ascendancy

The political, economical and social dominance of the Anglican (Church of England or Church of Ireland) elite in Ireland from the late 17th c to the early 20th c.

Rathlin island massacre

England attack launched on a small island held by Irish rebels

Nine Years’ War

1594-1603, largest conflict fought by England in the Elizabethan era (18,000 E soldiers)

1607 Flight of the Earls

Symbolic end of the Gaelic order (considered as a turning point in Irish history)

Cromwell Plantation

Reduced to Catholics ownership to nothing among

To Hell or to Connacht!

Irish were dispossessed and asked to go west

1641 Irish rebellion

Initial aim: to seize control of key strongholds and negotiate better conditions for Catholics

Act for the Settling of Ireland

1652 Catholics land ownership drops: 60% in 1641  14% in 1703  5% in 1750s

Olivier Cromwell

Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, General Governor of Ireland

Orange Order (1795) in Armagh

Aim: to defend Protestantism and (conditional) loyalty to English crown

Penal Laws

‘Laws in Ireland for the Suppression of Popery’ = legal restrictions vs Catholics & Presbyterians

Hedge schools

Schools where where the children got a catholic education because they where not allowed to by law.

The ‘big house’

Anglo-Irish country mansion, Symbol of Protestant Ascendancy

absentee landlords

Land worked by tenants farmers or “cottiers”, most Irish people: no land

Grattan’s Parliament

1782-3: legislative independence for the Irish Parliament

Scullabogue massacre

(co. Wexford): 200 loyalists murdered, Some atrocities by rebels

Wolf Tone

Father of Irish republicanism = the desire to achieve total independence from Britain and the Crown, Strategy: radical, revolutionary, physical force if necessary

Potato blight phytophthora infestans

An ecological disaster led to The Great Hunger (or Great Famine)

Sir Charles Trevelyan

In charge of the British reponse to the Famine

Coffin-ship

Emigrant Ship during Irish Emigration where Around 5% of transatlantic passengers died during the sea voyage