The complete idiot's guide to Irish history and culture

289 Pages·1999·7.285 MB·English

by  Massie, Sonja

Contents
T H E M P LETE
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O T’S
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U I
G TO
Irish History
and Culture
by Sonja Massie
Pearson Education Company
1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019-6785
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Irish History and Culture
This book is lovingly dedicated to Jennifer and David Hald, who know the
true meaning of friendship, loyalty, and family ties.
Copyright © 1999 by Sonja Massie
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
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address Alpha Books, 1633 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10019-6785.
THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO & Design are trademarks of Pearson Education, Inc.
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International Standard Book Number: 0-7865-4268-3
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 98-87600
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Contents
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Irish History and Culture
Contents at a Glance
Part 1: Beyond Leprechauns, St. Patrick, and Shamrocks 1
1 A Mystical Island of Magical People 3
The ancient Celts, the first Irish, were a barbaric people,
but they loved storytelling, had an advanced system of
law, and knew how to have a roaring good time!
2 Celebrating Life, Death, and Everything Between 13
Like their Celtic ancestors, the Irish celebrate life’s events
with style, whether they be births, weddings, or wakes.
Part 2: The Story of Eire 23
3 Was the Emerald Isle Always So Emerald? 25
The first Irish inhabitants were the four-footed variety, but
then the two-legged folks arrived, and the Emerald Isle
hasn’t seen a peaceful day since.
4 Those Glorious Celts (Not the Basketball Team) 37
The Celts of long ago were a colorful people, both literally
(they painted their bodies blue!) and figuratively. For a
bunch of crazy savages, they had an amazingly civilized
society.
5 St. Patrick, Conqueror of Souls 45
When some slave traders brought a young captive to
Ireland, they had no idea he would become the most famous
man in Irish history, St. Patrick (who wasn’t even Irish).
Part 3: Invasions, Repression, and Hunger: You Can’t
Keep a Good Irishman Down 53
6 Green Fields Run Red: The Viking Invasion
and Brian Boru 55
It was a dark day for Ireland when the Vikings discovered
it. They raided, pillaged, and murdered, destroying every-
thing in their paths. But a hero would come to Ireland’s
defense, Brian Boru, the greatest king Ireland would ever
know.
7 The Seed Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree: The Vikings’
Norman Cousins 69
The Vikings were nasty fellows, but in some ways, the
Normans were worse. The Vikings had robbed and run;
their Norman cousins stayed and conquered.
8 Those Blasted Brits 77
Norman-English kings handed Ireland down from one
to the next, and each seemed to rule more foolishly than
the last.
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9 The Earls and the Crown Duke It Out 87
Irish chieftains, calling themselves earls, fought the English
for the right to rule Ireland. When Henry VIII declared
himself Lord of Ireland, their response was, “Oh, yeah?!”
10 Irish Domination, Tudor Style 93
Queen Elizabeth I did her best to bring Ireland to heel, and
her best was pretty good! Then a batch of Irish chieftain
earls took off in the dead of night, leaving Ireland to the
English, and things went from bad to worse.
11 The Curse of Cromwell 101
Oliver Cromwell thought he was doing God’s work by
killing as many Irish Catholics as he could. The “curse of
Cromwell” is still one of the worst curses an Irishman can
throw on you.
12 The Price of Freedom: Blood and Imprisonment 111
Irish heroes, such as Wolfe Tone and Daniel O’Connell,
spent their lives trying to free Ireland from Britain’s rule.
Some even died for their cause, but Mother England’s
apron strings were iron chains.
13 The Great Hunger 123
Under British oppression, the Irish peasantry became
dependent upon the potato as a sole food source. When a
fungus caused the potatoes to rot, more than eight million
people began to starve.
14 Emigration: ’Tis You Must Go and I Must Bide 135
After the famine, millions of Irish emigrated to America. In
their new country, they faced new problems, such as the
challenge of assimilation, and a few of the old ones, such
as poverty and bigotry.
15 The Blood of the Martyrs 145
On Easter morning in 1916, a group of rebels tried to
overthrow the British once and for all. They failed. But as
their executions began, they became martyrs, and their
cause became a rallying flag for Irish everywhere.
16 The Irish Free State Is Born, but It’s a Difficult Delivery 155
Thanks to the efforts of Michael Collins, his IRA, and the
Sinn Fein organization, Ireland achieved partial freedom
from Britain. But the northern counties of Ulster remained
under English rule, and the war became a civil one.
17 Eire’s Growing Pains: The 20th Century in the
Emerald Isle 163
Life hasn’t been easy for those living in Northern Ireland
for the past 100 years. The Republic of Ireland has had its
share of social concerns as well, such as divorce, abortion,
and birth control. But solutions may be within reach.
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Irish History and Culture
Part 4: Erin’s Hall of Fame 175
18 Making Their Way American Style: Politicians,
Soldiers, Police, and Boxers 177
From the fellows who signed the Declaration of Indepen-
dence to John F. Kennedy, Irish Americans were leaders of
the political arena. The Irish excelled in other areas, too,
keeping the peace as soldiers and neighborhood cops.
19 The Irish Bards, Keeping the Words Alive 187
From William Butler Yeats to Jonathan Swift, James Joyce,
and Frank McCourt, the Irish are still a storytelling people,
blessing the world with their words.
20 Staging a Gaelic Revolution: The Great Irish Theater 199
Some of the greatest playwrights of all time had the Irish
gift of gab: Oscar Wilde, Brendan Behan, George Bernard
Shaw, John Synge, and Sean O’Casey. Not only did they
write some of the best theater productions ever staged, but
they championed the rights of artists everywhere against
censorship.
Part 5: Ireland and All It Has to Offer: A Story
Still Tellin’ 213
21 Mythical Ireland: Its Lovely Lore 215
Druids, fairies, leprechauns, and tales of Fenian warriors
populate the colorful lore of the Celts that has been handed
down for thousands of years to entertain us today.
22 Tourism: Erin’s Children Return in Droves! 221
Instead of waves of Irish emigrants escaping to America,
Irish Americans are returning “home” by the thousands. If
you’re “goin’ home,” use these tips for touring the auld
country.
23 The Irish: Musical, Athletic, and Crafty! 229
From glistening crystal to tweed, lace, and Claddagh
jewelry, Irish craftsmen are still practicing the old arts. The
Celts still battle it out on the field; only now they’re
playing Gaelic football, hurling, and rugby and racing
thoroughbreds.
24 Tracing Those Irish Grandfa’rs 239
If you’re looking for your ancestors and wondering which of
those marvelous Irish counties your family comes from, this
list of common Irish names may help you in your search.
Appendix
A Speak Plain Irish Glossary 255
Index 259
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Contents
Contents
Part 1: Beyond Leprechauns, St. Patrick,
and Shamrocks 1
1 A Mystical Island of Magical People 3
The Magic of Words .............................................................. 4
Bardic Tradition................................................................. 5
The Most Just of Men ........................................................ 5
To the Devil with You ....................................................... 7
God Hold You in His Hand ............................................... 7
Life with Ma, Da, and the Wee Ones.................................... 8
I’ve a Wife, Bedamned I Have ........................................... 9
Children Growing by the Fire ......................................... 10
2 Celebrating Life, Death, and Everything Between 13
Hospitality, Erin’s Way........................................................ 13
Irish Soda Bread............................................................... 14
Whiskey, Y’er the Devil................................................... 15
Where Irish Hearts Gather .................................................. 17
The Irish Pub, More Than a Tavern................................. 17
Meet Me at the Crossroads at Midnight.......................... 18
Feelin’ Merry When I Marry Mary Mac........................... 19
Paddy, What a Fine Corpse Ye’ve Made!......................... 19
The Pipe, the Fiddle, and the Bodhran ........................... 21
Part 2: The Story of Eire 23
3 Was the Emerald Isle Always So Emerald? 25
A Land Fit for Neither Man nor Beast................................. 26
The First Irish Have Hooves............................................. 26
There Goes the Neighborhood: Humans Arrive ............. 27
New Stone Age People Discover Paradise............................ 28
Farming, Arts, and Crafts ................................................ 28
The Great Stone Tombs................................................... 28
Stone Gives Way to Bronze................................................. 30
The Beaker Folk................................................................ 30
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Irish History and Culture
The Food Vessel People ................................................... 30
The Cinerary Urn People................................................. 31
Eire’s Land Today: Fierce and Gentle, Like Her People....... 31
Fields of Grass, Fields of Limestone................................. 32
Soft Rain or Noah’s Deluge?............................................ 33
Waters of Life, Watery Graves......................................... 34
The Counties and Provinces of Ireland............................... 35
4 Those Glorious Celts (Not the Basketball Team) 37
Naked Warriors Painted Blue .............................................. 38
The Delightfully Civilized Savages...................................... 39
By the Gods of My Tribe! .................................................... 40
Every Celt Knows His Place................................................. 40
Those High-Falutin’ Aristocrats....................................... 41
Free and Breezy................................................................ 41
Slaves: Working Their Way to Freedom.......................... 42
A Celt Is Worthy of His Hire ............................................... 42
The Ultimate Hunger Strike............................................. 43
I Gotta Be Me!—Ancient Celtic Philosophy.................... 43
5 St. Patrick, Conqueror of Souls 45
Not Your Average Day of Pillage and Plunder.................... 45
Kidnapped and Sold into Bondage ..................................... 46
Enslavement on the Isle of the Druids............................ 47
Six Years in Hell for a Future Saint.................................. 47
Son of the Church............................................................... 48
Return to Eire................................................................... 48
Converting an Old Enemy .............................................. 49
The Saint’s Everlasting Footprints on Irish Soil.................. 50
Part 3: Invasions, Repression, and Hunger:
You Can’t Keep a Good Irishman Down 53
6 Green Fields Run Red: The Viking Invasion and
Brian Boru 55
Dragon Ships and Battle-Axes............................................. 56
The Furious Sons of Thor .................................................... 56
A.D. 795: Year of Blood ................................................... 57
Serpents on the River....................................................... 57
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Contents
The Irish Strike Back!........................................................... 58
Dragon Ships Afire!.......................................................... 58
Head for the Tower!......................................................... 59
Look Out! Here Come Some More!..................................... 60
A Hero Is Born: Brian Boru, Emperor of Eire’s Land........... 61
Portrait of an Emperor as a Young Man.......................... 61
My Brother’s Keeper ........................................................ 62
King of Half of Ireland, But It Isn’t Enough.................... 62
At Last, Ireland Has Her True King.................................. 63
Gormlaith, a Wicked Lass, Indeed ...................................... 63
Alas, the Mighty Have Fallen .............................................. 65
The Mark of the Norsemen ................................................. 66
7 The Seed Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree:
The Vikings’ Norman Cousins 69
Who Were Those Norman Fellows?.................................... 69
Beware of Popes Bearing Gifts............................................. 70
Brian Boru’s Throne Becomes a Hot Seat............................ 71
Dermot MacMurrough: Bloody Troublemaker ................... 71
Choosing Sides with the Devil ........................................ 72
Dermot, the Most Unpopular Kid on the Block.............. 72
Dermot Runs to the Enemy for Help .................................. 73
An Unholy Alliance............................................................. 73
The Beginning of Erin’s Great Woes ............................... 74
The Devils Won’t Go Home............................................ 74
King Henry Sets the Record Straight................................... 75
A Castle in Every Back Yard ................................................ 75
8 Those Blasted Brits 77
John Visits Ireland, Makes an Arse of Himself.................... 77
When the Cat’s Away, the Peasants Steal the Livestock..... 79
O’Neill, the Last Ard Ri.................................................... 80
Edward I Drains Erin Dry ................................................ 80
Edward II Means Well, But… .......................................... 80
More Wolves in the Hen House.......................................... 82
Edward Bruce Makes a Bad Impression........................... 82
Edward Versus Edward—Edward Loses! .......................... 82
The Hated Statutes of Kilkenny........................................... 83
The Grim Reaper Pays a Visit to Ireland ............................. 84
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