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History of Ancients Times in Ireland
The first settlers in Ireland arrived approximately 8000 BC from most
likely Scotland. It has been debated if Ireland was actually the last country
in Western Europe to be have been discovered, or at least settled on and
is an era better known as Ancient Ireland. Times had to be very difficult for the first settlers in Ancient Ireland
for a number of matters such as the harsh weather coming off the Atlantic
sea but also because of the lack of in-land food resources, which would
be a reason these people first roamed the coast of Ireland.
Mesolithic Times in Ireland
Through out the years archaeological digs have provided evidence of these first settlers such as the digs in Dingle Peninsula, which has a staggering 2,000+ of preserved monuments. Excavations showed the first settlers were hunters and making use of the food resources on the coast during the Mesolithic period in Ireland.
Mesolithic huts that are dated between 7000BC - 6500BC were recovered in the North part of Ireland. These Mesolithic huts would be easily construct from timber and animal skin for the Mesolithic people were always moving along the rivers and coast line to places like Ferriter's Cove.
Flint tools were found on Curran beach, which proves that County Antrim was a known location for the Mesolithic people as this was the only source of flint in Ireland. They used flint tools a way of hunting birds, animals that would be skinned for the fur and the meat made into meals. The Mesolithic people would also use their flint tools for fishing which they would have become very good at it in order to survive.
Neolithic Times in Ireland
As time marched on the people in Ireland advanced into a Neolithic culture from settlers traveling from Eastern Europe sharing their knowledge along the way. New knowledge was being shared in Ireland would have been the use of new tools and farming methods which became a more permanent way of life in Ireland. Animals such as sheep, goats and cows were brought to Ireland by settlers who also brought barley and wheat.
Porcellanite, a stone tougher than flint, was introduced to make axes and more stronger tools, which were mined, from Cushendall and Rathlin Island in County Antrim. These tools were also found in Southern England, which suggests the Neolithic Irish may have been trading with Britain.
Newgrange Burial Chambers
Megaliths
or large burial structures were being constructed all over Ireland with
over 1500 as being recorded as to have survived. Although many of these
ancient tombs are in Ireland, they can also be found in many countries all
over Europe. One of the best Neolithic burial chambers famous in Ireland
would be Newgrange in County Meath, which is
astronomically aligned.
These beautiful structures tell us that burial ceremony’s played a important role for the Neolithic Irish people and provide us with an unknown insight to their way of life back then. The structures did not exist until a number of centuries after the first arrival of the Neolithic people and today is being played into Irish mythology such as the large standing stones found in the center of fields. Some Irish myths suggest these stones were part of game played by huge Irish giants who would throw the massive stones for fun and to pass time.
Iron Age Ireland
At around 600BC the Iron Age began and the Irish culture dramatically expanded due to the druids who were priests, educators, poets, historians, and physicians. As you can imagine these priests played a big part in the culture of Ireland and evidence of their existence can still be found today.
By 250 BC Ireland was to change with the invasion of the Celts. The new arrival of the Celts would mean new skills and a new langauge to be introduced, along with spiritual beliefs.