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History of The Celts in Ireland
Ireland is still to this day considered a Celtic country. The Celts arrived in Ireland around 250 BC and were invaders from Europe. They arrived in tribal groups at intervals and settled in different parts of the country.
The major Celtic group to invade Ireland were the Gaeil who eventually conquered the whole of Ireland displacing the early Celtic settlers.
The Gaelic conquest was complete by 400 AD and dominated Ireland for almost 1000 years. Their legacy is still with us as it is reflected in our language and Ireland’s culture.
Two powerful tribal coalitions divided the Gaelic world. The Eoghanacht controlled the south while the north was ruled by the Connachta.
Of the latter tribes the most powerful was the Ui Neill later to become the O’Neill’s. The Ui Neills ruled most of the west Ulster and north Leinster by the 6th Century AD. From Tara in County Meath they claimed Kingship over the entire island. This claim was not widely accepted especially by the Eoghanacht but they were not strong enough to challenge the authority of the Ui Neill.
Beneath the dominance of these two major tribal groups was a network of about 150 minor kingdoms known as Tuatha.
Ireland missed out of the civilising effects of the Romans as they did not consider Ireland worth conquering. So Ireland was thoroughly Gaelic and from language, legal system and currency (based on their value of cattle) Ireland shared a united culture.
Gaelic Ireland had no strong political centre – the claims of the Ui Neill not with standing although they intervened when various Tuatha fought over petty thing like land or cattle.
Irish raiding parties regularly attacked the British coast and for a while settled in Wales. It was these raids that opened the door for the biggest intrusion into Gaelic society, the introduction of Christianity.