The vikings 9th century.

In 1845 and 1846, the fungus infected all the potatoes in Ireland.

One million people died from starvation.Some people emigrated to the USA and

Canada in the hope that

they would find work and

food.

Sinn Fein was established in 1905. By 1913 they had their own army, the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

On 24th April 1916, Patrick Pearse, read the proclamation of the Republic total independence from Britain.

The Irish rebels surrendered and the British executed 14 of the leaders. These 14 men became martyrs to the Irish cause and the idea of an independent Ireland became more popular.

In December 1918, was a general election and Sinn Fein won 73 seats in the British Parliament.

The Irish republicans had more followers and their fighters were better organised. The Irish and the English fought until 1921, when the war ended, with a treaty dividing Ireland into two parts. Six countries in northern in Ireland remained under British control. The rest became the Irish Free State.

Patrick was born in England in 387 A.D. As a boy, he was forcibly brought to Ireland as a slave. Life was horrible for him in captivity, and Patrick turned to God. He escaped his captors several years later and returned to England. Once back in his homeland, he heard the voice of God, who told him that he must return to Ireland and help the Irish turn to Christianity. Through much opposition, he was able to spread the gospel and worked miracles in Ireland for 40 years. St. Patrick is the Catholic Patron Saint of Ireland, and St. Patrick's Day began as a religious celebration. Catholic saints have their own feast days, with March 17 being the feast of St. Patrick.

At first, the works of Patrick were forgotten after his death, but legend slowly began to grow around him. The tale was that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. In fact, there were never any snakes in Ireland. The legend arises from the snake's symbolic meaning in Christian lore, where the snake represented evil and the devil. The tale symbolizes Patrick driving paganism from Ireland by converting people to Christianity.

Wedding customs: in one tradition, the bride and groom hold right hand to right hand and left hand to left hand so their wrists are crossed.

LEPERCHAUNS

The myth of the leprechauns is probably the

most famous of all Irish Myths.

BANSHEES

A banshee is a female spirit in Irish mythology.

Newgrange

Blarney Castle

Jeaney Johnston famine ship