700BC.  The Celts arrive from parts of Gaul and Britain. 

350AD.  Christianity reaches Ireland. 

432.  Saint. Patrick arrives in Ireland and confronts King Laoghaire who allows him to spread the word of Christianity in Ireland. 

700-800.  Monastic culture is at its height. 

795.  Invasion by the Vikings. 

1014.  Brian Boru defeats the Vikings at Clontarf. 

1169.  Dermot MacMurrough, the exiled king of Leinster, seeks help from 'Strongbow'. 

1172.  King Henry II of England is declared Feudal Lord of Ireland by the Pope. 

1366.  Statues of Kilkenny belatedly forbid intermarriage of English and Irish. Gaelic culture unsuccessfully suppressed. 

1534-40.  Insurrection by Lord Offaly fails. 

1541.  Henry VIII proclaimed King of Ireland. 

1558-03.  Plantation of Ireland commences under the reign of Elizabeth I. 

1595-03.  Failed uprising of Hugh O'Neil. 

1607.  Flight of the Earls and leading Ulster families go into exile. 

1641.  King Charles I's policies cause insurrection in Ulster and Civil War in England. 

1649.  Cromwell invades Ireland. 

1653.  Cromwell's opponents stripped of land under the Act of Settlement. 

1689-90.  Deposed James II flees to Ireland and is defeated at the Battle of the Boyne. 

1704.  The Penal Laws enacted: Catholics are barred from voting, education and the military. 

1775.  American War of Independence instigates Irish unrest. 

1782.  Grattan's Parliament persuades English to declare Irish independence, but in name only. 

1795.  The 'Orange Order' is founded. 

1798.  Uprising by Wolfe Tone and the United Irishmen is crushed. 

1801.  Ireland becomes part of Britain under the Act of Union. 

1829.  Catholic Emancipation Act passed after Daniel O'Connell elected as Member of Parliament. 

1845-49.  The Great Famine claims over 1 million lives through starvation and disease. Emigration over the next 10 years results in departure of a further 1 million people. 

1879-82.  The Land War is instigated by Parnell who encourages the boycott of repressive landlords. The 3 'F's are gained for the peasantry: 'Fixity of Tenure, Fair Rent, Freedom to sell their holding.' 

1914.  The Implementation of Home Rule is postponed because of the outbreak of World War I. 

1916.  The Easter Rising is led by Pearse, Connolly and others. The 7 leaders are executed which shifts public opinion in favor of the rebels. 

1920-21.  Michael Collins masterminds the War of Independence between Britain and Ireland. The Irish Free State is created (excluding the 6 Northern Counties). 

1922-23.  Civil war breaks out between the Free State Army and the Irregulars (the IRA). 1926 Fianna Fail party formed and led by DeVelera. 

1932.  De Valera elected Taoiseach of Ireland. 

1939-45.  Ireland remains neutral during WW2 despite the offer of a United Ireland having been made to DeVelera if Ireland enters the war on behalf of the Allies. 

1948.  Ireland declared a Republic by Costello. Northern Ireland is declared a separate entity. 

1969.  Rioting between Catholics and Protestants. Civil Rights marches. British troops called in to keep order. 

1971.  Provisional IRA begins campaign to oust British troops from Ireland. 

1972.  Republic of Ireland joins the European Community. 

1985.  Anglo-Irish Agreement signed. 

1994.  Peace Declaration and IRA ceasefire. 

1998.  'Good Friday' agreement reached promising the creation of a Northern Assembly. 

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