c.3000BC	Megalithic tombs first constructed.

	c.700BC		Celts arrive from parts of Gaul and Britain.
			Ireland divided into provinces. (This according
			to a contributor is reconstructed folk history
			and not based on the archaeology.)

	c.AD350		Christianity reaches Ireland.

	400-800		Kingdom of Dalriada extends from Northeastern
			Ireland to Scotland.  Christianity brought to
			Scotland by St. Columcille and others.

	432		Trad. date for the arrival of St. Patrick in
			Ireland.

	700-800		Irish monasticism reaches its zenith.

	795		Full-scale Viking invasion.

	1014		Brian Ború defeats Vikings at Clontarf but is
			murdered.

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

	1172     	Pope decrees that Henry II of England is feudal
			lord of Ireland.

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

	1534-40		Unsuccessful Kildare rebellion

	1541     	Henry VIII proclaimed king (rather than feudal
			lord) of Ireland

	1558-1603	Reign of Elizabeth I.  System of counties adopted.

	1595-1603	Nine years war, a failed uprising led by Hugh
			O'Neill.

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

	1610		Policy of plantation by colonisation begins
			in Ulster.

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

	1649		Cromwell invades Ireland.

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

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

	1704		Penal Code enacted; Catholics barred from voting,
			education and the military.

	1775		American War of Independence foments Irish unrest.

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

	1795		Foundation of the Orange Order.

	1798		Wolfe Tone's uprising crushed.

	1801		Ireland becomes part of United Kingdom under
			the Act of Union.

	1829		Catholic Emancipation Act passed after
			Daniel O'Connell elected as MP.

	1845-49		The Great Famine.

	1879-82		The Land War; Parnell encourages boycott of
			repressive landlords.

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

	1916		Easter Rising.  After the leaders are executed
			public opinion backs independence.

	1920-21		War between Britain and Ireland; Irish Free State
			and Northern Ireland created.

	1922		Civil war breaks out.

	1932		De Valera elected.

	1939-45		"The Emergency"; Free State remains neutral

	1958		"Programme for economic expansion" published;
			establishes a five year plan of public investment
			with a target of 2% economic growth per annum.

	1969		Rioting between Catholics and Protestants.
			British troops called in.

	1971		Provisional IRA begins campaign to oust
			British troops from Ireland.
			Faulkner becomes N.I. Prime Minister;
			introduces internment without trial

	1972    	'Bloody Sunday' in Derry.
			N.I. Government and parliament suspended;
			direct rule from London.

	1973		UK and Republic of Ireland join
			European Economic Community.

	1974		Power sharing Executive collapses in face
			of Unionist general strike called to protest
			Sunningdale agreement on "Council of Ireland".

	1980-81		H-Block hunger strikes in NI.  Republican
			prisoners starve themselves to death for political
			status.  Inept handling by government results
			in increased support for republicans.

	1983		The first abortion referendum.  An amendment
			to the Constitution (article 40) says that
			the State "acknowledges the right to life of
			the unborn".


	1984		Southern nationalist parties and SDLP publish
			New Ireland Forum report.

	1985		Anglo-Irish Agreement signed at Hillsborough.
			Intergovernmental Conference established.
	
	1986		The first divorce referendum.  An attempt
			to amend the Constitution to allow the
			dissolution of marriages fails to get
			majority support.


	1988		The Single European Act is approved by
			referendum (effected by a chance to
			article 29 of the Constitution).
	
	1992		The Treaty on European Union (also known
			as the Maastricht Treaty) passes the
			referendum hurdle (voters approved another
			change to article 29 of the Constitution).
	
			The "X" abortion case and referendum.


	1994		Peace Declaration and IRA ceasefire.

	1995		Second divorce referendum.  Provisions
			allowing for civil divorce are added to
			article 41 of the Constitution.

	1996		End of IRA ceasefire; elections for Peace Forum;
			Sinn Féin is excluded from peace talks because
			of continuing IRA violence; SF decides not to
			attend the Forum

	1997		Renewal of IRA ceasefire.  Sinn Féin joins
			establish peace talks.


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End of Irish FAQ part 5
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