Prehistoric Ireland The earliest settlers to make their way to Ireland were hunter-gatherers who arrived around 8000 BC. Small rock buildings are still found standing around Ireland and predate the Pyramids in Egypt.
Viking Era 800 through 1166 Vikings from Norway would routinely invade Ireland and establish a foothold in numerous areas. Their era came to an end as the Irish King Muirecáni pushed them out of Ireland. This image is of Brian Boru, an Irish hero who fought the Vikings.
Arrival of the Normans 1168 through 1536 The early part of this period witnessed an Ireland made up of "petty kingdoms", or clan/county or village leaders who tried to expand their control over other petty kingdoms in order to dominate all of Ireland. One of the petty kingdom leaders named King Diarmait Mac Murchada, was forced to leave Ireland by the new leader. King Diarmait went to England and enlisted Norman knights to help him regain control. This occurred around 1167, beginning the Norman invasion of Ireland. Again, these knights and their followers settled throughout Ireland and left symbols of their settlement and dominance in the form of castles and towers like the one in this image.