The Recent attacks against migrants in the Republic of Ireland and the recent fires in Coolock are nothing new. In Irish mythology, the god-king ancestors of the Irish, the Tuatha De Danann, went to war with an invading race called the Fomorians. The Fomorians were the first wave of foreign invaders, the Gaels, with force out of their homelands, a trend in Gaelic history.
In 795 AD, Vikings began raiding in Ireland. The Norse invaders quickly began setting up settlements and taking enslaved Irish people. However, this was not the end. The Irish, inspired by their past victories, continued to resist. This was interpreted as a Catholic Irish Golden Age and led to two centuries of warfare. This ended in the battle of Clontarf in which Brian Boru, high king of Ireland, led an Irish army against a Viking army in the Dublin area, ending with Viking defeat. This marked the end of foreign domination in Ireland for a time and would continue to inspire generations of Irish warriors to come.
In the late 12th century, the Normans set their eyes on Ireland. It would be a gradual conquest, and the kings of England would lay claim to vast amounts of Irish land. The lightly armored warriors of the Kirn, who were early Irish guerilla fighters, would resist. By 1300, England would be on the Island, but much of the land was back in Gaelic hands. The English would return.
Since the Norman conquest, the Gael has fought for his right to exist as his distinct ethnic group. The 1600s would be a tragic century for Ireland, with the conquest of the Lord Protector taking a heavy toll and King William of Orange slaughtering the Irish at battles like the Boyne and Aughrim. From 1690 to 1921, the Irish had many failed rebellions until they finally achieved their nation-state.
The West should take note of the Irish and their fanaticism for preserving their culture and homeland. A struggle that thanks to Globalism is far from over.
Comments