The First People in Ireland

Mesolithic Age

The first great period of civilisation in Ireland goes under the name of the Mesolithic age and covers the years from around 8000 BC until 4500 BC. The population wouldn't have amounted to more than a few thousand people. The first settlers more than likely came to Ireland to modern day County Antrim from Scotland and lived as hunter-gatherers. Archaeologists have found the sites of theses first people - Mount Sandel in Derry where they found huts and the remains of fires. Tools made of flint were found around the Shannon estuary. These first people depended heavily on nature.

The population of Ireland was decimated in the 1840's by a series of potato famines.  This led to mass immigrations, particularly to the United States.  There are areas of western Ireland today that have fewer people living there year round than they did in 1840.  There was also forced immigration from England of Scottish people to Ireland and who then also left to go to the United States in the early 1700's. Thus many of the people in the US have roots in Ireland.  An excellent book that details the Scots Irish immigrations is Born Fighting by former US Navy Secretary James Webb.

This is a great source of information on the History of Ireland. Another link to About Ireland: History.