The Republic of Ireland?

Question

Did the Irish once had a monarchy before they became British? Were they a province of Britain or a colony? Why didn't they restablish their monarchy now?

Answer 1

Ireland was once ruled by a high King. "The High King of Tara" I believe.

Then certain families also ruled their lands. There were several princes in Ireland that ruled the counties. They all answered to the King.

Anyway, the people of Ireland were first hit by the Norse. They pretty much destroyed the outer parts of Ireland. Rome didn't want to mess with Ireland because of the fierce warriors.

Now days Ireland it split with Catholics and Protestant. The northern 6 counties are ruled by England.

The Irish people don't want England to rule them, but they aren't strong enough to win a war.

I know that northern Ireland is still considered Ireland..... It's probably a relationship like the USA has to Puerto Rico...... except violent.

Answer 2

Well, I only have a general knowledge, but I think the Irish were ruled by chieftains and divided into groups and seldom had a high king. I do know that at one time the Irish were united under Brian Boru, but I think that ended with his death.

I don't think the Irish ever became British, even when England controlled them. Beginning with the Tudors Irish lands were seized and given to absentee English landlords and the strong Irish chieftains were always in revolt. Ireland has never been an easy land for the English to rule or subdue.

This practice of seizing and giving Irish lands to English and Scottish men to whom the king owed some sort of reward escalated under the Stewarts and Scottish people were encouraged to move to Ireland and settle, forming the people that today we call Scots Irish, who are protestant, as opposed to real Irish, who are Catholic.

These transplanted people and absentee land owners were supposed to take over and conquer Ireland gradually, but fortunately that never happened. After hundreds of years of strife and fighting the Irish finally got home rule for most of their country and that part is called the Republic of Ireland.

The Scots Irish protestants had no desire to be a minority in a free Ireland and wanted to stay part of England and that is the area around Belfast, which is Northern Ireland and still part of Britain, and still a bone of contention to real Irish people.

Given their experience for hundreds of years with the English monarchy, I am sure that no Irishman would want to institute that form of government, when it took them so long to get rid of it.

Answer 3

They had various kings but the country was not really united.
They became a colony of England when Elizabeth I occupied them and then James I sent scottish settlers to take over Irish land.
They don't reestablish the monarchy now because they are politically mature enough to be allowed to elect their own Head of State unlike the English who cling to their feudal ways.

Answer 4

Brian Boru defeated the Scandinavians at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, and assumed the title Ard Re, that is high king. There continued to be petty kings in parts of Ireland and minor princes and lords over provinces. Brian Boru's idea of kingship was only in his own mind. He did not have complete political control. His descendants and successors never held total power like real kings.

Henry II of England asked the pope to grant Ireland to him for his 4th son, John, who was to be king of Ireland. After the deaths of his 3 elder brothers, John became king of England and also was Lord of Ireland. On the Magna Carta, John is described as Rex Angliae,King of England, and Dominus Hiberniae, Lord of Ireland. From then on kings of England have claimed Ireland as their territory.