Celtic
tribes arrived on the island between
600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that
began in the late 8th century were
finally ended when King Brian BORU
defeated the Danes in 1014. English
invasions began in the 12th century and
set off more than seven centuries of
Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce
rebellions and harsh repressions. A
failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion
touched off several years of guerrilla
warfare that in 1921 resulted in
independence from the UK for 26 southern
counties; six northern (Ulster) counties
remained part of the UK. In 1949,
Ireland withdrew from the British
Commonwealth; it joined the European
Community in 1973. Irish governments
have sought the peaceful unification of
Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
against terrorist groups. A peace
settlement for Northern Ireland is
gradually being implemented despite some
difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and
British governments developed and began
to implement the St. Andrews Agreement,
building on the Good Friday Agreement
approved in 1998.
