A Brief History
The earliest remains of human habitation in Northern Ireland are from 7,000-6,000BC (Mesolithic Age) mainly in coastal areas and the northern side of Lough Neagh, the oldest being Mountsandel Fort in Coleraine.
Neolithic men 4,000-2,000BC have left a bounty of tombs, circles and standing stones etc in the Sperrins.
By 2,000BC metal was being worked and the Bronze Age Beaker people are recalled by their tombs in the Roe Valley area of Londonderry.
Cuchullian the Celtic Ulster warrior died single handed against an army. The remains of the Black Pig's Dyke near Newry give credence to the belief the Northern Celts were a different race to the Southern Celts.
By 5th century AD, St. Patrick had founded a church whose monks wrote down the oral tales of fights and battles and life amongst the Irish chiefs. The monks were able to build in stone - the Round Towers in Antrim town and Devenish Island,
Co.Fermanagh were their defence against marauding Vikings. They were also able to save manuscripts. The Vikings were eventually beaten by Brian Boru, buried in Armagh.
Co. Down has Norman strongholds with Castles at Dundrum etc. The Castle at Carrickfergus, a good example of Norman workmanship, is still used as a Museum.
They were an orderly race as they introduced the Parochial system and built Monasteries. The formation of the Counties was their doing - both counties and parishes are used with slight variations to this day.
Queen Elizabeth 1 desperate to stop the Spanish using Ireland as a base from which to attack England, repeatedly sent military forays against Ireland. All failed against Hugh O'Neill (Earl of Tyrone). He and O'Donnell (Donegal) having spent everything they owned fled to Europe in 1607 (Flight of the Earls).
Following Elizabeth's death, James V1 of Scotland succeeded to the throne of England. as James 1. He confiscated much of the lands in the Northern part of Ireland and "planted" some thousands of Scots and English. They were good farmers and craftsmen, they had the best of the land leaving the native Irish mainly the hill lands. The planters were charged with building towns, houses and roads to facilitate trade.
Times became difficult for the Catholic population and then also the Presbyterians, as in attempts to extend Anglican influence, they were barred from having their own churches or holding any official positions until the late 1800's. A struggle for the monarchy between James 11 and William of Orange resulted in a fierce war in which occurred the Siege of Derry (1688) and the Battle of the Boyne (1690). The victor William 111 (crowned 1689) showed more religious tolerance.
During William's reign a number of Huguenots, from France, who were skilled in the manufacture of linen cloth settled mainly in Counties Antrim, Down and Derry.
The linen trade grew rapidly and created, in 1785, the need for a harbour to be developed in Belfast, which then expanded quickly.
The demand for linen gave rise to much and varied employment in rural areas (Linen Museum, Lisburn) as linen fibre is obtained by growing and then treating flax.
As more and more ships were required to transport the linen, shipbuilding in Belfast became a mighty industry (e.g. the Titanic) which has only recently declined.
Harry Ferguson revolutionised world wide farming by his engineering in 1938 - The "Wee Fergie" tractor with the " 3-point hitch".
