This week is St. Patrick's Day, which is Ireland's national day. St. Patrick was a real person, not a legend. In the Fifth Century, some pirates from Ireland raided a coastal village in Britain and took several young people as slaves. The future St. Patrick was put to work on an Irish farm. He had no idea where he was but said that God gave him a vision of how to escape and get back home, which he did. But afterward, he began to feel that God wanted him to return to Ireland, not as a slave but as a missionary. His time as a slave in Ireland proved useful, because now he was familiar with the language and customs.
My blog is the right color already so that every day is St. Patrick's Day here. We have already seen Dublin, in a separate visit. What we will do here is visit the population centers of Ireland, other than Dublin. Our tour will start in the northeast corner, and move clockwise around the country.A good place to begin our tour of Ireland is at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dundalk, which is in the northeastern corner of Ireland. Like many other cities and towns in Ireland, Dundalk grew into a city as a settlement of the Normans who arrived in Ireland. The eastern part of Ireland is the province of Leinster, the provinces are further divided into counties. The word "county" is placed first so that Dundalk is located in County Louth. The reason that counties in Britain are called "shires" is that was the original word, "county" is a word from the Normans. following scenes are other views of Dundalk.
The first image of St. Patrick's Cathedral is from Google Earth.
There are multiple scenes following. To see the scenes, after the first one, you must first click the up arrow, ^, before you can move on to the next scene by clicking the right or forward arrow, >. After clicking the up arrow, you can then hide the previews of successive scenes, if you wish.
https://www.google.com/maps/@54.0041184,-6.3998474,3a,75y,104h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sGtzHEyQRNHBdsKQr-wXAPQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DGtzHEyQRNHBdsKQr-wXAPQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D112.98663%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Moving southward, we come to Drogheda. One thing that is significant about this town is it's name, which is in the native Irish language. Like many cities, there use to be a wall around Drogheda. My feeling is that there used to be many more walls than there is today. But walls are for protection, and when times change so that the wall is no longer needed, it tends to be dismantled as a ready source of stone for other building. The following scenes begin outside St. Peter's Church in this medieval town. The first image is from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.7149341,-6.352429,3a,75y,136.16h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbGdoNpzp8YjYkTyeiQbNRw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DbGdoNpzp8YjYkTyeiQbNRw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D150.39015%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Moving clockwise around Ireland from there we would next arrive at Dublin, the nation's capital. But we have already seen Dublin in a separate visit. Dublin originated as a city with the arrival of Vikings who built a settlement there.
Next, we come to Wexford. In the southeast corner of Ireland, the area of Wexford is where invaders such as Vikings and Normans would land. Wexford began around the year 800 as a Viking settlement. One of it's landmarks is Johnstown Castle, which was begun by the Normans around the year 1169. These two views of Johnstown Castle are from Google Street View.
The Normans, who arrived in Ireland several hundred years after the Vikings had built settlements there, actually were Vikings. France had ceded some land to the Vikings, along the coast of the English Channel. These Vikings adopted French language and customs and became known as Normans. The land which they held along the English Channel coast is now known as Normandy.
From there, they crossed to England. Their speaking of Norman French very much affected the English Language, as we saw in "Traces Of The Normans". We saw in our visit to "South Wales" the irony that Welsh cities tend to be built around the ruins of the Norman castles that were originally built as strong points for protection of Norman settlements against the native Welsh people.
From Britain, the Normans crossed to Ireland. As they had in France and Britain, the Normans adopted the culture and language of the land. It seems that it would be better to be a conqueror than the conquered. But over the long term, the view is sometimes different. When a group of people conquers other people, it actually puts itself in danger of disappearing into the people that it has conquered. This is particularly true of conquerors who adapt the language and customs of the land, and when occupation troops begin marrying local women.
There is no trace of the Vikings or Normans as distinct people today because they have become part of the lands where they conquered and settled. This is also true of the Hyksos, of the ancient Middle East who ruled Egypt for a time, and even great conquerors like the Mongols and Mughals.
The following scenes are of Wexford. The castles and other prominent buildings are typical of old Ireland, made of that familiar gray limestone and surrounded by a carpet of shiny green grass. The sun is shining in most of these scenes but we know that Ireland must get it's share of rain for it to be so green that it became it's national color. This eastern part of the country, with the settlements of the Vikings and Normans, is known as "Ireland's Ancient East". In the southeastern part of Ireland is also the area known as the "Viking Triangle".
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3384008,-6.4635608,3a,75y,162.69h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s5kq_fnjDp_vGXfNux6UTdQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D5kq_fnjDp_vGXfNux6UTdQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D169.22083%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Near Wexford is Tintern Abbey. This is not the Tintern Abbey that we saw in the posting on this blog, "The Reformation At 500", but the one near Wexford was named for it. This image of Tintern Abbey is from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.346265,-6.9804046,2a,75y,74.18h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sP9861pLBDQrGEzJk1-xAXQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DP9861pLBDQrGEzJk1-xAXQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D65.11953%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Waterford is another city in southern Ireland that was settled first by the Vikings, and later by the Normans. Waterford is about a thousand years old. The southern province of Ireland is known as Munster. The first image, from Google Street View, is of Reginald's Tower in Waterford.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2599712,-7.1088136,3a,75y,82.25h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sWx6k1kd_a60deTWDzeBrEA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DWx6k1kd_a60deTWDzeBrEA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D77.45797%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Kilkenny is known for it's Norman Castle. This is what another Norman castle, Chepstow Castle in Wales, would look like if it was better-preserved. The first two images are from Google Earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6500353,-7.2495908,3a,75y,194.75h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1seU9lIu-_OP0nkCvfb4KC_A!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DeU9lIu-_OP0nkCvfb4KC_A%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D189.07448%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Cork is the largest city in Ireland, after Dublin. Like so many other places, it is of Viking origin. In another immigrant returning to the old country story, like John F. Kennedy, Henry Ford, of automotive renown and of Irish ancestry, opened a factory at Cork which operated until the 1980s.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.8973654,-8.475121,3a,75y,48h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sE4_ZCnrD5CtXG5ZJl5w9mg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DE4_ZCnrD5CtXG5ZJl5w9mg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D34.425945%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Near Cork is the most famous castle in Ireland, Blarney Castle. There is a stone at the castle called the Blarney Stone. It is believed to be worth a trip there because kissing the Blarney Stone will make a person eloquent. The first image of Blarney Castle is from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9290682,-8.5709704,3a,75y,112.07h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNrX8KXNmdKtFUexcYn5Qx0duJLMa8RSWC9jjUW!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNrX8KXNmdKtFUexcYn5Qx0duJLMa8RSWC9jjUW%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya43.975853-ro-0-fo100!7i11264!8i3672
Among the sights that the city of Limerick is known for are King John Castle, from the Fourteenth Century, and the earlier St. Mary's Cathedral. King John Castle is a classic Norman castle that was built over an older Viking complex. The first two images of it are from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6706564,-8.6315064,3a,75y,1.5h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1svxyIBAlU9OeuRWNZwxSAjA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DvxyIBAlU9OeuRWNZwxSAjA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D1.5%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Finally, we come to the west coast city of Galway. The western province of Ireland is known as Connaught. Like Leinster in the east and Munster in the south, Connaught is divided into counties. While Galway is an old city, and was heavily walled and fortified, it's cathedral was only built in the 1960s. The remote northwestern part of Ireland, on the other side of the Shannon River, is referred to as "West of the Shannon".
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.2732493,-9.0521842,3a,75y,130.18h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sU-7zFfpqz--3n64DybJM-A!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DU-7zFfpqz--3n64DybJM-A%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D144.69809%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
We have not followed the itinerary of St. Patrick in this tour of Ireland. We have concentrated on the east and south of the country, while St. Patrick is known to have visited mostly the north and west. But I wanted to concentrate our visit on the population centers.
Let's remember what St. Patrick was really about. He actually was not about being proud to be Irish, even if you are only Irish for St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick was about Christianity. At the time of St. Patrick, the island was ruled by various Celtic chiefs and the concept of Ireland as a nation was far in the future. He did not preach to remember to wear green but to follow God. He did not select the shamrock to be the symbol of Ireland but used it to show that, just as the shamrock has three section but yet is one so the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and, the Holy Spirit, are three but yet are also one.
There is one thing about Irish history that does not get much attention. Being settled by Vikings and Normans has created a division in Ireland that remains to this day. Many common Irish surnames are actually of Norman origin. This includes those beginning with Fitz-, such as Fitzgibbon, Fitzgerald and, Fitzsimmons. The common name "Walsh" actually means "Welsh", to designate Normans who came to Ireland after their recent ancestors had settled in Wales. There are lists of Norman-Irish names online.
In contrast the names of the "original" Irish people, who were there before the Vikings and Normans, often end in the common -ey. This is certainly not a strict rule. For example, I get the impression that "Sullivan" is an "original" Irish name, that is not of Norman origin.
The 1921 treaty for Ireland's independence, sharply divided the Irish people. One side supported it while the other opposed it. The two sides in that disagreement are the descendants of Ireland's two main political parties today, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael (the names are in Ireland's native language).
Observers noticed that Irish people with Norman surnames were more likely to support the 1921 treaty, and to make up the Fine Gael party today, while Irish people with "original" Irish surnames were more likely to oppose the 1921 treaty, and to make up Fianna Fail today. Obviously, this is not a strict rule as Eamon de Valera was the founder of Fianna Fail. He was actually born in New York and his father was Spanish. But we can see how the Irish history of nearly a thousand years ago lives on in the politics of today.
There are multiple scenes following. To see the scenes, after the first one, you must first click the up arrow, ^, before you can move on to the next scene by clicking the right or forward arrow, >. After clicking the up arrow, you can then hide the previews of successive scenes, if you wish.
Moving southward, we come to Drogheda. One thing that is significant about this town is it's name, which is in the native Irish language. Like many cities, there use to be a wall around Drogheda. My feeling is that there used to be many more walls than there is today. But walls are for protection, and when times change so that the wall is no longer needed, it tends to be dismantled as a ready source of stone for other building. The following scenes begin outside St. Peter's Church in this medieval town. The first image is from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.7149341,-6.352429,3a,75y,136.16h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbGdoNpzp8YjYkTyeiQbNRw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DbGdoNpzp8YjYkTyeiQbNRw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D150.39015%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Moving clockwise around Ireland from there we would next arrive at Dublin, the nation's capital. But we have already seen Dublin in a separate visit. Dublin originated as a city with the arrival of Vikings who built a settlement there.
Next, we come to Wexford. In the southeast corner of Ireland, the area of Wexford is where invaders such as Vikings and Normans would land. Wexford began around the year 800 as a Viking settlement. One of it's landmarks is Johnstown Castle, which was begun by the Normans around the year 1169. These two views of Johnstown Castle are from Google Street View.
This is Selskar Abbey in Wexford. Image from Google Street View.
The Normans, who arrived in Ireland several hundred years after the Vikings had built settlements there, actually were Vikings. France had ceded some land to the Vikings, along the coast of the English Channel. These Vikings adopted French language and customs and became known as Normans. The land which they held along the English Channel coast is now known as Normandy.
From there, they crossed to England. Their speaking of Norman French very much affected the English Language, as we saw in "Traces Of The Normans". We saw in our visit to "South Wales" the irony that Welsh cities tend to be built around the ruins of the Norman castles that were originally built as strong points for protection of Norman settlements against the native Welsh people.
From Britain, the Normans crossed to Ireland. As they had in France and Britain, the Normans adopted the culture and language of the land. It seems that it would be better to be a conqueror than the conquered. But over the long term, the view is sometimes different. When a group of people conquers other people, it actually puts itself in danger of disappearing into the people that it has conquered. This is particularly true of conquerors who adapt the language and customs of the land, and when occupation troops begin marrying local women.
There is no trace of the Vikings or Normans as distinct people today because they have become part of the lands where they conquered and settled. This is also true of the Hyksos, of the ancient Middle East who ruled Egypt for a time, and even great conquerors like the Mongols and Mughals.
The following scenes are of Wexford. The castles and other prominent buildings are typical of old Ireland, made of that familiar gray limestone and surrounded by a carpet of shiny green grass. The sun is shining in most of these scenes but we know that Ireland must get it's share of rain for it to be so green that it became it's national color. This eastern part of the country, with the settlements of the Vikings and Normans, is known as "Ireland's Ancient East". In the southeastern part of Ireland is also the area known as the "Viking Triangle".
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3384008,-6.4635608,3a,75y,162.69h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s5kq_fnjDp_vGXfNux6UTdQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D5kq_fnjDp_vGXfNux6UTdQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D169.22083%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Near Wexford is Tintern Abbey. This is not the Tintern Abbey that we saw in the posting on this blog, "The Reformation At 500", but the one near Wexford was named for it. This image of Tintern Abbey is from Google Street View.
There are monasteries, many in ruins, all over the country. Ireland was a vital center of early Christianity and from these monasteries missionaries went across northern Europe. The monasteries were also the centers of education, and this is why Ireland is known as "The Land of Saints and Scholars". From one of these Irish monasteries came the Book of Kells, an early handwritten copy of the Gospels, which it today on view at Trinity College in Dublin, and may be the most valuable book in the world.
An abbey is the church of a monastery. Sometimes, it can be as large as a cathedral. In Protestant countries, a church that originated as a monastery church but was opened to the public after the Reformation is still usually called an abbey. Protestants generally do not do monasteries, although that is not a strict rule. This is Tintern Abbey.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2363521,-6.8384353,3a,75y,75.79h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1si1trEKGb_JWEZC0akcTb6w!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Di1trEKGb_JWEZC0akcTb6w%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D67.53005%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Also near Wexford is the Kennedy Homestead. This is the ancestral home of America's Kennedy family. President John F. Kennedy returned here in 1963, shortly before he was assassinated in Dallas. These scenes also show the farms, green fields and, country lanes, which is what most of Ireland is like. The first image of the Kennedy Homestead is from Google Street View.
An abbey is the church of a monastery. Sometimes, it can be as large as a cathedral. In Protestant countries, a church that originated as a monastery church but was opened to the public after the Reformation is still usually called an abbey. Protestants generally do not do monasteries, although that is not a strict rule. This is Tintern Abbey.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2363521,-6.8384353,3a,75y,75.79h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1si1trEKGb_JWEZC0akcTb6w!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Di1trEKGb_JWEZC0akcTb6w%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D67.53005%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Also near Wexford is the Kennedy Homestead. This is the ancestral home of America's Kennedy family. President John F. Kennedy returned here in 1963, shortly before he was assassinated in Dallas. These scenes also show the farms, green fields and, country lanes, which is what most of Ireland is like. The first image of the Kennedy Homestead is from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.346265,-6.9804046,2a,75y,74.18h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sP9861pLBDQrGEzJk1-xAXQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DP9861pLBDQrGEzJk1-xAXQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D65.11953%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Waterford is another city in southern Ireland that was settled first by the Vikings, and later by the Normans. Waterford is about a thousand years old. The southern province of Ireland is known as Munster. The first image, from Google Street View, is of Reginald's Tower in Waterford.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2599712,-7.1088136,3a,75y,82.25h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sWx6k1kd_a60deTWDzeBrEA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DWx6k1kd_a60deTWDzeBrEA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D77.45797%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Kilkenny is known for it's Norman Castle. This is what another Norman castle, Chepstow Castle in Wales, would look like if it was better-preserved. The first two images are from Google Earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6500353,-7.2495908,3a,75y,194.75h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1seU9lIu-_OP0nkCvfb4KC_A!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DeU9lIu-_OP0nkCvfb4KC_A%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D189.07448%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Cork is the largest city in Ireland, after Dublin. Like so many other places, it is of Viking origin. In another immigrant returning to the old country story, like John F. Kennedy, Henry Ford, of automotive renown and of Irish ancestry, opened a factory at Cork which operated until the 1980s.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.8973654,-8.475121,3a,75y,48h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sE4_ZCnrD5CtXG5ZJl5w9mg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DE4_ZCnrD5CtXG5ZJl5w9mg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D34.425945%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Near Cork is the most famous castle in Ireland, Blarney Castle. There is a stone at the castle called the Blarney Stone. It is believed to be worth a trip there because kissing the Blarney Stone will make a person eloquent. The first image of Blarney Castle is from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9290682,-8.5709704,3a,75y,112.07h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNrX8KXNmdKtFUexcYn5Qx0duJLMa8RSWC9jjUW!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNrX8KXNmdKtFUexcYn5Qx0duJLMa8RSWC9jjUW%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya43.975853-ro-0-fo100!7i11264!8i3672
Among the sights that the city of Limerick is known for are King John Castle, from the Fourteenth Century, and the earlier St. Mary's Cathedral. King John Castle is a classic Norman castle that was built over an older Viking complex. The first two images of it are from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6706564,-8.6315064,3a,75y,1.5h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1svxyIBAlU9OeuRWNZwxSAjA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DvxyIBAlU9OeuRWNZwxSAjA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D1.5%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Finally, we come to the west coast city of Galway. The western province of Ireland is known as Connaught. Like Leinster in the east and Munster in the south, Connaught is divided into counties. While Galway is an old city, and was heavily walled and fortified, it's cathedral was only built in the 1960s. The remote northwestern part of Ireland, on the other side of the Shannon River, is referred to as "West of the Shannon".
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.2732493,-9.0521842,3a,75y,130.18h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sU-7zFfpqz--3n64DybJM-A!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DU-7zFfpqz--3n64DybJM-A%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D144.69809%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
We have not followed the itinerary of St. Patrick in this tour of Ireland. We have concentrated on the east and south of the country, while St. Patrick is known to have visited mostly the north and west. But I wanted to concentrate our visit on the population centers.
Let's remember what St. Patrick was really about. He actually was not about being proud to be Irish, even if you are only Irish for St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick was about Christianity. At the time of St. Patrick, the island was ruled by various Celtic chiefs and the concept of Ireland as a nation was far in the future. He did not preach to remember to wear green but to follow God. He did not select the shamrock to be the symbol of Ireland but used it to show that, just as the shamrock has three section but yet is one so the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and, the Holy Spirit, are three but yet are also one.
There is one thing about Irish history that does not get much attention. Being settled by Vikings and Normans has created a division in Ireland that remains to this day. Many common Irish surnames are actually of Norman origin. This includes those beginning with Fitz-, such as Fitzgibbon, Fitzgerald and, Fitzsimmons. The common name "Walsh" actually means "Welsh", to designate Normans who came to Ireland after their recent ancestors had settled in Wales. There are lists of Norman-Irish names online.
In contrast the names of the "original" Irish people, who were there before the Vikings and Normans, often end in the common -ey. This is certainly not a strict rule. For example, I get the impression that "Sullivan" is an "original" Irish name, that is not of Norman origin.
The 1921 treaty for Ireland's independence, sharply divided the Irish people. One side supported it while the other opposed it. The two sides in that disagreement are the descendants of Ireland's two main political parties today, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael (the names are in Ireland's native language).
Observers noticed that Irish people with Norman surnames were more likely to support the 1921 treaty, and to make up the Fine Gael party today, while Irish people with "original" Irish surnames were more likely to oppose the 1921 treaty, and to make up Fianna Fail today. Obviously, this is not a strict rule as Eamon de Valera was the founder of Fianna Fail. He was actually born in New York and his father was Spanish. But we can see how the Irish history of nearly a thousand years ago lives on in the politics of today.
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