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surprises waiting to reveal themselves in the unlikeliest corners of the country. If you fancy a gourmet itinerary, start in Belfast with the award-winning French menu at Shu Click here. In neighbouring County Down, tuck into five types of oyster at the Mourne Seafood Bar Click here in Dundrum, or at Jeffers at the Marina Click here in the seaside resort of Bangor. Just across the border in County Louth, Carlingford’s Ghan House Click here is renowned for its exquisite classical cuisine, while dedicated foodies should make the pilgrimage to Blacklion’s MacNean House & Restaurant Click here in County Cavan. Head to the southeast to sample the slow food delights at Arlington Lodge Click here in Waterford City and the crafted fare at the Tannery Restaurant & Cookery School Click here in seaside Dungarvan. Then, head into the spiritual home of the Irish gourmet movement and cross the border into County Cork. Halfway between Youghal and Cork, Midleton is home to the excellent Farmgate Restaurant Click here, surely one of Ireland’s best. Further west, Kinsale is just full of top nosh, including the Fishy Fishy Cafe Click here, which is only open during the day. Finish up in the slightly shambolic looking but utterly mouth-watering Out of the Blue Click here in Dingle, County Kerry.

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History

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WHO THE HELL ARE THE IRISH?

GETTING INTO THE HABIT

RAPE, PILLAGE & PLUNDER: A VIKING’S DAY OUT

THE ENGLISH ARE COMING!

DIVORCE, DISSOLUTION & DESTRUCTION

BLOODY RELIGION

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED…

IRELAND GETS ITS OWN SET OF KEYS

A KIND OF FREEDOM

GROWING PAINS & ROARING TIGERS

IT’S (NOT SO) GRIM UP NORTH

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WHO THE HELL ARE THE IRISH?

Our turbulent tale begins about 10,000 years ago, as the last ice caps melted and the rising sea level cut Ireland off from Britain. Hunters and gatherers may first have traversed the narrowing land bridge, but many more crossed the Irish Sea in small hide-covered boats. Farming did not reach Ireland until around 4000 BC. Bronze Age goldworking was of a very high quality in Ireland and stimulated trade with the rest of Europe.

In the 8th century BC, the island came to the attention of the fearsome Celts, who, having fought their way across Central Europe, began making steady forays onto these shores – the last of these tribes, commonly known as the Gaels (which in the local language came to mean ‘foreigner’), came ashore in the 3rd century BC and proceeded to divide the island into five provinces – Leinster, Meath, Connaught, Ulster and Munster (Meath later merged with Leinster) – that were themselves subdivided into territories controlled by as many as 100 minor kings and chieftains, all of whom nominally paid allegiance to a high king who sat at Tara, in County Meath. But their support was fraught and fluid, given when it suited and withdrawn just as quickly when it didn’t.

Despite the constantly shifting political situation, the Celts set about creating the basics of what we now term ‘Irish’ culture: they devised a sophisticated code of law called the Brehon Law, which remained in use until the early 17th century; and their swirling, mazelike design style, evident on artefacts nearly 2000 years old, is considered the epitome of Irish design. Some excellent ancient Celtic designs survive in the Broighter hoard in the National Museum in Dublin. The Turoe Stone in County Galway is another fine representative of Celtic artwork.

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For a concise, 10-minute read on who the Celts were see www.ibiblio.org/gaelic/celts.html.

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GETTING INTO THE HABIT

Arguably the most significant import into Ireland came between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD, when Christian missionaries first brought the new religion of Rome. Everyone has heard of St Patrick (see the boxed text, Click here), but he was merely the most famous of many, who converted the local pagan tribes, with their strong tradition of druidism, by cleverly fusing traditional pagan rituals with the new Christian teaching, which created