The History of Settlement in Ireland
The Celts
The Celts arrived about 600BC They brought the Iron Age with them The age of weapons and tools had arrived in Ireland. They lived in scattered settlements beside water and close to land suitable for animals to graze on They were at war with the earlier settlers in Ireland The Bronze Age people and so had to build defensive settlements for themselves
Their defensive settlements were RINGFORTS and there were many different types. A PROMONTORY fort was built on a headland overlooking the sea Rath/Lios a ringfort with an outer earthen defense bank A ringfort with a stone wall was called a Caiseal, Dún or Caher. Examples of past ringforts can be seen in placenames like Rath (Rathmines): Lios (Lismore), Dún (Dún Laoghaire): Caher (Cahir), Caiseal (Cashel) CRANNÓG a ring fort built on a small natural or man made lake the surrounding water acted as an extra defensive mechanism
The Christians from the 5th century onwards, Christianity began to spread throughout Ireland They were often located near rivers that provided fresh water and fish Some located in isolated, lonely places as nuns or monks wanted to escape from worldly distractions. Others grew into large centre of learning and spirituality. Due to the fear of attack they had defensive walls Many had round towers, oratories (churches) and high crosses Some were very small and only contained a stone church (cillín) and some mud and timber dwellings. (now gone)
EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIAN SETTLEMENT FROM PLACENAMES Cill is the Irish name for a church or an oratory. Place names that contain the word cill may indicate a Christian origin Eg Cill Dara (Kildare) Cill Airne (Killarney) Town names that contain the word mainister or monaster could also have Christian origins as it means a monastery. Eg Mainistir Eimhin (Monasterevin): Mainistir na Corann (Middleton)
The Normans brought Castles, Mottes and Baileys and Abbeys
The Normans arrived in 1169 and gradually settled throughout the country They were concerned with defending the lands that they had captured from the earlier Irish settlers. Their earliest defence structure was a Mottebailey fortification. This consisted of a high mound of earth(motte) on top of which was constructed a timber fortification The motte was surrounded by a courtyard (bailey) which was protected by a high, circular timber wall.
The mottes and baileys were gradually replaced by stronger stone castles. They existed on elevated mounds, on river crossings and were easy to defend. Many Norman towns were protected from attack by a town wall which had entrances called KEEPS Smaller tower houses also existed but these usually did not have outer protective walls. Many of these towns became centres of trade and commerce and maintained Norman control in Ireland.
The Normans also brought abbeys and priories with them. Over time, the existence of such centres encouraged the development of towns nearby Once Norman rule was established in Ireland, they encourages the Cistercians and the Augustinians (religious orders) to settle in Ireland. The monasteries they founded became centres to provide education for the young, medical care for the sick, food and shelter locations for the poor and shelter for homeless. Placenames that have the word ABBEY might provide evidence of Norman settlement. Also the word GRANGE was used to describe the lands close to a monastery
Plantation Towns