On May 1, 1169, an expedition of knights landed on Bannow Strand, now, County Wexford. This was led by Richard de Clare, called Strongbow because of his archer's skill. In 1166, Mac Morrough fled France after a war in which Tiernan O'Rourke, king of the kingdom Breifne was involved to recover his kingdom. In 1171, Henry arrived in Ireland in order to review the overall progress of the expedition and to exercise royal authority on the re-invasion. He also wanted to promote financial and administrative reorganization of the Irish Church.
Henry has reimposed his authority over Strongbow and Cambro Norman Warlords and persuaded many Irish kings to accept him as their Lord. He was authorized to impose a fee as a contribution. This tax was called the church `s Peter Pence and continues to exist in Ireland as a voluntary donation. Henry became the prince of Ireland, but in 1185 he gave the title to his younger son John Lackland.
In the eighteenth century Ireland has known the English and Scottish colonization of the Williamite war and in the war of the three kingdoms. Irish losses during the wars of the three kingdoms is estimated at more than 20,000 people lost on the battlefield. More than 200,000 civilians have died during these wars, famine and plague errupted during the wars. In accordance with criminal laws being developed, the nonconformist Irish Catholics were deprived of various civil rights and even some hereditary property.
In 1949 Ireland was declared a republic state. It was a neutral country during the Second World War, but has provided clandestine assistance to allies, especially in defense of Northern Ireland. Approximately 50,000 volunteers from Ireland joined the British forces during the war. By 2007, Ireland became the fifth richest country in the world. One of the first policy decisions during the Celtic Tiger period was the "St. Patrick's Parade Day "in 1995 in Dublin.
Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom, wasn't neutral during the War, but without conscription and Belfast, it suffered a bombing in 1941. Due to civil unrest, the British government imposed the "direct rule" from the UK Parliament.
There were several unsuccessful attempts to stop the political troubles, such as the Sunningdale Agreement of 1973.
The power-sharing assembly was suspended several times but was restored again in 2007. In that year, the British government officially ended the military support of the police in Northern Ireland and began withdrawing troops.