Since you will probably be backpacking across most of Ireland, you will not be staying in a single hostel for long. It is advisable to use the Internet to get the best hostels in whichever city you visit. There are numerous sites that allow you to filter all the hostels in Ireland and arrange them according to price, services offered, proximity to roads etc.
In a nutshell, backpacking across Ireland and meeting Irish people will be an unforgettable experience. You will also not face any accommodation problems because of the many options available in all cities.
Ireland history
The history of Ireland dates back to 6000BC.
The first Ireland settlement by fishers and hunters took place in 6000BC along the eastern coast of the Ireland.
Then a Celtic-speaking people called Gaels form Western Europe started settling in the island between 150 and 600BC after subduing the previous inhabitants.
During the time of Christ, Ireland was divided into five kingdoms and was referred to as the five fifths of Ireland. By around 400AD, seven more kingdoms had risen. The kings who led these kingdoms always ordered their armies to raid roman Britain.
During one of these raids, a young man aged 16 was captured, but was later returned to Ireland where he was sold as a slave. As he served as a slave, he became religious and at the age of 22 he escaped and studied theology in Romania. He returned back to Ireland in 432 where he began converting the inhabitants of Ireland into Christians. This was Saint Patrick.
The Vikings fiercely attacked Ireland between the 9th and the 10th century. Monasteries suffered greatly under the hands of the aggressors. The Danes invaded in 853 and were soon followed by settlers who assimilated with the locals and converted to Christianity. In 1155 lord Darius anointed Henry II as the lord of Ireland hoping that Henry could help cure the ills that the Irish people had. The English invaded Ireland in 1168 and afterwards began implementing reforms. These reforms included granting of land and other issues that violated the traditional social and political structure.
Between 1200 and 1400 there was a mass migration of Normans from England to Ireland. They majorly settled on the eastern parts like Dublin. Some got assimilated into the Irish culture but some experienced resistance from the locals.
A law was enacted in 1367 to separate the two populations. Henry VII extended the rule of England to most parts of Ireland in 1495; he also assumed supremacy over the affairs of the Irish parliament. When he became king, he tried separating papacy from the Irish church just like he had done in England. By the time Queen Elizabeth became the queen of England, Roman Catholicism had become linked with sentiments of the Irish, which made the Irish reject the ecclesiastical change imposed by the English. English domination was facing tough resistance from the Irish. By 1660, the Queen had ensured that English law was applicable in Ireland.
Between 1603-1625, James I ruled Ireland. During this period, all catholic schools were closed. Children could only learn in protestant institutions. However, the catholic faith continued to grow. Emigration trend began during this period. When Cromwell became the English ruler he extended his rule over Ireland by claiming all holdings that belonged to the Catholics.
In 1690, the Irish defeated England at Londonderry, which resulted in the signing of a treaty that gave them some rights. The competition between Protestants and Catholics continued and in 1727, all Catholics were denied the right to hold public offices or vote. In 1798, the Irish revolted against the English resulting in relinquishing of their parliament. On January the 1st 1801, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain came into existence.
Southern Ireland adopted a new constitution in 1937. A new state of Eire was born. This state lasted eleven years until 1948 when modern Ireland was born. Ireland joined European economic development in 1972.
The history of Ireland is long and complex and this is why it is so interesting to visite the country to discover it with your own eyes.