What would Ireland be like if she was never taken by England?

an langer

I've often wondered what Ireland would be like if England had never ruled here, if we were left to rule our own country like most other countries.

I reckon we would be like the scandinavian countries, where they speak excellant English but also their own language too.

I would think we would have different architecture, different styles of houses etc.. and presumably a lot wealthier too. We would be more self confident and less hang ups as a nation. I reckon the drinking wouldn't be as bad either.

It's all theory... any suggestions of how Ireland would be? :-)

I'd like to stress this isn't a 'let's blame England for everything thread'. It's more about imagining an Ireland without England in the equation.

Also our population would be huge compared to now I'm sure. If there were 8 million living here during the famine.

Fratton Fred

You don't want to blame England for anything, except the famine.

Ireland would have gone one of two ways, created its own empire, or been colonised.

nuac

Remember the eight million here before the famine were living in unsustainable conditions.

Even if England had not invaded, ther w ould have been substantial contact thru trade etc.

We might have grabbed some colonies. even without those, trade and shipping would have developed with mainland Europe and the Americas.

Our industry would have prospered.

getz

nuac wrote: »

Remember the eight million here before the famine were living in unsustainable conditions.

Even if England had not invaded, ther w ould have been substantial contact thru trade etc.

We might have grabbed some colonies. even without those, trade and shipping would have developed with mainland Europe and the Americas.

Our industry would have prospered.

it would have been part of the vatican empire,

Bassic

getz wrote: »

it would have been part of the vatican empire,

Or maybe Protestantism might have spread organically and we might have more Protestants?

an langer

I reckon we would have been like some smaller countries in Europe (with similar populations), Netherlands, Norway or Denmark. With some small colonies perhaps.
It would be interesting to see what type of society we would have. I assume it would be based on Gaelic ways and governing. I know scholars were well respected (and even had Irish colleges in France and Belgium during the 1600s.) This declined after plantations. I assume we would have some royal family of our own?
I think fishing would be a major industry being an island nation and we would be less dependent on meat.

corktina

I fail to see what this has to do with either history or heritage. Maybe it should be moved to politics...or after hours. Just another "bash the Poms" thread.

an langer

Don't please don't mention things like 'bash the poms' thanks! That is not the purpose of this thread as stated in first post. Thanks :-)

whitelines

It would have been ruled by someone else. Probably France or Spain. Maybe have had a mass conversion to Protestantism then overthrown France/Spain with English/Scottish help, before joining GB to form The UK, which it would still have been a part off (Catholicism having been central to Irish Nationalism).

Still time lads...

sweeney1971

What makes me laugh is that for years Ireland fought for independence from England, once it got it, it gave it away to the EU and look at it now.

jonniebgood1

Sorry this is not history.

Thread closed.