Starting Population     675                     % of Worldwide          2.2%                    

                                                Population                                      

Starting Income         8,316                   % of Worldwide          1.3%                    

                                                Income                                          

Starting GDP            22,265                  % of Worldwide GDP      0.4%                    

Starting Surplus        756                     % of Worldwide          2.3%
                    

                                                Surplus                                         

Comments: Ireland is a large island to the west of Britain. Known as Hibernia in Roman times, and quite barbarous, it was converted to Christianity in the 5th century, and experienced a great flowering in the 6th and 7th centuries.

The onset of the Northmen in the 8th century came near to exterminating civilization on the island, which was unable to resist their onslaught due to the numerous petty kingdoms the land was divided into. There were better than 150 small kingdoms at one time, not to mention the four or five larger kingdoms which sometimes imposed a more than theoretical authority. Occasionally a "High King" who would emerge from that chaos and unite the country for a time. The Norsemen eventually caused the Irish to become better organized, and a real king was found, Brian Boru (1102-1114), who united the Irish sufficiently for them to break the power of the invaders at Clontarf. Unfortunately, King Brian died in the battle and the Irish went back to their petty feuding.

As a result, later in that century, the Kings of England began intervening in Irish affairs. During his brief tenure on the Throne of St. Peter, the only English-born Pope, Adrian IV (1154-1159), granted Ireland to Henry II of England, who began the systematic subjugation of the island in 1171. Although English authority has several times been challenged, it has ever since remained firm.

There are four Archbishops in Ireland, but only three real towns, most other places being at best large villages. The people are poor, barely civilized, and prone to rebelling against authority.