Editing County Limerick (section)

== History ==
{{main|History of Limerick}}It is thought that humans had established themselves in the [[Lough Gur]] area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while [[megalith]]ic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC. The arrival of the [[Celts]] around 400 BC brought about the division of the county into petty kingdoms or ''[[túath]]a''.

From the 4th to the 11th century, the ancient kingdom of the [[Uí Fidgenti]] was approximately co-extensive with what is now County Limerick, with some of the easternmost part the domain of the [[Eóganacht Áine]].  The establishment of Limerick as a town and base by the Danes in the mid 900's, and their alliance with Irish families, including their alliance with [[Donnubán mac Cathail]] of the [[O'Donovan]]s, resulted in significant conflicts with neighbouring clans, principally the [[O'Brien dynasty|O'Brien]]s of [[Dál gCais]], who raided into the Limerick area on a regular basis.  The O'Briens retained their political power until late in the 1100s. The establishment of King John's Castle in Limerick, and the granting of formerly Ui Fidgenti lands to the [[FitzGerald dynasty|FitzGerald]]s, both circa 1200, and the resultant competition for Ui Fidgenti lands by other Anglo-Norman families resulted in a transfer of power from the Ui Fidgenti's leading families (O'Donovan and Collins) to the new landholders. The ancestors of both [[Michael Collins (Irish leader)|Michael Collins]] and the famous [[O'Connell family|O'Connells of Derrynane]] were also among the septs of the Uí Fidgenti.

As the Ui Fidgenti were the ruling clan in Limerick after 400 a.d., the Uí Fidgenti still made a substantial contribution to the population of the central and western regions of County Limerick. Their capital was [[Dún Eochair]], the great earthworks of which still remain and can be found close to the modern town of [[Bruree]], on the [[River Maigue]]. Bruree is a derivation of Brugh Righ, or Fort of the King. [[Catherine Coll]], the mother of [[Éamon de Valera]], was a native of Bruree and this is where he was taken by her brother to be raised.

St. Patrick brought Christianity to Limerick area in the 5th century. Various annals record that St. Patrick quarrelled with the chief of the Ui Fidgenti (who, though hosting St. Patrick, had his horses stolen as he journeyed into their territory) but was embraced by the brother of the chief.  The adoption of Christianity resulted in the establishment of important monasteries in Limerick, at [[Ardpatrick, County Limerick|Ardpatrick]], [[Mungret Abbey|Mungret]] and Kileedy. From this golden age in Ireland of learning and art (5th – 9th Centuries) comes one of Ireland's greatest artefacts, The [[Ardagh Chalice]], a masterpiece of metalwork, which was found in [[Ardagh Fort|a west Limerick fort]] in 1868. It is believed that the chalice had been taken by raiding Danes during the 9th century, ending up in the territory of their Irish allies, the O'Donovans of the Ui Fidgenti.

Following the establishment of the Ui Fidgenti circa 377 a.d., there were few significant changes in political control until the arrival of the [[Viking]]s in the 9th century, which ultimately brought about the establishment of the city on an island on the [[River Shannon]] in 922. The death of [[Domnall Mór Ua Briain]], King of Munster in 1194 resulted in the invading [[Normans]] taking control of Limerick. In 1210, the County of Limerick was formally established as Ui Fidgenti lands were granted to what would become the Fitzgerald dynasty.  Over time, the Normans became "[[more Irish than the Irish themselves]]" as the saying goes. The [[Tudor dynasty|Tudors]] in England wanted to curb the power of these [[Gaelicisation|Gaelicised]] Norman Rulers and centralise all power in their hands, so they established colonies of English in the county. Distrust by England of the leading Fitzgerald families, and the execution of several of the Fitzgeralds of Kildare, precipitated a revolt against English Rule in 1569. Th resultant savage war in Munster, known as the [[Desmond Rebellions]], laid waste to the province and ended with confiscation of the vast estates of the Geraldines and other Irish families that had participated in the ten years of war. 
[[File:Patrick Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan.jpg|thumb|170px|right|[[Patrick Sarsfield]] the prominent Jacobite general, features on the Limerick coat of arms.]]
The county was to be further ravaged by war over the next century. After the [[Irish Rebellion of 1641]], Limerick city was [[Siege of Limerick (1642)|taken in a siege]] by Catholic general [[Garret Barry (soldier)|Garret Barry]] in 1642. The county was not fought over for most of the [[Irish Confederate Wars]], of 1641–53, being safely behind the front lines of the Catholic [[Confederate Ireland]]. However, it became a battleground during the [[Cromwellian conquest of Ireland]] in 1649–53. The invasion of the forces of [[Oliver Cromwell]] in the 1650s included a [[Siege of Limerick (1650–1651)|twelve-month siege]] of the city by Cromwell's New Model Army led by [[Henry Ireton]]. The city finally surrendered in October 1651. One of Cromwell's generals, [[Hardress Waller]] was granted lands at Castletown near [[Kilcornan]] in County Limerick. During the [[Williamite War in Ireland]] (1689–1691) the city was to endure two further sieges, [[Siege of Limerick (1690)|one in 1690]] and [[Siege of Limerick (1691)|another in 1691]]. It was during the 1690 siege that the infamous destruction of the Williamite guns at Ballyneety, near [[Pallasgreen]] was carried out by General [[Patrick Sarsfield]]. The Catholic Irish, comprising the vast majority of the population, had eagerly supported the [[Jacobitism|Jacobite]] cause, however, the second siege of Limerick resulted in a defeat to the Williamites. Sarsfield managed to force the Williamites to sign the [[Treaty of Limerick]], the terms of which were satisfactory to the Irish. However, the Treaty was subsequently dishonoured by the English and the city became known as the City of the Broken Treaty.

The 18th and 19th centuries saw a long period of persecution against the Catholic majority, many of whom lived in poverty. In spite of this oppression, however, the famous [[Maigue Poets]] strove to keep alive their ancient [[Gaelic Poetry]] in towns like [[Croom, County Limerick|Croom]] and [[Bruree]]. The Great Famine of the 1840s set in motion mass emigration and a huge decline in Irish as a spoken language in the county. This began to change around the beginning of the 20th century, as changes in law from the British Government enabled the farmers of the county to purchase lands they had previously only held as tenants, paying high rent to absentee landlords.

Limerick saw much fighting during the [[Irish War of Independence|War of Independence]] of 1919 to 1921 particularly in the east of the county. The subsequent [[Irish Civil War]] saw bitter fighting between the newly established [[Irish Free State]] soldiers and IRA "Irregulars", especially in the city (See [[Irish Free State offensive]]).