Who Is The Most Persecuted Society?

Over the centuries the Irish people suffered from war, hunger, abuse, occupation, and religious persecution but through it all remained the people they knew who they truly were. The Irish people are arguably the most persecuted society in the western world but through all the suffering the Irish people held true to their culture and fought for what was theirs. The British Empire may have released their control over many countries with a struggle but none like the battle for the Emerald Isle. The Irish fought tooth and nail and emerge as an independent nation. There are 10 events that I believe contributed to the creation of the Eire over the centuries.
1. The Celts arriving in Ireland
2. Emperor Constantine converts to Christianity and eventually St. Patrick arrives on Irish shores
3. The Vikings settle down in Dublin
4. King Henry VIII introduces the Protestant Reformation
5. Cromwell’s vicious Irish Campaign
6. Wolf Tone’s United Irishmen rebellion
7. The Great Potato Famine, leading to the migration of 700,000 Irishmen
8. The Emergence of Charles Stewart Parnell/ Celtic Revival
9. The Easter Rising is staged and all the leaders are
The answer lies in their teaching. Christ suffered at the hands of persecution and abuse but never relinquished his faith. The Irish Catholic majority never relinquished their faith. Land was stolen, faith remained. Hundreds were killed, faith remained. Starvation reigned, faith remained. Had Henry never forced Protestant rule on the Irish people would present day Ireland exist? Would there be a wedge between mainland and Northern Ireland? O’ Neill’s rebellion would not have been necessary. Wolfe Tone’s rebellion may not have been necessary. The Great Potato Famine may have been stopped had the British been more eager to help. Without the destructive effects of the Great Hunger would Irish culture be spread throughout the U.S and the world as it is