What is the latest possible POD for a powerful Ireland?

It depends what you call a powerful Ireland. If you mean an Irish republic that in the 20th century doesn't develop into a basket case then easily, if they had never flirted with high taxes or proctectionism. I easily see the republic's population doubling under this scenario to reach 8 million by 2015 with much less immigration and more industrialisation. Ireland would therefore have more economic power but would still be a post colonial small nation.

However to have Ireland be a unified kingdom that becomes a colonial power in the discovery age I'd say if King Stephen and not King Henry had lost the English civil war known as the anarchy, Richard de Clare could have created an independent norman and fuedal kingdom of Ireland with a nobility made up of both Normans and Gaels. Fast forward to the Discovery Age and it could create some colonies in the Americas or elsewhere. Or else, Edward Bruce.
 
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