What would have happened if Brian Boru and his sons had survived the Battle of Clontarf? I understand (correct me if I'm wrong) that after Clontarf Boru would have been essentially been ruling over all of Ireland. I know he was an old man, but it doesn't seem all that implausible to me that he could have lived on for five more years or so and consolidated it, and then passed his kingdom on to an able son who does some more consolidating, turning Ireland into a proper feudal kingdom.
Now, I understand a united Ireland would never become a world power, but I do think this would have butterflied William Strongbow's invasion (which established the first English prescence in Ireland), or at least made it much mroe likely that his initial invasion would be repelled. I also think its likely that Ireland could have kept its independence-Portugal, after all, successfully remained seperate from Spain, and it seems to me that the two situations would have been somewhat similar. Furthermore, I understand that early medieval Ireland had a seafaring culture, and while I don't really see them becoming a naval power, I can see an Irish sugar island or two in the Caribbean, and perhaps an outpost somewhere in North or South America. Assuming no butterflies, they might grab a small chunk of Africa for themselves in the 1880's
In the 19th century, Ireland wouldn't have suffered from a class of foreign, largely absantee landlords of a different denomination from the populace, so it might have had greater economic development and a somewhat higher population (maybe 8 million or so for the whole island). Best case scenario-Ireland develops, economically, like Britain and the other areas of Northern Europe, and in 2011 is a rather small but well-off independent, Gaelic-speaking country.
Thoughts?
Now, I understand a united Ireland would never become a world power, but I do think this would have butterflied William Strongbow's invasion (which established the first English prescence in Ireland), or at least made it much mroe likely that his initial invasion would be repelled. I also think its likely that Ireland could have kept its independence-Portugal, after all, successfully remained seperate from Spain, and it seems to me that the two situations would have been somewhat similar. Furthermore, I understand that early medieval Ireland had a seafaring culture, and while I don't really see them becoming a naval power, I can see an Irish sugar island or two in the Caribbean, and perhaps an outpost somewhere in North or South America. Assuming no butterflies, they might grab a small chunk of Africa for themselves in the 1880's
In the 19th century, Ireland wouldn't have suffered from a class of foreign, largely absantee landlords of a different denomination from the populace, so it might have had greater economic development and a somewhat higher population (maybe 8 million or so for the whole island). Best case scenario-Ireland develops, economically, like Britain and the other areas of Northern Europe, and in 2011 is a rather small but well-off independent, Gaelic-speaking country.
Thoughts?