As time consuming as it may sound, learning about thousands of years worth of Irish history is actually quite quick and simple, thanks to artist and actor John D. Ruddy. He is the same guy who taught us all about the Easter Rising in 8 Minutes and in the video below he swiftly covers the unique Irish history in 6 minutes.
Starting at 7000 BC, he moves within seconds to discuss the Ancient Celts and their festivals, including what is now Halloween. He jumps ahead to St. Patrick’s efforts to spread Christianity throughout Ireland, and the subsequent impact it had on the culture of the Emerald Isle.
Within the first 3 minutes Ruddy has taken the viewer through the 1600s, touching on the various kings, battles over land, and politics of the time, before jumping into more modern history.
The Great Famine, Gaelic Revival, and quest for home rule all are given their rightful air time, as does the Easter Rising and civil rights of the 20th Century.
It is easy to get caught up in Ruddy’s passion for his homeland, and it is hard to pull away from his entertaining drawings that make light of some very serious points in Irish history. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with for future videos.