Brief Chronology of Ireland, with emphasis on Ulster Area:

8,000 BC: First people arrive in Ireland, perhaps across the land bridge

from Scotland.

6,500 BC: Evidence of first inhabitants in Ulster.

3,000 BC: Arrival of New Stone Age people who built Newgrange.

c. 220 BC: Arrival of speakers of what develops into Gaelic.

200 BC: Iron Age in Ulster.

100 BC: Black Pig's Dyke built along the southern border of Ulster by the

Uliad and Cruithin.

78-84 AD: Roman Governor of Britain, Agricola, considers the invasion and

conquest of Ireland.

c.130-80: Ptolemy's account of Ireland.

Major offensive on Britain by the Irish, Picts and Saxons.

432: St. Patrick arrives to help convert pagan Gaelic kings to

Christianity (traditional date). Dies in 492.

579: Battle of Coleraine between the Ui Neill Gaels and the Cruithin.

629: Ulster defeated by the Gaels at the Battle of Dun Ceithirnn.

637: The Congal Claen leads an Ulstermen army ith Picts,

Anglo-Saxons (English), and Welsh Britons are defeated at the

Battle of Moira, but retards the Gaelic expansion in Ulster until the

Norman invasions in 500 years.

7th/8th c.: Ireland's "Golden Age."

735: The Gaelic "Ui Neill" defeat the Ulstermen near Dundalk at Fochairt.

750: The Book of Kells.

795: First Viking raid on Iona (Scotland), Rathlin, Inishmurray and Inishbofin.

836: Vikings raid deep inland.

914: Second wave of Viking raids.

1002-14: Brian Boru King of Ireland.

1169: Arrival of British military leaders, FitzStephen, FitzGerald, etc.

1177: Prince John made Lord of Ireland -- first visit 1185. John De Courcey

marches into Ulster to become "Master of Ulster."

1210: King John's 2nd visit. Confiscation of the Earldom of Ulster and

Honor of Limerick -- submission of some Irish kings.

1333: Murder of Earl of Ulster, William de Burgh. Crown loses

control of Anglo-Norman Connacht and the Irish Chiefs in Ulster.

1348-50: Gaelic culture survives war, politics and plague (the "Black Death").

About 1/3 population of Ulster dies.

1494: Lord Deputy, Sir Edward Poynings, establishes "Poynings Law"

making all English Parliamentary legislation applicable to Ireland.

1509: Accession of Henry VIII who in 1542 dissolves the monasteries.

1515: Anarchy sweeps Ireland.

1522: Wolsey sends war ships to patrol between Scotland and Ulster

to stem the tide of Scots settling in Ulster.

1541: A Parliamentary meeting declares Henry VIII King of Ireland.

The establishing of the "Surrender and Re-grant" program.

1550's - the McHENRYs build a small tower house or a strong house to guard the ford near Kilsantel Castle and to safeguard the O'CAHAN salmon fishing interests for which the McHENRYs were responsible.

1558: Accession of Elizabeth I following death of Mary I.

1573: Private Colonization ventures continue in Ulster.

1576: Reappointed Sidney launches conciliatory policy halting

any further private colonization.

1595: Rebellion of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone & fellow northern

clan of O'Donnell.

1598: O'Neill victorious at Yellow Ford, Ulster.

1590 - Daniel of Kenbaan McHENRY born in IRELAND.

1601: O'Donnell, O'Neill and Spaniards defeated by Mountjoy at the

Battle of Kinsale.

1603: The ascension of James I leads to the enforcement of English Law in Ireland,

especially Ulster. Hugh O'Neill and Erl of Tyrone surrender.

1608: Plantation of Derry (City of London). Six other confiscated counties planned.

1610: Ulster plantation begins in Counties Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal,

Fermanagh, and Tyrone.

1636 - Patrick McHENRY born in IRELAND.

1641: Native Irish and Hiberno-English rebel, attacking and killing thousand

of Anglicans and Presbyterians.

1642: Irish suppression hoped for by English Parliament with the "Adventurers Act."

Robert Munro and army land in Ulster in April. Civil War in England. Catholic

Confederation assembles at Kilkenny.

1649: Execution of Charles I. Cromwell's arrival in Ireland leads to capture of

Drogheda, Wexford, New Ross. There follows a Cromwellian conquest

and subsequent implementation of plantations. To avenge tortured and

murdered local protestants, 2600 put to death in Drogheda,

2000 in Wexford.

1658: Death of Cromwell.

1660: Restoration Period -- accession of Charles II. Uphold Cromwellian conquest

but restore property to "innocent papists."

1685: Accession of James II.

1686-87: The newly appointed Earl of Tyrconnell, Richard Talbot, replaces Protestant

officials with Catholics.

1689: William and Mary ascend the throne.

1691: The war in Ireland ends with the surrender of Limerick.

1695: 14 percent of Irish land held by Catholics. Rights of Catholics restricted in

education, arms-bearing, horse owning and the Catholic clergy banished.

1696 - Maurice McHENRY born at Giant's Causeway, County Antrim, IRELAND.

1696: The Hearth Money Rolls of 1696 in County Antrim, IRELAND, contain the

names of many McHENRYs, including Daniel of Kenbaanm, Patrick of

Dumluce, and Maurice of Giant's Causeway.

1699: Acts restricting Irish woollen exports.

1702: William III dies. Anne becomes Queen.

1704: Catholics' presence restricted in landholding and public offices.

1725 - John McHENRY b. Coleraine, County Antrim, IRELAND near Giant's Causeway.

1726 - Susanah McNEAL b. Coleraine, County Antrim, IRELAND.

1717: Beginning of mass migration of Ulster-Scots to American Colonies

(about 250,000 by 1775).

abt. 1719: Harassment of Scotch Irish Presbyterians in the province of Ulster, including County Antrim.

1728: Act removing franchise from Catholics.

1739 - It is said that John McHENRY, son of Maurice, came to America at the age of fourteen on a sailing vessel chartered by James CLINTON, father of DeWitt CLINTON (later the first Governor of New York).

1741: First performance of Handel's Messiah in Fishamble St. Music Hall.

1753 - At about this time, John McHENRY & his family settled down in Walkill, Orange County, New York, a few miles from the Hudson River. This must have been relatively close to Little Brittain where his children were born.

1755 - Daniel McHENRY Sr., first child of John & Susanah (McNEAL) McHENRY, born in Walkill, Orange County, New York.

1760 - Thomas ("The Twin" to John) born to John & Susanah (McNEAL) McHENRY in Walkill, Orange County, New York.

1768 - About January, 1768, in Walkill, Ulster County, New York, John McNEAL Sr. (father of Susanah) dies.

1784 - Thomas "The Twin" McHENRY marries Mary REED.

1801 - John McHENRY dies in Chillisquaque near Pottsgrove, Northumberland County, PA.

1801-1803 - Absalom McHENRY, son of Thomas "The Twin" & Mary (REED) McHENRY, born in Rohrsburg, Northumberland County (now Columbia County), PA.

1812 - Susanah (McNEAL) McHENRY dies in Sugarloaf Twp., Northumberland County (now Columbia County), PA.

1826 - Absalom McHENRY marries Permilia "Mely" Ann KLINE, daughter of George & Catharine (JOHNSON) KLINE in Columbia Co., PA.

1829: Catholic Emancipation passed.

1834 - Silas W. McHENRY, son of Absalom & Permilia Ann (KLINE) McHENRY, born in Sugarloaf Twp., Columbia County, PA.

1835 - Thomas "The Twin" McHENRY dies in Columbia County, PA.

1837: Accession of Queen Victoria.

1845: Blight in potato harvest. Beginning of Great Famine (1845-49).

1846: First deaths from starvation.

1846 - Mary (REED) McHENRY dies in Columbia County, PA. No markers have been found for her burial spot.

1858: James Stephens returns from France. Establishes the Irish Republican

Brotherhood. Fenian Brotherhood founded in USA.

1861: Start of American Civil War.

1873 - Luella "Ella" Margaret McHENRY, daughter of Silas W. & Theodotia (BUTT) McHENRY, born in Columbia County, PA.

1879: Threat of famine in Ireland.

1879 - Absalom McHENRY dies in Benton Twp., Columbia County, PA.

1914: Onset of World War I. Illegal arms importation by Ulster Volunteers

and Irish Volunteers.

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