Ireland - a Divided Island Part One

born under the sea, an irresistible force two bodies reluctantly embrace, shunting, shifting, tectonic drifting alongside the southern Iapetus Ocean equatorial deep-time child of Laurentia and Avalonia journey northward, surfacing, submerging surfing the waves again, a colder Hibernian dalliance precariously perched on Eurasian plate old bedrock confused, youthful erosion above the ancient order darkness entombed around channelled winter light early New Grange civilisation, the Boyne valley before the blood river mouth vikings, raiding, assimilating birth of the coming capital, eastern stronghold, Baile Atha Cliath chain-mail Norman conquerors castle-building appointing pious supplicants with sword, cloth, crook and cross wholly unholy alliances unravel rival hierarchies sharing ill-gotten earthly reward from overseas saintliness, brutality, men and women expanding Christendom, pagan kingdoms adjusting to defeat Patrick, Brigid, Columba, Columbanus Irish civilising roman catholic conduits, Dalriata to Lindisfarne outreaching, a strand of Irish character yet to encounter future revisionary metaphysical thought protestant rebellion, mainland overspill praying elites competing, preying on the island's god-fearing people avian watchers on Skellig pinnacles warm ocean currents well-up, catching the southwestern gale enduring the ill-will of nature and man supplanting, subjugating, saving souls, the power of might and fear treachery within or well beyond the pale fair and dark hair, ginger genetics existing on the edge of life tossed thin people hanging on, many leaving scraping blighted ground, returning to the sea, promise of the unknown