Discovery of America by the Irish

Previous to the Ninth Century

Although the title of this work indicates that Irish people discovered America previous to the ninth century, I will not attempt to show at what particular time that event took place. In such works as have come under my notice, relating to the early discoveries of America, I find no positive evidence that the Irish people ever discovered America in the sense in which the term is used, as applied to newly found lands.
I believe, however, that a perusal of the following pages will leave little doubt in peoples’ minds that a Celtic race once inhabited almost the entire Western Hemisphere, and that a large part of the North American Continent was known to the Northmen by the name of Great Ireland. Whether these Celts originally came from Ireland, or the people of Ireland from America, no one can say with absolute certainty.