Irish people are an ethnic group and nation native to the island of Irel who share a common history and culture. There have been humans in Ireland for about 33,000 years, and it has been continually inhabited for more than 10,000 years . For most of Ireland's recorded history, the Irish have been primarily a Gaelic people . From the 9th century, small numbers of Vikings settled in Irel becoming the Norse-Gaels. Anglo-Normans also conquered parts of Ireland in the 12th century, while England's 16th/17th century conquest and colonisation of Ireland brought many English and Lowland Scots to parts of the isl especially the north. Today, Ireland is made up of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland . The people of Northern Ireland hold various national identities including British, Irish, Northern Irish or some combination thereof.