Around the year 2500BC was when Ireland moved out of the Stone Age and into the Bronze Age. Bronze is an alloy which means it contains more than one element. The two elements it contains are copper and tin. This was a big breakthrough in Irish life because it had a stronger bond so it meant that every day things such as pans and weapons could be made out of bronze such as arrow heads. This meant that it would be more effective at killing animals. The Bronze Age was the start of something better to come.
In around the year 600BC, Ireland moved out of the Bronze Age and into the Iron Age. The Iron Age was when thing were made out of iron. Iron is preferred to bronze because it is stronger than bronze. Iron is better for making weapons and pottery. Throughout prehistoric Ireland, tombs were made to honour the dead, during this period, people tended to move away from building big tombs to honour the dead and instead they built a barrow or a cairn. These traditions carried on also into the next version of Irish history.