Why was England so interested in conquering Ireland?

[Bonifacius]

You misunderstood the point of my post, which was really about German identity in the Third Reich as a primarily Roman construct. I was talking about Britons, and their tribes. The dates I had in mind: c.43-410 AD. And the Romans never did succeed in subduing all of Britain.

Hmm.  No, I did not misunderstand your post.  I understood it.  I just wanted to correct the anachronism of calling the Britons "English."  And, yes, I know that the Romans never succeeded in subduing all of Britain -- I never disputed that, in case you thought I did (?).  

Ok. I corrected myself in my first response to you btw (re. "Britons").

Yes, I saw that and I acknowledge it.  I just got the impression that you thought I was objecting to your characterization of the extent of the Romans' conquests in Britain.  You're right -- they conquered all of what is now England but not all of what is now Scotland.  We should be on the same page now.