Ireland
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IRELAND
If you’re looking for lush green scenery, Celtic tradition, music, dance and
more, look no further than the beautiful country of Ireland. Steeped in history
and heritage, Ireland has given birth to Irish folk music and dance, as well
as many acclaimed poets and novelists, including Jonathan Swift, George
Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats and James Joyce. From the Cliffs of
Moher to the Waterford Crystal Factory to the Blarney Stone, you will return
from your Emerald Isle journey with many a memory.
history
People have inhabited Ireland since around 6000 B.C., leaving behind gold ornaments
and stone monuments that have captivated the imagination of historians worldwide.
Celtic tribes, from whom most Irish people can trace their roots, arrived on the island
around 600 B.C. Tradition maintains that St. Patrick arrived on the island in 432 A.D.
and, in the years that followed, worked to convert the island to Christianity. In the
years that followed, Irish scholars excelled in the study of Latin, Christian theology
and the arts of manuscript illumination, metalworking and sculpture—evident in the
intricately carved stone crosses that dot the island.
Nordic invasions, which began in the late eighth century, were finally ended when
King Brian Boru defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the twelfth
century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle, marked by fierce
rebellions and harsh repressions. Religious freedom, outlawed in the eighteenth century,
was restored in 1829. But this victory for the Irish Catholic majority was overshadowed
by the Great Potato Famine from 1846 to 1848. Millions died, and millions more
immigrated to the United States.
A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare
that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
counties (Northern Ireland) remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948, Ireland
officially withdrew from the British Commonwealth. In modern times, the Irish
government has sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and has cooperated with
Britain against terrorist groups. Ireland joined the European Community (now the EU)
in 1973 and continues to grow in stature and strength as a young, independent country.
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IRELAND
Continued
IRELAND
fasT Facts
Capital
Population
Language
Currency
Time Zone
Electricity
A
B
Dublin
4 million
English, Gaelic
Euro (EUR)
EST plus 5 hours
230V, 50Hz
C
E
F
I
G
J
K
L
M
D
northern IRELAND
fasT Facts
Capital
Population
Language
Currency
Time Zone
Electricity
A
B
Belfast
1.7 million
English
British Pound (GBP)
EST plus 5 hours
230V, 50Hz
C
E
F
G
I
J
K
L
M
D
holidays &
festivals
February
March
March 17
March
June
June-September
July
July
August
August
August 3-5
August 10-19
August 6
November 1
December 26
Dublin International Film Festival
St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
Bank Holiday
Pan Celtic Festival
Bloomsday in Dublin
Cork Midsummer Festival
Killarney Summerfest
Galway Arts Festival
Dublin Horse Show
Rose of Tralee International Festival
Waterford Spraoi Festival
Kilkenny Arts Festival
Summer Bank Holiday
All Saints’ Day
St. Stephen’s Day
weather
Ireland has warm summers and cooler winters. Spring and fall are mild. Clouds make
an appearance in the Emerald Isle’s skies year-round. Pack lightweight clothing for the
summer and warmer clothing in winter. Rain gear is essential year-round.
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average
temperatures
Belfast
Dublin
Ennis
Killarney
January
39˚
41˚
43˚
45˚
April
46˚
46˚
45˚
50˚
July
59˚
59˚
56˚
62˚
October
49˚
51˚
54˚
50˚
Temperatures are in °F. For specific weather information, visit www.accuweather.com.
BOOKS
-Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt
-Irish Girls About Town: An Anthology of Short Stories,
by Maeve Binchy, Marian Keyes, and Cathy Kelly
-A Long Long Way: A Novel, by Sebastian Barry
-McCarthy’s Bar: A Journey of Discovery In Ireland, by Pete McCarthy
-Round Ireland with a Fridge, by Tony Hawks
-Silver Linings: Travels around Northern Ireland, by Martin Fletcher
VIDEOS
- The Quiet Man (1952)
- Circle of Friends (1995)
- Michael Collins (1996)
- Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)
- Waking Ned Devine (1998)
Local Tourism
web sites
Ireland........................................................................................... www.tourismireland.com
Dublin..................................................................................................www.visitdublin.com
Northern Ireland.............................................................www.discovernorthernireland.com
Southeast Ireland........................................................................ www.southeastireland.com
West Ireland............................................................................................www.irelandwest.ie
TIPS FOR
TIPPING
Some hotels and restaurants add a service charge of about 12 percent to your bill, so tipping
isn’t necessary unless you’ve received particularly good service. But if there is no service
charge, you might want to add a minimum of about 10 percent to the total.
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IRELAND
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Currency
NoTES
The Republic of Ireland uses the euro. See our included sheet for more information.
Northern Ireland still uses the British Pound (GBP). Check current exchange rates at
www.exchangerate.com.
NORTHERN
IRELAND TODAY
After the division of Ireland in 1921, two conflicting groups emerged in Northern Ireland:
Unionists, a Protestant majority who want to remain a part of the United Kingdom,
and Nationalists, the Catholic minority who wish Ireland to be one united nation.
The fighting between the two groups gave birth to the Irish Republican Army, a
violent paramilitary nationalist group, as well as another half-dozen paramilitary
groups on both opposing sides. Since their inception, violence between the two has ensued.
In 1998, the majority of Northern Ireland voted for change, and The Belfast
Agreement— also known as the Good Friday Agreement—put the political future of
Northern Ireland back into its own hands. It has not been an easy transition, but the
peace process continues to move forward. Although these have been turbulent times
for the people of Northern Ireland, they have not affected the visitors to this part of
the country nearly as much. The majority of Northern Irish people don’t belong to
any paramilitary group and are as welcoming and friendly as their neighbors to the
south. In fact, the Ulster province is actually an idyllic, charming and serene place to visit.
DID YOU KNOW?
- According to legend, leprechauns aren’t
the cheery little men we often picture but
are actually aloof and unfriendly recluses.
And if, perchance, you happen upon one
of these wee creatures, you must threaten
them with bodily harm in order for them to take you to their elusive pot o’ gold.
- A full seven percent of the Irish barley crop
goes to the production of Guinness beer.
- Ireland’s smallest church is at Portbradden
in Northern Ireland. Only ten feet long
by six feet wide, the structure is dedicated
to St. Gobhnan—the patron saint of builders.
- The correct response to the Irish greeting,
“Top o’ the morning to you,” is “and the
rest of the day to yourself.”
- The world-famous Blarney Stone is said
to give the gift of eloquence to all who
kiss it. One local legend claims that an old
woman, saved from drowning by a king
of Munster, rewarded him with a spell,
that if he would kiss a stone on the
castle’s top, he would gain a speech that
would win all to him.
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