Ireland Introduction

It may sound like Blarney, but Ireland really is a place that once visited, is never forgotten.

Visitors come away from Ireland with stories of how they would wave back to strangers as they passed by, how they were stopped in the road in West Cork by a stray cow, the time they climbed Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s Holy Mountain, in thick fog, and the time they spent holed up in a pub in Doolin mesmerised by the music of the fiddler. What makes Ireland so special is its evocative scenery; the landscapes that have spawned the legends of Fionn Mac Cumhail, Cu Chulainn, Diarmuid & Grainne and the legendary warmth and friendliness of the Irish people.

Ireland (Éireann in Irish) is a place that both absorbs and permeates visitors leaving them with cherished memories.

People sure don’t come for the weather, though even when the rain is beating down its easy to find solace in a quiet corner beside a roaring fire or a riotous afternoon enjoying the craic in a local pub. Besides on the Emerald Isle, it’s the rain that makes the grass so green.

Over the last few decades Ireland has changed dramatically. An overdue process of rejuvenation and a new found prosperity has followed long decades when Ireland was regarded as the poor farmer of Europe. Ireland is reversing an age old trend of immigration as an influx of migrant workers take up surplus jobs in the service industries. If anything it’s a sign of how far the Irish economy has progressed following the boom of the Celtic Tiger during the 1990s. Irish society has also witnessed a huge shift, as the influence of the Catholic Church in Irish life and politics has waned and Irish society has become more liberal.

But the biggest change has been in Northern Ireland where a lasting peace is steadily being built following the Good Friday Agreement. The peace process has brought, jobs, prosperity and normality to the lives of both Protestants and Catholics in the province and the region is fast exploiting its massive tourism potential.

Ireland always had more going for it than the old clichés of shamrocks and leprechauns and along with descriptions like, rustic, rural, poetic, idyllic, lush and friendly you can now add vibrant, inventive, multi-cultured, raucous, energetic and cosmopolitan. Whilst Ireland has modernized there are some things that have remained unchanged. The country still retains its timeless charm and proud traditions. Its scenery of dramatic coasts, majestic mountains and picturesque villages still manage to captivate those who visit, while the warmth and hospitality of the Irish people is undiminished. And for these reasons Ireland is one of the best loved countries in the world. As a destination for travel, Ireland always delights.

Geography of Ireland

Situated in North Western Europe, Ireland is an island of approximately 85,000 square kilometres (32,000 sq miles) and has a coastline that stretches over 4800km (3,000 miles) with several indentations and magnificent peninsulas.
The island of Ireland consists of 32 counties, of which six are part of the United Kingdom. These 6 counties form Northern Ireland an entity created within the United Kingdom when the remaining 26 counties gained independence in 1922 to form what is today called the Republic of Ireland.. The 32 counties are grouped into 4 provinces, Munster, Connaught, Ulster and Leinster. Ulster, which consists of 9 counties, includes the six counties of Northern ireland.
The Capital City of the Republic of Ireland is Dublin while Belfast is the seat of power in Northern Ireland.
The largest county on the island of Ireland is Cork, situated on the South Western coast.

People of Ireland  

The "Irish people" is a term used loosely to describe the broad population of Ireland. The whole island of Ireland consists of just over 6 million people according to the most recent census with approximately 4.3 million living in the Republic of Ireland and 1.7 in Northern Ireland and to group all 6 million under one label is misleading. When one travels to different parts of Ireland, one witnesses very different characteristics. While some characteristics may be common throughout the island, the differences are intriguing.

Geology of Ireland

Ireland's lanscape consists of a ring of coastal mountain ranges encircling a mostly flat low-lying area in the midlands. The types of rocks found in these various ranges differs greatly and Ireland can be divided from a geological point of view into a series of physical regions. These regions were largely formed by the effects of glaciation:

In geology, these regions are known as provinces and there are 9 commonly referred to;
- the Mourne uplands
- the central plain
- the southern hill and vale province
- the south-eastern Caledonian province
- the Munster ridge and valley province
- the north-west Caledonian province
- the Antrim plateau
- the Drumlin belt
- the western Caledonian province

These are observed in the drowned drumlins of Clew bay, the hard quartzitic peaks of the Sperrin mountains, the Antrim Plateau and the parallel ridges of sandstone mountains with fertile limestone floors between them of Cork and Kerry among others. Glaciation was one of the major influences on the geology of Ireland.