Ireland
is an island in the extreme north-west of Europe. Its nearest neighbor
is the island of Britain to the east, separated from it by the Irish
Sea. At their closest, the two islands are 18 kilometers apart. To the
north, west and south a shallow continental shelf falls away rapidly to
the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of Ireland is Dublin.
The name
Ireland derives from the name of the Celtic goddess Eriu or
Eire and it is considered one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Think green--all shades of green--with its rolling hills, valleys, and
cliffs. One can hardly go more than 10 miles without seeing the
ruins of a stone castle, fortress, church or monastery/abbey draped in
ivy and other climbers. The land is magical in its lush green
beauty and flora that grows wild along the sides of the road.
HISTORY -
Relics from the Stone Age lead to the conclusion that Ireland is 8,000
years old, the first settlers probably traveling from Scandinavia to
Scotland (at that time England was still linked by land to northern
Europe) then across what was a narrow sea gap to Ireland. Today's Irish
Race is a combination of the three tribes known as the one Celtic Race.
The Vikings
began invasions of Ireland in the 9th Century. In 1171 King Henry of
England asserted sovereignty with the building of abbey-churches and
castles. Later, Henry VIII added the title of "King Of Ireland." By the
mid-16 century, the first plantation policy took effect which led to
redistribution of wealth and suppression of Catholicism. Farms lands
were confiscated from Catholics and given to Protestant settlers. By the
mid-17th century Charles Cromwell and his puritan forces supervised
revengeful destruction of key parts of Ireland, leaving the Irish
resistance in shambles. In 1690 Protestant William beat his
father-in-law, James II, over succession of the British throne. In 1800
the Irish parliament was abolished forming the Act of Union which was
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Potato Famine(1847). A famine in the mid-1800s
caused large-scale death and emigration. The famine was caused by a lack
of foresight of a world revolving into an industrial society where
agricultural remained the main source of the Irish economy. A
combination of greedy landlords and the controlling English Government's
dramatic reduction in Irish agricultural investments, primarily
potatoes, led to increased unemployment and poverty resulting in to
tens-of-thousands of victims developing typhus diseases and many of
these dying, forcing many others to migrate, primarily to America,
reducing the Irish population to 6.5 million by 1951 down from 8 million
in 1841.
Conflict in
Northern Ireland led to much unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s,
which subsided following a peace deal in 1998.
GOVERNMENT
- Republic. For administrative purposes, Ireland is divided into
27 counties, most of which are described in separate articles, and 5
county boroughs, which are coextensive with the cities of Dublin, Cork,
Galway, Limerick, and Waterford.
PEOPLE - The
population of the island is slightly under 6 million
(2006). About 94% of the people of Ireland are Roman
Catholics, and less than 4% are Protestants. Protestant
groups include the Church of Ireland (Anglican) and the
Presbyterian and Methodist denominations. Freedom of
worship is guaranteed by the constitution.
English (official) is the language generally used, Irish
(official) (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas
located along the western seaboard
CURRENCY
- Euro (EUR)
Note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union
introduced the Euro as a common currency to be used by
financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January
2002, the Euro became the sole currency for everyday
transactions within the member countries.
ECONOMY -
The economy of Ireland has been traditionally
agricultural. Since the mid-1950s, however, the
country's industrial base has expanded, and now mining,
manufacturing, construction, and public utilities
account for approximately 37% of the gross domestic
product and agriculture for only about 12%.
GETTING AROUND
Trains
- Like most every country in Europe,
transportation in Ireland revolves around the
rustle and clank of train stations. Though bus
travel and car rental in Ireland are
increasingly popular ways to traverse the
country - from Dublin to Galway to Cork, every
major city in the country (not to mention those
in Northern Ireland) is easily accessible by the
extensive Ireland rail system. Fairly
inexpensive and consistently reliable, Irish
trains will allow you to get across the
countryside and along the aristocratic
coastlines with a minimum of hassle.
Website:
Irish Rail
Most of the train transportation in Ireland runs
through the capital of Dublin, so it has a vast
network of stations that run on the DART system
(Dublin’s subway system), making it one easiest
cities in all of Europe to navigate.
Buses -
Ireland transportation is not exclusive to
merely subways and trains, however. A number of
travelers, find that bus travel – while not as
comfortable as the Ireland railway system – can
be a cheap and easy alternative.
Bus Éireann
operates 18 different bus routes in Cork city,
most of which run from early in the morning
until around midnight. A similar number of bus
routes connect the city with its environs and
the wider southwest region. The company offers a
number of travel pass options to tourists.
Website: Bus
Eireann
Automobile Rentals -Many of the larger
cities in Ireland also offer automobile rentals.
All the major rental companies - like Avis,
Thrifty, etc. - are available, so car rental in
Ireland is just as simple as any other country
in Europe. You only need a valid driver’s
license from your country of origin and the
courage to brave some of Ireland’s occasionally
under paved roads to obtain a car rental in
Ireland. And it goes without saying that you
should remember to always drive on the left
while in Ireland. You don’t want to look like a
tourist. Car rental
is also costly in Ireland. Be sure to check your
car-insurance policy back home before accepting
the exorbitant insurance policies offered at
car-rental agencies. If your credit card usually
covers car-rental insurance, confirm that the
policy applies in Ireland.
Avis Website:
HERE
Budget Website:
HERE
Europcar Website:
HERE
Thrifty
Website:
HERE
