Where is IRELAND located on the map?
Ireland is a northern European country and a member of the European Union occupying the northwest and south of the island of Ireland in the Atlantic Ocean. In Gaelic, the country is called Éire or English Ireland.
The Republic of Ireland covers roughly five-sixths of the island and lies to the west of Great Britain, from which it’s separated by the Irish Sea and the Saint George Canal. Independent since 1921, the people of Ireland forged their national identity against seven centuries of British rule. The country includes the historic provinces of Leinster, Munster, and Connacht as well as three of the nine counties of Ulster. The other six counties in this province are in the last sixth of the island occupied by Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
What’s IRELAND known for?
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Ireland is known as the “Emerald Isle”. It seems like it’s raining just about every day which must be why it has such green rolling hills. In fact, 150 days of rain on the East coast with 225 days a year on the West.
Éire has delicious food. You might be thinking beef or mutton with potatoes, fresh veggies, and herbs all slowly cooked and stewed in one pot until the meat is fork-tender and everything is bursting with flavor! Mmmm, yum.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention St. Patrick. People all over the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and observe it as both a religious and cultural event. In the United States, St. Patrick’s festivities are strong in Chicago, New York, Savannah, and other cities with parades, floats, and marching bands. In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin includes a parade and runs for several days.
Ireland is well known for its dancing such as the Riverdance style and Celtic musical culture. In fact, the Irish jig influenced the beginning of American tap dancing. Many musical acts are from Ireland, most notably the band U2.
Don’t forget the gritty rugby teams, fresh seafood including Dublin Bay Prawns, also called Langoustine. The Book of Kells is a manuscript with ornate calligraphic craftsmanship of the four gospels and is located in Dublin’s Trinity College. The harp is Ireland’s national symbol and Trinity College also houses one of the world’s oldest harp collections.
The Irish do love to drink and they’re known for Irish whisky & the famous Guinness, that dry Irish stout beer. While you can visit a local pub anywhere in the world you have to come to Ireland for a real Irish pub experience.