Travelers expecting Ireland to consist of thatched cottages, rolling hills, and vistas of jagged cliffs will not be disappointed, but those seeking a warm, traditional Irish welcome may be surprised. Irish friendliness and hospitality are not entirely relics of the past, but since Ireland joined the European Union in 1973, the joke that it has abandoned the rainbow for the pot of gold has become common. With its booming economy in the 1990s earning it the nickname the “Celtic Tiger,” Ireland’s prosperity has brought mixed blessings. Urban gourmands rejoice at the arrival of the “gastropub,” while others lament the decline of the slow-paced Irish way of life. In the countryside, however, the traditional lifestyle is still visible in tight-knit communities centered around sports, music, the church, and the pub.
Northern Ireland, officially a territory of the UK, comprises six of Ulster’s nine counties. “Ulster” is a term used exclusively by Protestants in the North. Under the 1998 Northern Ireland Peace Agreement, residents of Northern Ireland may choose whether to identify themselves individually as Irish or British, but word choice can still be tricky, as some identify with neither. People refer to “Northern Ireland” or “the North” and “the Republic” or “the South”; the term “Southern Ireland” is never used.
Archaeologists and historians have pieced together a fragmented understanding of ancient Irish culture from the scant remains of its stone structures and metalwork. These clues indicate that Ireland’s ...more
In a country where over ninety percent of the population practices Catholicism, it’s no surprise that the man who introduced the religion to Ireland is considered a pretty big deal. Indeed, Saint Patrick ...more
These mischievous little men are Ireland’s best-known imaginary creation. Leprechauns are shoemakers by trade, but that’s just their day job: their main responsibility is to guard the ancient treasure ...more
Recent estimates put the Republic of Ireland’s population at around 4.1 million—with approximately 40% living within 100km of Dublin—and Northern Ireland’s at approximately 1.7 million. According ...more
Irish gastronomy has tended to center itself unequivocally on the staple of a truly Irish diet: the potato. Other ingredients may vary, but since its introduction to Ireland in the sixteenth century ...more
Fiction And Non-Fiction Film For Irish films, search the websites www.irishfilmboard.ie, www.irishfilm.net and www.irishfilm.ie, or peruse the following books. Travel Books
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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