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Welcome to Ireland, a land of legend both sacred and political, of strife both natural and civil. The beautiful landscape—at times barren, at others overgrown—has for centuries sustained saints, scholars, freedom-fighters, writers, and artists. Dotting this land are Stone-Age forts, pre-Christian tombs, millennial monasteries, and high crosses. From the times of Celtic bards to those of Joyce’s Dubliners, this fertile land has given rise to a literary and poetic imagination known the world over. And throughout the land, Ireland’s cities meld into the windswept shorelines and towering mountains to kindle a cultural vibrancy unparalleled in other parts of Europe. Come and explore the secluded gaeltachts where the Irish language is still spoken; listen to the sessions of traditional music in dark village pubs; and walk through the one-street fishing villages or the packed squares of Dublin and Belfast. Taste of the culture, learn the legends, and befriend the people. Today’s Ireland promises visitors an old-world welcome within a quickly changing Europe.