Ireland

Interesting facts about Ireland.

Prepared by: Kalina Kiliovska and Veselina Mukareva - 7a class

Dublin

Dublin (English: Dublin; Irish: Baile Átha Cliath - Bala Átha Cliath) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland. The main administrative center of the eponymous county of Dublin.It is located in the eastern part of the country, at the confluence of the Liffey River and the Irish Sea. Its population is 506,211 inhabitants since the 2006 census, and with the suburbs 1,585,327. The seat of the British government in Ireland was in Dublin Castle.

The Kingdom of Ireland

The title of King of Ireland was re-created in 1542 by Henry VIII, the then King of England, of the Tudor dynasty. English rule was reinforced and expanded in Ireland during the latter part of the 16th century, leading to the Tudor conquest of Ireland. A near-complete conquest was achieved by the turn of the 17th century, following the Nine Years' War and the Flight of the Earls.

This control was consolidated during the wars and conflicts of the 17th century, including the English and Scottish colonisation in the Plantations of Ireland, the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and the Williamite War. Irish losses during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms are estimated to include 20,000 battlefield casualties. 200,000 civilians are estimated to have died as a result of a combination of war-related famine, displacement, guerrilla activity and pestilence throughout the war. A further 50,000 were sent into indentured servitude in the West Indies. Physician-general William Petty estimated that 504,000 Catholic Irish and 112,000 Protestant settlers died, and 100,000 people were transported, as a result of the war. If a prewar population of 1.5 million is assumed, this would mean that the population was reduced by almost half.

The religious struggles of the 17th century left a deep sectarian division in Ireland. Religious allegiance now determined the perception in law of loyalty to the Irish King and Parliament. After the passing of the Test Act 1672, and the victory of the forces of the dual monarchy of William and Mary over the Jacobites, Roman Catholics and nonconforming Protestant Dissenters were barred from sitting as members in the Irish Parliament. Under the emerging Penal Laws, Irish Roman Catholics and Dissenters were increasingly deprived of various and sundry civil rights even to the ownership of hereditary property.

Politics of the Republic of Ireland

Ireland is a parliamentary, representative democratic republic and a member state of the European Union. While the head of state is the popularly elected President of Ireland, it is a largely ceremonial position, with real political power being vested in the Taoiseach, who is nominated by the Dáil and is the head of the government.

Executive power is exercised by the government, which consists of no more than 15 cabinet ministers, inclusive of the Taoiseach and Tánaiste . Legislative power is vested in the Oireachtas, the bicameral national parliament, which consists of Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann and the President of Ireland. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The head of the judiciary is the Chief Justice, who presides over the Supreme Court.

Ireland Culture Festivals

PUCK FAIR IN KILLGORIN, COUNTY KERRY

Where else in the world can you see a goat crowned as a king? Located in the heart of county Kerry, Killgorin holds the Puck Fair every August 10th, 11th and 12th.

One popular origin of this tale involves a puck (or male goat) who saved the local town from pillaging. When raiders took over the local villages, they found a herd of goats grazing on the mountainside.

Before they could be captured, the goats ran away, with the puck reaching a local village just in time to alert the people of the raiders.

DUBLIN ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

For the biggest, loudest, proudest salute to St. Patrick, attend the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade on or around March 17. Note that it is not always held on St. Patrick’s Day, so check your dates on the website before booking your trip to Ireland.

You’ll have the chance to witness traditional Irish music, dancing, and taste some of the best beer in the world (obviously!) If you prefer quieter festivals in Ireland, opt for a small village parade instead.

DUBLIN ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

You’ll have the chance to witness traditional Irish music, dancing, and taste some of the best beer in the world . If you prefer quieter festivals in Ireland, you can visit a small village parade instead.

Divisions and settlements

Administrative divisions of Ireland

Traditionally, Ireland is subdivided into four provinces: Connacht (west), Leinster (east), Munster (south), and Ulster (north). In a system that developed between the 13th and 17th centuries, Ireland has 32 traditional counties. Twenty-six of these counties are in the Republic of Ireland, and six are in Northern Ireland. The six counties that constitute Northern Ireland are all in the province of Ulster . Ulster is often used as a synonym for Northern Ireland, although the two are not coterminous.

Provinces of Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, counties form the basis of the system of local government. Counties Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Tipperary have been broken up into smaller administrative areas. However, they are still treated as counties for cultural and some official purposes, for example, postal addresses and by the Ordnance Survey Ireland. Counties in Northern Ireland are no longer used for local governmental purposes, but, as in the Republic, their traditional boundaries are still used for informal purposes such as sports leagues and in cultural or tourism contexts.

National Food

The culture of Ireland includes language, literature, music, art, folklore, cuisine, and sport associated with Ireland and the Irish people. For most of its recorded history, Irish culture has been primarily Gaelic . It has also been influenced by Anglo-Norman, English and Scottish culture. The Anglo-Normans invaded Ireland in the 12th century, and the 16th/17th century conquest and colonisation of Ireland saw the emergence of the Ireland.

Today, there are often notable cultural differences between those of Catholic and Protestant background, and between travellers and the settlers population. Due to large-scale emigration from Ireland, Irish culture has a global reach and festivals such as Saint Patrick's Day and Halloween are celebrated all over the world.^[1] Irish culture has to some degree been inherited and modified by the Irish diaspora, which in turn has influenced the home country. Though there are many unique aspects of Irish culture, it shares substantial traits with those of Britain, other English-speaking countries, other predominantly Catholic European countries, and the other Celtic nations.

MONEY

The Irish pound was the currency of Ireland until 2002. Its ISO 4217 code was IEP, and the usual notation was the prefix £ (or IR£ where confusion might have arisen with the pound sterling or other pounds). The Irish pound was replaced by the euro on 1 January 1999. Euro currency did not begin circulation until the beginning of 2002.

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