Welcome to our Ireland Travel Guide, which will provide with all the detail you need to know in planning your trip to Ireland.
By Ireland , we mean the 32 Counties of the Island of Ireland, which are the 26 Counties of the Republic of Ireland and the 6 Counties of Northern Ireland.
All statistics refer to the Island of Ireland (32 Counties).
This information is designed to make your stay in the Ireland an experience that you will treasure forever.
Even if you have visited Ireland before, we feel you will enhance your stay with a browse through our Ireland Travel Information guide.
You can of course access the more detailed areas of our website to read about specific places and subjects.
BRIEF HISTORY
Evidence of human settlement in Ireland goes back to Megalithic times to between 5000-6000 B.C. Newgrange, Loughcrew and other settlements suggests that Irish ancestors came from southern Europe, possibly the Iberian Peninsula.
The arrival of Celtic tribes to the island in about the 4th century B.C. is acknowledged as fact. Various invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century concluded when King Brian Boru defeated the Danes in 1014 at the Battle of Clontarf.
However, the British occupation of Ireland began in the 12th century and initiated more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions together with a disastrous Famine in the 1840’s. A badly planned 1916 Easter Monday rebellion - Easter Rising - resulted in several years of guerrilla warfare that eventually in 1921 created independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; the six (6) northern ( Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom and still do. This in turn triggered the Irish Civil War of 19221-1923 and eventually led to The Troubles, a virtual civil war between the Nationalist and Loyalist communities in the 6 Counties of Northern Ireland from 1969 to 1998.
In 1948, Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth and declared the 26 counties as the Republic of Ireland; it joined the European Community in 1973, now called the European Union (EU). In 2002, Ireland adopted the Euro as its currency.
Successive Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have co-operated with Britain against terrorist groups. In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement signalled peace in Northern Ireland and eventually led to the current Northern Ireland Assembly where power sharing operates in a devolved local government reporting to the British Government.
The Republic of Ireland is administered by a democratically elected Government . This is currently led by a Fianna Fail/Green Party Coalition, headed by Taoiseach (Leader or Prime Minister) Brian Cowen.
GETTING THERE
By air: Ireland has four main airports, Dublin, Belfast, Shannon and Cork. The main airport is Dublin and this is home to the national carrier, Aer Lingus. They fly to and from UK and European airports daily. They also have a transatlantic service between various US destinations and have route sharing- programmes with an internal American carrier, Jet Blue . International services also operated to Dublin, Cork and Belfast. Aer Lingus also operate internal services to Kerry, Cork and Shannon .
Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, is based at Dublin Airport and offers services between Dublin and all EU countries as well as internal routes. In addition, all major European flag carriers operate services to Dublin along with us carriers Delta Airlines, Continental and US Air have services to Dublin and Shannon Airports.
By sea: Dublin is served by two ports, Dublin Port at North Wall, near the centre of the city and Dun Laoire to the south. Both offer daily sailings by Irish Ferries and Stena Line from the UK ports of Holyhead and Liverpool.
Belfast offers similar services to the same ports in addition to a service to Cairnryan Scotland. Larne, further north in County Antrim, has services to Cairnryan and Stranraer Scotland.
Cork has Services from Roscoff, in France, via Brittany Ferries.
Rosslare , in County Wexford, offers Irish Ferries services from Cherbourg France and Stena Line from Swansea in the UK.
ACCOMMODATION
Ireland has a wide variety of accommodation, from Five Star Hotels to Farmhouse Accommodation. There is also a wide range in standards of accommodation and in price. Knowing where you are staying is essential for anyone planning a visist to the Emerald Isle.
Ireland lies of the coast of the North West of Europe.
Geographic Co-ordinates : 53 00 N, 8 00 W
Area : 84,412 sq km (32,591 sq miles)
Coastline : 3,700 km (2,300 sq miles)
Population : 4,109,086 (ROI) 1,872,362 (N.I.)
Currency: Euro (ROI). Sterling (N.I.)
Highest point : Carrauntoohil, County Kerry, 3,414 ft (1,041mt)
Climate : Temperate ocean climate; mild winters and cool summers; high precipitation and mainly overcast.
Religions : Roman Catholic 73 %, balance mainly Protestant (mostly located in Northern Ireland).
Geographic regions : The island of Ireland is divided into four provinces, Leinster, Munster, Connaught and Ulster, which in total constitute 32 counties.
Connacht : Connacht is located in the West of Ireland and covers a total area of 17,713 square kilometres. It encompasses 5 counties: Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo.
Munster : Munster is the province of the South of Ireland and covers 24,607 square kilometres. There are 6 counties in Munster: Clare, Cork, Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary, Waterford.
Ulster : Ulster is located in the North of Ireland and covers 24,481 square kilometres. It encompasses 9 counties (three of which are part of the Republic of Ireland): Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Tyrone.
Tourist Regions The country is divided into 8 Regions for Tourism and this is controlled by Failte Ireland.
Counties of Ireland Ireland is divided into 32 counties of which 26 make up the Republic and 6 make up Northern Ireland. Click here to view Ireland Counties Map and then click on your county of interest. The Peace process has been greatly received by all and travelling to and from Northern Ireland is no longer an issue.
Flag of Ireland
The Irish flag dates from the 1800's and it is reputed to have been designed by Thomas Francis Meaghar from Waterford. It is based on the French flag and is known as the Tricolour. The Green represents the country's Republican traditions, the Orange the Unionists tradition from Northern Ireland and the White represents Unity.
Irish Language - Gaelic The main spoken language of Ireland is English, while more and more people would like this to change. The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs estimated in
2007 that 17,000 people lived in areas where Irish was the community
language, and a further 10,000 in areas where it is partly the
community language. But since Irish is an obligatory subject in schools, many more are reasonably fluent second-language speakers. Where Irish is spoken as a native language they are called Gaeltacht regions. These regions are known collectively as the Gaeltachtaí. These are in County Galway (Contae na Gaillimhe), including Connemara (Conamara), the Aran Islands (na hOileáin Árann), Carraroe (An Cheathrú Rua) and Spiddal (An Spidéal); on the west coast of County Donegal (Contae Dhún na nGall); in the part which is known as Tyrconnell (Tír Chonaill); and Dingle Peninsula (Corca Dhuibhne) in County Kerry (Contae Chiarraí). Smaller ones also exist in Mayo (Contae Mhaigh Eo), Meath (Contae na Mí), Waterford (Contae Phort Láirge), and Cork (Contae Chorcaí).
Currency Ireland is part of the European Union and as such now uses the Euro (€) as it's currency. Most banks have a Bureau de Change facility where you can convert your money.
Electricity The electricity in Ireland is 240 V AC at 50Hz Using Three Pin plugs.
Transportation The road system in Ireland has greatly improved over the last ten years. Although raod sizes are not comparable to Europe and USA they are adequate for the traffic volume. Please beware if travelling around Dublin on the M50 as recently they have introduced a barrier free toll system. Check out M50 Toll Charges for more info.
Irish motorists drive on the left hand side of the road and the following is Speed Limits
120 km/h (75 mph) for motorways
100 km/h (62 mph) for National Routes (Primary and Secondary) that are not motorway status.
80 km/h (50 mph) for local and regional roads.
50 km/h (31 mph) in built up areas. Click here for a Road Map of Ireland
Although there are only a few cities in Ireland, there are hundreds of towns and villages spread across the island. All of these towns/villages are unique in their own way, and guarantee to have something special to offer the visiting tourist. This can range from amazing and beautiful natural scenery, to ancient and fascinating historical sites, not to mention lively festivals and events! Truly, the towns of Ireland are sure to have something for everyone.
Rivers of Ireland The rivers in Ireland are famous for their fishing quality. The main cities have the following rivers flowing through them;
Dublin - Liffey , Belfast - Lagan, Cork - Lee , Galway - Corrib , Limerick - Shannon, Waterford - Suir (more info on Ireland Rivers)
Lakes of Ireland
Ireland is well known for its many beautiful and scenic lakes. Some of the main Lakes of Ireland include Lough Neagh in the heart of Northern Ireland and Lough Corrib in the West of Ireland. These lakes provide recreation and employment for many of the Irish living on their shores.
Mountains of Ireland
The mountains of Ireland are many but most are of relatively low levels compared to other ranges in the British Isles and Europe. The highest mountain being Carrauntuohil Killarney - County Kerry standing at 3414 ft - 1050 metres high.
Beaches of Ireland
One of the main attractions to visitors of Ireland are the many beaches dotted along the island's beautiful rugged coastline. Ireland's beaches provide some amazing scenery which is hard found anywhere else in the world.
The Peninsulas and Headlands of Ireland feature some of island's incredible natural beauty. The ocean views from atop these protruding pieces of land are truly breathtaking to behold. Many of these Peninsulas and Headlands also provide some of the best walking trails to be found anywhere.
The wide range of attractions available to tourists in Ireland is truly astounding, and it is no wonder that several million people visit the Emerald Isle on an annual basis. Indeed, there is something for everyone, be they in search of history, culture , scenery, etc. But what are the top attractions Ireland has to offer?
One of the main reasons for the boom in Ireland's tourism industry in the last few years is the massive range of activities available to the visiting tourist. From golf to fishing to surfing, Ireland caters for everyone. Indeed, when it comes to entertainment, the Irish have a lot to offer in terms of recreation.
Click here to learn more about Activities in Ireland, what they are and where to find them.
Irish Culture Guide
From a cultural perpsective, Ireland is one of the most exciting and vibrant countries in the world. Indeed, Ireland has a rich history of literature, poetry and art, and this is illustrated by the numerous theatres, museums and galleries dotted all over the island.
Please click here for more information on Irish Culture.
TOP EVENTS and FESTIVALS of IRELAND
Ireland is probably the best party country in the world. No matter what time of the year one visits Ireland there is a festival on.
It could be anything from beauty festivals to matchmaking, culture, sports, drinking or eating events.
It could be steam threshing, vintage cars, motor rallies, Gaelic games, fishing, writing, painting, walking, cycling, windsurfing, potholing, bog snorkelling and farting competitions!.
It could be music festivals, horse fairs, sailing regattas, comedy festivals, Irish dancing and even religious festivals (with drink, of course!).
BRIEF HISTORY 
