It's said that Ireland, once visited, is never forgotten, and
for once the blarney rings true. The Irish landscape has a mythic
resonance, due as much to the country's almost tangible history
as its claim to being the home of the fairies and the 'little
people'. Sure, the weather may not always be clement, but the
dampness ensures there are fifty shades of green to compensate
- just one of the reasons Ireland is called the Emerald Isle.
Although the 'Troubles' are far from over in the North, the recent
referendum clearly signalled a willingness for peace and a genuine
solution may be in sight. Meanwhile, the South has been busy shedding
its quaintness tag to emerged as the darling of EU economies and
a favourite among high-tech companies. If the country isn't quite
the paradise that its misty-eyed emigrés tend to portray,
it's nonetheless home to one of the most gregarious and welcoming
people in Europe.
Full country name: Ireland & Northern Ireland (part of the
UK)
Area: 84,421 sq km/52,341 sq mi (70,282 sq km/43,575 sq mi in
the Republic; 14,139 sq km/8,766 sq mi in the North)
Population: 5.2 million (3.6 million in Ireland; 1.6 million in
Northern Ireland)
Capital city: Dublin (population 1.12 million)
People: Irish
Language: English, Irish (around 83,000 native speakers)
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic, 3.4% Protestant in the Republic;
60% Protestant, 40% Roman Catholic in the Northern Ireland
Government: Democracy
Head of state: Mary McAleese (Republic), Queen Elizabeth II (Northern
Ireland)
Prime Minister: Bertie Ahern (Republic), Tony Blair (Northern
Ireland)
When to Go
The weather is warmest in July and August and the daylight
hours are long, but the crowds will be greatest, the costs the
highest and accommodation harder to come by. In the quieter winter
months, however, you may get miserable weather, the days are short
and many tourist facilities will be shut. Visiting Ireland in
June or September has a number of attractions: the weather can
be better than at any other time of the year, it's less crowded
and everything is open.
Events
Many diverse events and festivals take place around the country
over the year. February sees the Dublin International Film Festival.
St Patrick's Day, 17 March, is a public holiday. In Northern Ireland,
Easter is the start of the Orange/Protestant marching season.
June 16 is Bloomsday in Dublin, with re-enactments and readings
throughout the city. Listowel in County Kerry holds a Writers'
Week literary festival during June, and there's a Jazz & Blues
Festival in Belfast. July is when marching really gets into its
stride in Northern Ireland, and every Orangeman hits the streets
on the Glorious 12th to celebrate the Protestant victory at the
Battle of the Boyne.
August is horse-racing month, with the Dublin Horse Show and races
in Tralee in County Kerry. In the same county, at Killorglin,
the ancient Puck Fair heralds unrestricted drinking for days and
nights. The first weekend in August is the date for Ireland's
major annual rock festival, at Thurles in County Tipperary. In
September Cork has its Film Festival and Belfast has a Folk Festival.
In October, Dublin has its Theatre Festival, Ballinasloe in County
Galway hosts the country's largest cattle and horse fair, and
Kinsale in County Cork is home to Ireland's gourmet festival.
In Wexford the November Opera Festival is an international event.
Christmas is a quiet affair in the countryside, though on 26 December
the ancient practice of Wren Boys is reenacted, when groups of
children, traditional musicians and Irish dancers perform at area
homes, asking donations in exchange for a year's worth of good
luck. |
