Ireland Information

Ireland's hills are a walker's paradise, not only because of the extensive network of trails, but because by being on foot one gets to appreciate the lakes and rivers, the coastal views and ever-changing sky-scapes that are so much part of the Irish landscape. Watersports such as angling, sailing and surfing are popular too, and many visitors come for the golf, but the real passion of the Irish is horses - there is a potential Derby winner in every valley and a packed betting shop in every high street. Music and song plays an integral part in daily life and visitors are able to experience this in the many pubs so characteristic of the social landscape of Ireland.

Gegraphy and Climate
The Republic of Ireland lies in the north Atlantic Ocean and is separated from Britain by the Irish Sea to the east. The northeastern part of the island (Northern Ireland) is part of the United Kingdom. The country has a central plain surrounded by a rim of mountains and hills offering some of the most varied and unspoilt scenery in Europe – quiet sandy beaches, semi-tropical bays warmed by the Gulf Stream, and rugged cliffs make up the 5,600km (3,500 miles) of coastline.

Ireland has a temperate climate and is cold and damp much of the year. Summer (May to September) is the warmest and driest season and is the best time to visit, though attractions can get crowded in July and August. Winter is characterized by short, wet, foggy days and long night, but the temperature rarely gets below freezing due to the tempering Gulf Stream winds that buffet the west coast of Ireland. Some attractions are only open in summer.

Fast Facts
Location
Europe, off the west coast of Great Britain.

Area
70,182 sq km (27,097 sq miles).

Population
4 million (UN, 2004).

Capital
Dublin
Population: 1 million.

Language
English, Irish (Gaelic) is spoken in some Western areas.

Religion
Roman Catholic 91.6%, the remainder being Protestant, with Jewish and Islamic minorities.

Currency
The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR). Currency can be exchanged at banks and bureaux de change and ATMs are widely available. Credit and debit cards, as well as travelers cheques, are widely accepted.

Time
GMT (GMT +1 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).

Required Clothing
Lightweights during summer with warmer mediumweights for the winter. Rainwear is advisable throughout the year.

People & Culture
The Irish culture has taken thousands of years to develop, so cherish every moment of your cultural discovery
The Irish love traditions. So much so, in fact, that the country is full of them – from eating colcannon (a mixture of cabbage and mashed potatoes) on Hallowe’en to wearing something green on St Patrick’s Day. Two of the most enduring and internationally famed, however, are traditional music and Irish dancing. Traditional music can be heard all over the country from city centre pubs to rural festivals.