The Republic of Ireland lies just West of the British Isles, just across the Irish Sea, with a population of 4.6 million people, mostly concentrated in Dublin, the capital city on the East Coast.
Eire, as it is also known, was once a colony of Great Britain, but it fought for independence and it resulted in the partition of the island, with the North East corner retained by the Crown of Great Britain as the province of Northern Ireland, or Ulster, with a population of 1.8 million people.
Ireland is the land of Guinness and Whiskey, and most probably the only country in the world where you can sometimes find more pubs than you can shops.
The island is perfect for driving country. Once you have taken a few days to sample the delights of Dublin and Temple Bar, the heart of the city, it is time to rent some wheels and get out and about to see the beautiful countryside and the hundreds of pubs that dot the country.
d is easy, with available direct flights from Europe and further afield, as well as ferries from England, Scotland and Wales.
Ireland is serviced by a number of airports, the largest being Dublin – while there are other smaller ones such as Cork and Belfast in the Northern Irish province. Dublin Airport has a huge number of flights that are operated by the national legacy carrier Aer Lingus, as well as budget carrier Ryanair.
The airport also offers flights to a large number of continental European airports such as Paris, Brussels, Madrid, Barcelona Munich and many others.
Eire’s South East Coast is beautiful and is home to three beautiful cities called Waterford, Wexford and Cork. They all started out small fishing villages, but over the years, they have developed into urban centers in their own right.
If you were to drive from Dublin to Cork in one continuous journey, passing through Wexford and Waterford, it would take you about four and a half hours along the coast. But if you want to truly enjoy the scenery and some typical Irish seaside life outside the capital, then it would be highly recommended to stop at both overnight.
Ireland is what it is: a beautiful green island which is watered from the sky with ample rain all year round.
When it rains in Ireland, it pours. Don’t think that you will just get away with waiting for the rain to stop, thinking it will be a short sharp shower. No. When it rains there, it can go on for a whole day at least. So what do you do with yourself? It’s easy with the girls, just head out to a shopping centre.
Dublin is by far the largest city in the Republic of Ireland with a population of 2 million people in the Greater Dublin area.
It was founded by the Vikings and after the partition of Eire and Northern Ireland in 1922, it became the capital city of the Republic of Ireland. Despite numerous rebellions by the local populace, the Vikings retained power and it was only when the Normans, who had conquered England in 1066, invaded in 1169, that it became part of the crown of England.
Limerick, in Munster, is the biggest urban concentration in the West of Ireland, but be warned, it is the first landfall on the East side of the Atlantic, so it makes it rather prone to a spot of wet weather.
That does not mean that you cannot have a great time there. For starters, Limerick is permanently green, largely due to the amount of precipitation that falls there throughout the year, coupled with a good amount of sunshine in Summer.
Northern Ireland is a place of stunning natural beauty featuring rolling hills, undulating valleys and the unique Giant’s Causeway.
One of the first connections people make with Northern Ireland is the fact that the ill-fated RMS Titanic was built here. The ship – which was deemed to be unsinkable – infamously hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage to the United States and foundered at sea with massive loss of human lives. To commemorate the tragedy, the City of Belfast built a remembrance center which visitors can attend at the head of the slipway where the ship was assembled.