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Ireland Ireland is the third largest island in Europe. Also it is divided into two parts Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It is located in Western Europe and is west of Great Britain. Irelands land area is 68,890 sq km and the water takes up 1,390 sq km altogether the total area of Ireland is 70,280 sq km. Population The capital of Ireland is Dublin, and there are 26 counties. The population is about 4,062,235 the growth rate is 1.15%. The death rate is 7.82 deaths for every 1,000 people per year and the birth rate is 15.54 births for every 1,000 people per year. Climate and Weather The climate in Ireland is mostly overcast and is constantly humid. In summer the weather is usually cool and in winter it’s usually mild. The landscape is level near the exterior with rugged hills and low mountains. Also there are sea cliffs surrounding it on the west coast.
Language Religion and Ethnicity There are two main languages in Ireland English and Irish. Also there are two main ethnic groups that are located in Ireland, Celtic and English. In Ireland there are many different religions. Some of the religions are Roman Catholic (which is the main religion), Church of Ireland, and Christian. National Resources Some of the natural resources that are located in Ireland are: natural gas, peat, copper, land, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, and dolomite.
Sports Different sports that are played in Ireland are Soccer, Gaelic football, hurling, horse races, rugby, and golf. Government Ireland has a republic type government which is usually run by a president. Ireland won its independence from the United Kingdom on December 6, 1921 after a two year war which was known as the War of Independence. November 21, 1920 was known as Bloody Sunday because about 14 civilians were shot and killed by British soldiers and scattered shootings along with three Irish prisoners in the Dublin. Holidays The national holiday of Ireland is Saint Patrick’s Day which is on the 17th of March. The day that Ireland got its independence was December 6, 1921. Some other holidays that are celebrated are New Year’s Day which is on January 1st, January 6 is Epiphany, and sometime in February they have Ash Wednesday. Also on February 14, Mothers Day is on March 10, the Holiday Republic of Ireland is on October 28, August 5 and June 3, Christmas is on December 25, and on December 26 it is Boxing Day. Instruments Some of the instruments that are from Ireland are pipes, banjos, bodhran, guitars, bouzoukis, fiddles, accordions, flutes, tin whistles, harps, bagpipes, and uillenn pipes. One of the prehistoric instruments of Ireland is the horn which is found in a museum in Ireland. Symbols Some of the symbols in Ireland are the shamrock, the harp, and the Claddagh Ring. The most recognized symbol in Ireland would be the shamrock because it is believed it was first used by St. Patrick who is a really famous person in their history. The harp has been used historically as the official symbol. The Claddagh Ring has been the traditional wedding ring since about the 1700’s it stands for love, loyalty, friendship, and Irish heritage. Currency In Ireland they have two different currencies that they use. In Northern Ireland they use the pound sterling. In Southern Ireland the Irish Punt is used as their currency. IRA The IRA stands for the Irish Republican Army it was first started in 1921. Since 1969 they have separated into many organizations all called the IRA. The IRA is a term that is associated with other parliamentary organizations such as the provisional IRA, Continuity IRA, Real IRA, and the Official IRA. All of the groups claim to be a heir to the Irish Republican Army who fought in the War of Independence. The IRA is an organization in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. Education Education first started in Ireland about 14 century's ago which would been in about the 7th century. There is about 4 stages of education in Ireland; they are the primary education, secondary education, further education, and tertiary education. Primary Education In the primary stage it has two years of kindergarten junior and senior infants followed by grades 1-6. The curriculum is divided into language, mathematics, social, environmental, and scientific education, arts education, physical education, and social personal and health education. Secondary Education The secondary education consists of a junior cycle, transition year, and senior cycle. Furthering Education and Tertriary Education Then there is either furthering education or tertriary education. Furthering education comes after second level schooling but is not part of the third level of education . The final level tertriary is your colleges you go to. Food Before the Irish Potato Famine the potato was the main source of food for all the people rich and poor. At first the rich thought it was to luxuries for the poor and they kept it for the rich but then they realized that it was easy to grow in Irelands climate. Also they use the cows not for the meat but for dairy products like buttermilk. People usually grilled, roasted, or prepared their meats in stews. Some meats that were eaten was pig, lamb, pork, and seafood. People grew grains like oats, barley, or wheat's. Vegetables that were grown are carrots, turnips, and leeks. Economy The economy is trade-dependent with an average growing rate of 6%. Once agriculture was the most important sector but industry and services are now the most important. The economy benefits from the rise in construction, consumer spending, and business investment. The primary growth engine for Ireland is exports.
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