Ireland Facts: A Small and Separate Island
Although America has some Irish roots, there are many Ireland facts that are not widely known. Of course, most of us celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but that may be where our knowledge of Ireland ends. Here are some basic Ireland facts to change that:
Ireland is a small island – barely half the size of Arkansas – that is part of the British Isles, which are located in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic surrounds Ireland to the north and west. To the south and southeast is the Celtic Sea. Directly to the east is the Irish Sea, which separates Ireland from Great Britain, the largest of the British Isles.
The island of Ireland is divided into two separate political units. Northern Ireland is on the northeastern tip of the island and is part of the United Kingdom. Its capital city is Belfast. The Republic of Ireland takes up the rest of the island – about 83 percent – and is home to 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland. The capital city the Republic of Ireland is Dublin.
The first official language of Ireland is Irish, or Irish Gaelic, but English is also an official language and is generally more common. The Irish word for Ireland is Eire, pronounced AIR-uh. The two most prevalent races found in Ireland are Celtic and English and by far the religion of choice is Catholicism.
As its name indicates, Ireland is a republic. It has both a president, who is elected by the people, and a prime minister, who is appointed by the president. Ireland joined the European Union in 1973, and their official currency is the Euro.
Ireland has long been a country of suffering and strife, and the country went through some extremely rough times during the 1970s and 80s when unemployment hit an all-time low. In the 1990s, a new Ireland began to emerge through a movement known as the Celtic Tiger. With a boost from the EU, growth in their infrastructure and a burst of economic growth, Ireland became one of the richest countries in the world by 2001.
Although the boom has slowed amid the current global economic downturn, Ireland has become a prosperous and peaceful nation.
A Few Ireland Facts About St. Patrick
> St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.
> St. Patrick’s Day is the national holiday of Ireland and is celebrated on March 17.
> The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the United States was held in Boston in 1761.
> The big St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City began the next year in 1972.
> Some historians claim that St. Patrick’s real name was Maewyn Succat.
> In Ireland, it is not customary to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. Instead the Irish just pin a shamrock on the lapel of their coat.