Grafton Street, Dublin

Ireland is a place of endless welcomes, friendly people and the promise of good times. The world renowned Irish welcome continues even more so in modern times as the country openly welcomes all workers, immigrants, travelers, tourists and students that visit or stay in the Emerald Isle every year. Ireland is a peaceful, tranquil country with many vibrant cities, towns and villages. The country has a population of just over 3.6 million with just over a million of these in Dublin. The republic consists of 26 counties with the remaining six in the North of Ireland which is part of the Brittan. Of course in recent times the success of the peace process has resolved a lot of the tension in the North which means that travel throughout the country is safe and trouble-free.

So what makes Ireland such a popular place to live? For a start Irish people are a lively and loquacious bunch, and always ready to chat animatedly on any given topic from football to the weather. The weather in Ireland is mild, in winter the average is 4 Celsius and in the summer the range is 16-20 Celsius. The food is both interesting and exciting from the traditional bacon and cabbage and Irish stew to the world famous Irish beef and lamb served always with organically grown Irish potatoes. The seafood in Dublin is infamous especially the Dublin Bay cockles and mussels and of course all tastes and budgets are catered for.

Irish pubs have bestowed their legacy internationally, with replicas all over Europe and America even Russia. The cosy atmosphere with a fire blazing in the hearth, the dimly lit corners where people indulge in plentiful conversation and of course the strains of traditional music in the background.

Ireland is famous for it’s traditional music and sessions abound throughout the year, be it in the open-air concerts or many festivals that happen during the summer months. The music however is best appreciated in its traditional setting of the authentic Irish pub when washed down by a pint of the black stuff and naturally in Ireland the best Guinness in the world is proudly served. If something more up-beat is your scene than Ireland has no shortage of late-night disco bars, nightclubs and wine-bars, which all provide an equally warm welcome. The plentiful supply of social hot-spots and establishments along with the friendliness of the natives ensures good times for all and a great night out for everyone.

Perhaps one of the most famous Irish traditions is Irish dancing. The Riverdance crew makes it look deceptively easy but it is certainly worth having a go. For the less energetic have a go at playing the bodhran or even the tin whistle, take classes or get an obliging local to show you how, there will be no shortage of willing instructors.

Twelve Bens Mountain Range

Galway on the west coast is definitely worth a visit for those interested in the traditional Irish scene. This bohemian city abounds with music, culture, craft shops, bookshops and more and it is also one of the areas in Ireland where Irish is spoken. It is a very trendy area and at the weekend comes alive with locals, tourists, street entertainers, students and musicians who mix together to create a convivial atmosphere that ensures that no one remains a stranger for long.

Surrounding Galway is some of the most impressive scenery in the entire island. The Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher are nearby as is the famous Burren region, which contains some of the most unusual flora and fauna in Europe. Further South is the famous Ring of Kerry which is visited by thousands of people annually. This area is famous for its golf fishing and again the scenery is breath-taking. Cork, a short bus or train journey from Kerry is the country’s second city and is locally known as the real capital of Ireland. Considerably smaller than Dublin this city overwhelms the visitor with the huge variety of restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas and shops not to mention the local passion for hurling and Gaelic football

Dublin still wins through however on the literary front. For a country with such a small population Ireland has produced some of the worlds finest writers, poets and playwrights. Literature buffs will be enthralled with Ireland but especially Dublin. Many landmarks and monuments exist dedicated to Brahm Stoker, Shaw, Joyce, Wilde and Yeats. There are many theatres in Dublin and a popular night out with natives is an early dinner, a show at The Gaiety or The Abbey followed by post theatre drinks to discuss the night’s performance. One of the oldest books in the world, the infamous "Book of Kells" is on exhibition in Trinity College library. In fact throughout the country there still remains much of the ancient monastic world especially in Glendalough, Co.Wicklow and the Hill of Tara and Newgrange in Co. Meath, both are just a short trip from Dublin. A car is not a necessity as transportation around the country and within the cities is good. Dublin has it’s own light railway system and hundreds of bus services some of which are 24 hour services and the national bus and rail services are equally reliable and very reasonably priced.

Scenic Glendalough

Ireland offers an extra-ordinarily wide variety of countryside and coastline that provides a wealth of outdoor activities. Golf, horse-riding, hiking, mountaineering and cycling are all well catered for. Because it is an island there is no shortage of water sports including sailing, windsurfing, body-boarding and deep-sea fishing. Inland the water activities continue, cruising on the river Shannon, Ireland’s principal river is very popular as is fresh water fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

Historically Ireland is one of the richest countries in the world. Ireland contains some of the oldest monuments in the world some pre-dating even the pyramids. Dublin city itself goes back to pre-historic times when it was founded in 841 A.D. by invading Norse Vikings. All over the city are signs that the city celebrates well over a thousand years of tempestuous and tumultuous history, this is reflected in the incredible architecture that spans all eras, most notably in modern Dublin is the Georgian style, a legacy from the eighteenth century Protestant ascendancy class. The country is actually an archaeologists dream as much excavation is still on-going especially Dublin city, Waterford and Wexford, which are on the southeast coast.

Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin

As much as the country is famous for it’s literary genius, Ireland is equally celebrated for it’s musical talent. Acts such as The Corrs and The Cranberries have won the hearts of the masses, as have U2, Sinead O’Connor and Van Morrisson. These artists have brought Ireland into the hearts and minds of people all over the world. The more traditional acts such as Clannad, Enya and The Chieftains have also made their mark internationally and often play both locally and abroad. And of course Riverdance and Lord of the Dance have brought Irish culture to an unprecedented level of international recognition, all things Irish and traditional have been raised to a level of sophistication never witnessed before.

This cultural fame and success is matched only by financial success in Ireland as the Celtic Tiger economy goes from strength to strength. This boom is visible in the increase in the numbers of fitness and leisure centres, bars, restaurants, hotels and luxurious housing estates that are springing up all over the country. There is a lot of money in the country and indeed the Irish have never had it so good and things just keep getting better.
Now more than ever is a great time to live and work in Ireland.

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GEOGRAPHIC DETAILS
The island of Ireland is the most westerly point of Europe. The island measures 84,000 square kilometers and consists of 32 counties. 26 of these counties are part of the republic of Ireland, which comprises five-sixths of the island, and the remaining 6 counties are part of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. The country consists of four provinces Munster, Leinster, Connaught and Ulster.

The capital of the Republic is Dublin, which lies on the East coast facing the Irish Sea. The population of the entire republic is 3.6 million giving the country a population density of about 50 persons per sq km with almost a million of these living in Dublin. The other main cities in the Republic are Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.

Ireland is easily accessible from Europe with airports in all the major cities and also in some regional areas. Dublin is one hour by air from London, ninety minutes from Paris, two hours from Frankfurt and two and a half hours from Madrid. There are also ferries from Dublin to France, Spain, and most of Northern Europe and an excellent sea-cat and ferry service also exists between Ireland and many ports in Britain.

HISTORY AND POLITICAL SYSTEM
The government of Ireland is based on the constitution of 1937. The country became a republic in 1939 and in 1972 Ireland joined the European Union.

There is a political divide between the 26 county Republic and the North of Ireland which has existed since 1925. Ireland is politically divided between North and South; a divide that was agreed upon by a Boundary commission in 1925.

Ireland is a democracy with a two-tier parliament, a 166 member lower-house known as The Dail and a 60-member senate known as The Seanad. The head of the state is the president Mary McAleese who was elected in 1997 and will remain for a term of seven years.

CURRENCY
The Euro (€) is the basic unit of currency in the Republic of Ireland. The Euro is also the currency of 11 other countries within the EU. This means that no currency exchanges need to be made when visiting these countries. The Euro has been in use since 01 January 2002 and has proved to be very successful, for all countries involved.
The exchange rates against the Euro(€), as of 1st July 2002 are as follows:
Country-

Australia	1.00AUD	= 0.57EUR
Canada	1.00CAD	= 0.50EUR
India	1.00INR	= 0.0206377EUR
Philippines	1.00PHP	= 0.0200829EUR
South Africa	1.00ZAR	= 0.0976637EUR

ECONOMY
The Irish economy has been so strong in recent years it has been awarded the name of The Celtic Tiger. Last year the growth was measured at 5.5%. With a strong currency and the arrival of many hi-tech companies and call-centres this buoyancy is set to continue. The growth rate is four times the EU average and unemployment rates continue to fall, currently at 4.8%. In the year 2000 44,000 people came to live in Ireland from abroad many of these were returning immigrants.

LANGUAGE
The Gaelic language was once widely used but is now spoken in only a few small areas of the country; the majority of the population speaks English. The constitution provides for both as official languages and it has been government policy for decades to promote the Irish language with varying degrees of success. Presently there is a national all Irish-speaking TV station and also a number of radio stations.

The majority of the population is Roman Catholic, with Protestantism being the second largest religious group. Jewish and Muslim communities also exist in urban areas.

Most health services are provided free of charge for low-income groups, otherwise there is a moderate charge but public hospital services are free. Private health insurance is available from the VHI and BUPA and is also reasonably priced. Urgent medical care is provided free.

Banks are open Monday to Friday between the hours of 10.00 and 16.00. Thursdays and Fridays most banks have longer opening hours. The major credit and charge cards are widely accepted and all banks issue ATM cards that allow access to your account 24 hours a day. Only cheques drawn in standard Eurocheque format will be accepted.