Ireland is a country located in the Northern part of Europe. It is bordered by the North Atlantic Ocean to its left and surrounded by several smaller countries such as Northern Ireland, England and Wale. Ireland has an official language and English is in widespread use throughout the island.
Ireland is more than just its beautiful rolling hills, lush green pastures and dramatic coastlines. It’s the country with Guinness, it has some of our planet’s most vivid history and it’s a place where you can truly find yourself so far away from home without ever really leaving home at all. Let’s explore more of Ireland’s many wonders!
If you ask in general what is Ireland known for? Ireland is typically known for its rich history, rolling hills, green pastures, gorgeous coastlines and stunning scenery.
The Guinness
Guinness is one of the most popular drinks in Ireland. It is made from water and a dark malt extract and then fermented with yeast to create alcohol.
Guinness is available in kegs, bottles and cans and it has a creamier texture when compared to other beers. You can learn all about it on the Guinness website – we’ll give you a hint and say it involves roasted malted barley!
Irish Coffee
This is a popular drink in the country and it’s not just your average cup of Joe. Irish Coffee uses black coffee, some brown sugar and whipped cream with a nice little hint of Irish whisky!
The Book Of Kells
The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript that contains the four Gospels of the New Testament. The artwork was created by Celtic monks and it dates back to between 800 and 1000 A.D. It is kept in Trinity College, Dublin where you can visit to see a copy or wait for one of the 10 originals to come out on display!
Dublin city
Dublin is the capital city of Ireland and it has a population of around half a million people.
Many tourists visit Dublin every year to see some of its most popular sights including the Book of Kells in Trinity College, St Patrick’s Cathedral and more!
Celtic Mythology
The Celts were an ancient tribe based throughout Europe during Roman times. They have left quite the mark on European history including their rich culture and mythology that influences many aspects of modern life today.
Some examples include the Druids who are well known for being spiritual leaders to this ancient Celt tribe, magical tales like those found in Harry Potter (Goblet Of Fire) that inspired by druid beliefs, plus even some familiar family names like Murphy that mean ‘Son of a Celts’.
Pubs
Ireland is a country of pubs where you can find live music going on, pool tables or just sit down for a bit of craic (that’s Irish slang for fun). There’s also lots of nachos, jalapeno poppers, chicken wings and other tasty bar snacks that you can devour whilst enjoying your drink of choice! Don’t worry though because most places serve non-alcoholic options too.
The Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs Of Moher stretch for 8 kilometers in County Clare, Ireland. They rise to a height of 214 meters over the Atlantic Ocean and are one of Ireland’s most popular attractions with around 1.5 million visitors every year!
Celtic Music
Celtic music is a genre that features traditional folk songs from Ireland and Britain’s Gaelic countries like Scotland and Isle of Man.
There are now several bands performing this form of traditional Celtic music along with modern musicians who take their inspiration from these traditional roots.
Gaelic Football
Gaelic Football is one of many sports that originated in Ireland and it involves two teams using sticks to hit a ball through a goal area!
This can look similar to hockey or lacrosse depending on the positioning of the sticks but you won’t see any skates or sticks on this field, just lots of running and sweat!
Irish Foods
Irish foods are not just potatoes and cabbage, they can include things like soda bread, corned beef and colcannon.
This is a dish made with mashed potato that’s mixed with kale or cabbage! In recent years modernized Irish cuisine has also become popular in restaurants.
Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day is a festival that takes place on the 17th March each year where there are parades and celebrations all across Ireland.
It’s one of Europe’s biggest festivals, and if you’re in Dublin for this event you should look out for lots of green as it will be everywhere!
Leprechauns
Leprechauns are mythological creatures who are often described as small old men wearing old style clothes like a tweed suit and sporting a beard. They usually have red hair and often carry a shillelagh (walking stick).
They can also be seen wearing a leather apron which they use to carry around pots of gold. They love to play tricks on people but tricking them back can result in gaining their pot of gold!
Vikings & Celtic Invasions
Vikings aren’t just something that you may have heard of from the recent Hollywood movie, they are also a Scandinavian tribe who invaded Ireland around 800 A.D.
This was before they went on to establish settlements further south into England and beyond!
St Patrick’s Purgatory Island
The island of Station Island is located near Lough Derg which lies between counties Donegal and Sligo in Western Ireland.
On this site there’s said to be an ancient pilgrimage called St Patrick’s Purgatory that dates all the way back to 1131 A.D where it has attracted thousands of pilgrims over the years, many who are still drawn today to this island.
Galway city
Galway city is said to be Ireland’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan city where you can find lots of shops, bars, restaurants and street entertainment. It’s also the biggest tourist destination in the country which speaks volumes for it’s appeal!
Beautiful Beaches
Ireland has some beautiful beaches including one where scenes for the recent Star Wars movie were shot called Skellig Michael, also known as ‘the Aran Islands’ which are located just off the coast of County Kerry in South West Ireland.
They may look like any other Irish beach with lovely golden sands and great views of cliffs but due to their protected status you can’t actually play on the beach. Another reason to pack your bags and head to Ireland I guess!
The Blarney Stone
The Blarney Stone is a stone that’s located in County Cork, Ireland where it’s said by legend that if you kiss it whilst leaning backwards off of a tall building then you will receive ‘the gift of the gab’ meaning you’ll be blessed with the gift of being really good at talking yourself out of things!
Irish Whiskey
Irish Whiskey is a very popular drink in Ireland that you’ll find sold in a variety of pubs, bars and restaurants.
The most popular type of whiskey which is served all over the country is ‘whiskey’ with an e as opposed to American whiskey which would be spelled whisky without the ‘e’.
History
From Celtic ruins to world-renowned museums, Ireland’s rich history just begs you explore more about it!
Visit Newgrange in Northern Ireland for an example from the early Stone Age or head South and visit one of Cork City’s many castles for some local tales (and maybe a bit of ghost hunting too!).
Green
Ireland is known for it’s green land, therefore you can expect to see rolling hills covered in lush green grass with lots of sheep and cows dotted about.
On the coastlines you’ll find rugged cliffs that look as dramatic as they do beautiful! All this means that any photos or paintings you take from Ireland are always going to be very striking!
Rolling Hills
There are lots of rolling hills in Ireland and you can find them all over the country. One example is that from County Kerry you’ll see beautiful green rolling hills which touch upon the coastlines.
There’s also lots of farmland too where sheep, cows and horses wander about.
*Wrap It Up
Ireland is more than just its beautiful rolling hills, lush green pastures and dramatic coastlines. It’s the country with the Guinness, the country with some of the most vivid history on Earth, and it’s a place where you can truly find yourself so far away from home without ever really leaving home at all. Let’s explore more of Ireland’s many wonders!
Whether you’re looking for an adventure or to relax by the seaside – there are plenty of things that make this small island stand out as one-of-a-kind destination in Europe. Now your turn, what would you add? Let us know using the comments below if there’s anything we missed out on.
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