Fun Facts About Ireland!

· The island of Ireland is actually not the country of Ireland (the Republic of Ireland). In fact, the Republic of Ireland is the Southern 5/6th of the island, and the northern 1/6th, called Northern Ireland, has belonged to Great Britain since the 1920s.

· Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland.

· The country was named “Ireland in 1937”, but was named its present name in 1949 when the country became free of a king’s rule.

· It is ranked the seventh most developed nation in the world.

· It became a member of the EU in 1973.

· The weather in Ireland is known for being cold and rainy. This is due to the warm oceanic currents that flow along Ireland’s shores. The average temperatures range from 29 (lowest) to 79 (highest). The southwest receives the most rain, while the southeast receives the least (Dublin area). This is also the area with the highest sunshine duration.

· Ireland has a president who is in office for a seven-year term. Presidents may only be re-elected once (like America).

· There are approximately 4.6 million Irish citizens.

· The Republic of Ireland has the highest birth rate among the EU.

· Irish is the national language, but English is very dominant throughout the country. Polish is also very popular.

· 84% of Irish citizens are part of the Roman Catholic faith.

· U2 originated from Ireland.

· St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday.

· The Shamrock has been a national symbol since the 1600s.

· It s ranked 5th in the world for gender equality.

· Gaelic football and hurling are the most popular sports to watch in Ireland. However, soccer is the most popular sport to participate in as well as the third most popular to watch.

· Golf is also very popular  in Ireland, with over 300 courses throughout the country.

· Rugby, boxing, and cricket are also popular sports.

· Salmon and cod are the most popular fish.

· Dublin has the largest city park in the world. The President and the United States Prime Minister live inside the park.

· There is a bridge in the shape of a harp in Dublin. The harp is the national symbol of Ireland.

· The River Shannon is the longest river in the British Isles. It is 214 miles long.

· There are 248,000 farm families in Ireland.

· The average farm is small, only about 50 acres in size.

· Ireland exports around eight billion Euros worth of beef and lamb. They also export milk, cheese, yogurt, and cream products.

· There are no basements in Ireland because they are too expensive, and the ground is too moist. They store their belongings in their attic.

· Houses are bungalow style.

· Zip codes do not exist.

· “crack” is to have a good time.

· The prefix “kil” means church or woodlands.