It’s sort of funny how there are only about five million people living in Ireland, but are about 10 times that amount of Irish people living elsewhere in the world. In fact, it’s hard to walk down the street of just about any major city in the world without running into an Irish pub. For a small country, it sure has a lot of links and history to it.

I guess, we should really be calling the country the Republic of Ireland now as it’s officially called or Eire, as it’s known locally. The small island also offers a lot in the way of culture, charm and way of life. There’s water all around the place and some fantastic scenery, especially with the rugged cliffs jutting out of blue/green seas.  The rivers and lakes also make for some wonderful imagery.

There’s tons of coastline in Ireland, but it’s not exactly the white sand and sunny beaches type. However there are some nice ones and some quaint little fishing villages as well. I guess the problem with heading to the beach in Ireland is usually the weather. It’s not really cold, but it’s not hot either. It’s just sort of stuck in the middle around 70 degrees during the summer and a little bit cooler in the winters at about 40.

The quality of life’s pretty good there and the capital of Dublin is quite stunning, vibrant, and cosmopolitan. It offers a lot in the way of history, arts, culture, politics, and literature. And of course, the great thing about the nation is there’s so much countryside with small villages and towns. These are also famous for their pubs and it’s hard to visit the country without sitting in one of them drinking a pint. It’s just a part of life there.

The country is actually separated into 26 small counties which are fun to explore by car. You can also hop on a train if you’ve got to travel quite a distance or if you don’t have a car while there. The train service is quite good and reliable. Most of the major towns are easily accessible. These include Limerick, Cork, Galway, and Waterford.

There’s a lot of Gaelic influence and tradition in Ireland and it’s quite evident when you listen to the music and language and witness the culture and art. But you’ll find that most people speak English only and they seem to sing when they talk because of the lyrical accent. The currency used is the euro, so just remember that if you’ve gone and changed your cash into English pounds.

You’ll find plenty of historical sites to visit such as abbeys, churches, cathedrals, and monasteries. One of the most popular is Dublin’s Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.  There’ are also a lot of ancient ruins to see, including prehistoric tombs and stones and tombs. Some of the best sites to see are the Palace of the Boyne, Castlestrange stone, Turoe Stone, and Drombeg circle. And what would a trip to Ireland be without taking a look at the castles, such as Kilkenny, Ashford, and Dublin Castles.

Music and sports are also quite popular along with cinema, visual arts, and cinema. You’ll notice that rock, folk, and traditional music is hot and Gaelic football, rugby, hurling, motor sports, and soccer are the top sports.

It’s pretty easy to get to Ireland as there are three international airports there as well as a few ferry services around the island. It’s a wonderful land to explore with charming and friendly people and there’s no need to wait until St. Patrick’s Day to pop over for a drink.