Ireland Facts & Information

Location	Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Climate	Temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain	Mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Population	4,015,676
Nationality	Irish
Ethnic groups	Celtic, English
Religions	Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%
Languages	English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (official) (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Government Type	Republic
Capital	Dublin
Currency	Euro (EUR)
Description of Flag	Three equal vertical bands of green, white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange, white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green, white, and red.
Ireland Flag

More Information
 www.cia.gov

Dublin Culture

city houses more than 800 of them. More traditional style pubs are brightly lit and don’t play jukebox music, inspiring an atmosphere that promotes dialogue amongst patrons. Don’t be surprised if the locals strike up a conversation with you while sitting at a bar. They are proud of their fair city and don’t mind giving out recommendations of places to visit while you are in town.

A typical night out for a Dubliner is to gather a few “mates,” and head to the local pub for a good craic (crack), the Irish way to say “good time.” There is a light-hearted nature amongst the Irish, so you will probably overhear a group of friends teasing each other, or “giving out.” It may be the combination of sense of humor and competition that allowed the Irish to persevere the many hardships they have seen over the years.

More Information:
 www.cia.gov

Dublin Shopping

thoroughfare. Be sure to glance up at the fine buildings along Grafton Street, as they are often forgotten about during the frenzied shopping that takes place all day.

At the top of Grafton Street is St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre. Inside you will find dozens of boutiques offering Irish crafts and couture, as well as two large department stores.

Another central shopping area runs from Henry Street to O' Connell Street and can be easily traveled on foot.

The hip Temple Bar area is a hot spot for record stores and vintage 1960s clothing. Three stops to make on Upper Fownes Street are at Sharp’s Ville, The Real McCoy and Flip.

And in a city known for its literary heritage, Dublin does not disappoint book lovers. Stroll down Dawson Street to hit many of the city’s bookstores and on Saturdays, visit Meeting House Square when the used-booksellers of Temple Bar take over.

Irish wares like lavender scented sachets, a hand-knit Aran sweater or scarf, a piece of Waterford crystal or a linen table cloth make nice gifts to bring home.

Dublin Travel Guides
 Frommer's Dublin
 Lonely Planet Dublin
 Let's Go Dublin
 Fodors Dublin