Éire Ireland
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Amhrán na bhFiann   The Soldier's Song
Location of  Republic of Ireland  (dark green) – on the European continent  (light green & dark grey) – in the European Union  (light green)  —  [Legend]
Capital (and largest city)		Dublin 53°20.65′N, 6°16.05′W
Official languages		Irish, English
Ethnic groups		White: 94. The Coat of arms of Ireland is Blazoned as azure a harp or stringed argent - a gold Harp with silver strings on a St A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's ga '''''Amhrán na bhFiann''''' ( is the National anthem of Ireland. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in General demographics 4239848 (2006 Census 4339000 (2007 est 4442100 (2008 est Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States 8% (including 0. 5% Irish Traveller) Asian: 1. 3% Black: 1. 1% Other/Mixed: 1. 1% Not Stated: 1. 7%[1]
Demonym		Irish
Government		Republic and Parliamentary democracy
-	President	Mary McAleese
-	Taoiseach	Brian Cowen, TD
-	Tánaiste	Mary Coughlan, TD
Independence		from the United Kingdom
-	Declared	24 April 1916
-	Ratified	21 January 1919
-	Recognised	6 December 1922
-	Current constitution	29 December 1937
EU accession		January 1, 1973
Area
-	Total	70,273 km² (120th) 27,133 sq mi
-	Water (%)	2. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place The Irish people ( Irish: Muintir na hÉireann, na hÉireannaigh, na Gaeil) are a Western European Ethnic group who originate For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which The President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ is the Head of state of Ireland. WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Academic titles --> Mary Patricia McAleese (Máire Pádraigín The Taoiseach (ˈtiːʃəx in English t̪ˠiːʃʲəx (plural Taoisigh ( or) in Irish) also referred to as An Taoiseach ( t̪ˠiːʃʲəx is the the Brian Cowen (Brian Ó Comhain born) is the current Taoiseach of Ireland. The Tánaiste (ˈtɑːnəʃtʲə plural Tánaistí) or more formally An Tánaiste, is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. Mary Coughlan (Máire Ní Chochláinn born 28 May 1965 is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician The history of Ireland begins with the first known settlement in Ireland around 8000 BC when Hunter-gatherers arrived from Great Britain and continental The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 The Proclamation of the Republic, also known as the 1916 Proclamation or Easter Proclamation, was a document issued by the Irish Volunteers and Irish Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The Declaration of Independence (Forógra na Saoirse Déclaration d'Indépendance was a document adopted by Dáil Éireann, the revolutionary parliament of the self-proclaimed Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Anglo-Irish Treaty (An Conradh Angla-Éireannach officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a Treaty Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann came into force on 29 December 1937 after having been passed by a national plebiscite the previous July Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in A Member State of the European Union is any one of the twenty-seven sovereign Nation states that have acceded the European Union (EU since its De facto New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 00
Population
-	2007 estimate	4,339,000[2]
-	2006 census	4,239,848 (121st)
-	Density	60. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 3/km² (139th) 147. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$177. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 2 billion (50th)
-	Per capita	$45,600 (8th)
GDP (nominal)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$202. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita 9 billion (30th)
-	Per capita	$50,150 (5th)
HDI (2005)		▲ 0. PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 959 (high) (5th)
Currency		Euro (€)¹ (EUR)
Time zone		WET (UTC+0)
-	Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC+1)
Internet TLD		.ie2
Calling code		+353
Patron saint		St. Patrick
1	Before 1999: Irish pound. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e The euro sign (€ is the Currency sign used for the Euro, the official currency of the European Union (EU ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Western European Time ( WET, UTC+0, and commonly known as Greenwich Mean Time in the United Kingdom) is the Time zone Daylight saving time ( DST Western European Summer Time ( WEST) is a summer Daylight saving time scheme 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Western European Summer Time ( WEST) is a summer Daylight saving time scheme 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members Saint Patrick (Patricius Irish: Naomh Pádraig) was a Roman Britain -born Christian Missionary and is the Patron saint The Irish pound ( English) or punt Éireannach ( Irish) was the Currency of Ireland until 2002
2	The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

Ireland (Irish: Éire, pronounced [ˈeːrʲə]) is a country in north-western Europe. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Éire (ˈeːrʲə) is the Irish name for the island of Ireland and of the state of the same name. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was first partitioned on May 3, 1921. Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The Partition of Ireland took place on 3 May 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar It is bordered by Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) to the north, by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and by the Irish Sea to the east. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Irish Sea ( Irish: Muir Éireann or Muir Meann; Scottish Gaelic: Muir Eireann Welsh: Môr Iwerddon, Legally, the term Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the description of the State but Ireland is its name. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. ^[3]

In the early 20th century, Ireland became the successor-state to the Irish Free State. The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by Ireland was one of the poorest countries in Western Europe and had high emigration. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The protectionist economy was opened in the late 1950s and Ireland joined the European Community (now the European Union) in 1973. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in An economic crisis led Ireland to start large-scale economic reforms in the late 1980s. Ireland reduced taxation and regulation dramatically compared to other EU countries. ^[4]

Today, the Index of Economic Freedom ranks Ireland as the world's third most economically free country. The Index of Economic Freedom is a series of 10 economic measurements created by the Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation to measure the degree of Economic freedom This liberalisation has transformed Ireland into one of the fastest growing, richest, most developed and peaceful countries on earth, having the fifth highest gross domestic product per capita and the eighth highest gross domestic product per capita considering purchasing power parity,^[5] and having the fifth highest Human Development Index rank. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP The country also boasts the highest quality of life in the world, ranking first in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Quality-of-life index. The Economist Intelligence Unit ( EIU) is part of The Economist Group. The Economist Intelligence Unit ’s quality of life index is based on a unique methodology that links the results of Subjective life-satisfaction surveys to the Ireland was ranked fourth on the Global Peace Index. The Global Peace Index is an attempt to measure the relative position of nations’ and regions’ peacefulness Ireland also has high rankings for its education system, political freedom and civil rights, press freedom and economic freedom; it was also ranked fourth from the bottom on the Failed States Index, being one of the few "sustainable" states in the world. This is a list of countries by order of appearance in the Fund For Peace 's Failed States Index Ireland has emerged as an attractive destination and foreign immigrants who now make up approximately 10% of the population. Ireland's population is the fastest growing in Europe with an annual growth rate of 2. 5%.

Ireland is a member of the EU, the OECD, and the UN. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Ireland's policy of neutrality means it is not a member of NATO, although it does contribute to peacekeeping missions sanctioned by the UN. Irish neutrality has been a policy of the Irish Free State and its successor Ireland, since independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain The North Atlantic Treaty Peacekeeping, as defined by the United Nations, is "a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace

Contents 1 Name 2 History 2.1 Early background 2.2 Home Rule statute 2.3 Mounting resistance 2.4 Permeating partition 2.5 New Constitution 2.6 Economic opening 2.7 Recent history 3 Politics 4 Counties 5 Geography, climate, and environment 5.1 Impact of agriculture 6 Education 7 Economy 8 Military 9 Demographics 9.1 Languages 9.2 Recent population growth 10 Religion 10.1 Religion and politics 10.1.1 Constitution 10.1.2 Abortion and Divorce 10.1.3 Sex Abuse Scandals 10.1.4 Education 10.1.5 Contraception and Gay Rights 11 Culture 12 Architecture 13 Entertainment 14 Sport 15 Transport 16 See also 17 References 18 Bibliography and further reading 19 External links

Name

Main article: Names of the Irish state

Article 4 of the Irish constitution, which was adopted in 1937, provides that “the name of the state is Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland”. The state whose official name is Ireland (Éire and whose description is the Republic of Ireland (Poblacht na hÉireann is and has been known by a number of The Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann came into force on 29 December 1937 after having been passed by a national plebiscite the previous July ^[6] For all official purposes including in international treaties and in other legal documents, where the language of the documents is English, the Irish government uses the name Ireland. The same is true in respect of the name Éire for documents written in Irish. Institutions of the European Union follow the same practice. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Since Irish became an official EU language on 1 January 2007, at EU meetings name plates for the state read as Éire - Ireland, just as the two official names are used on Irish passports. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Irish passports are issued by the Consular and Passport Division Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland. ^[7]

Since 1949 the Republic of Ireland Act has provided that the Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description for the state. The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 is an Act of the Oireachtas whose primary provisions were to declare that the state Ireland, is a Republic and that the President Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. The Act was intended primarily to declare that Ireland was a republic rather than a form of constitutional monarchy. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is It provided the state’s official description but it did not change its name.

What is now Ireland has been known by a range of other names, all of which are still sometimes used unofficially. The whole island of Ireland was unilaterally proclaimed an independent republic by rebels in 1916 and styled as the Irish Republic (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann, subsequently also Saorstát Éireann). The Proclamation of the Republic, also known as the 1916 Proclamation or Easter Proclamation, was a document issued by the Irish Volunteers and Irish The Irish Republic ( Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann or Saorstát Éireann) was a unilaterally declared independent state of Ireland proclaimed Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Following the 1918 general election, that proclamation was ratified by a large majority of the Irish Members of Parliament. The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom The Proclamation of the Republic, also known as the 1916 Proclamation or Easter Proclamation, was a document issued by the Irish Volunteers and Irish A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Between 1921 and 1922, when the British government legislated to establish what is now Ireland as an autonomous region of the United Kingdom, it was named Southern Ireland. Southern Ireland (Deisceart Éireann was the short lived autonomous region (or Constituent country) of the United Kingdom established on 3 May Following the Anglo-Irish Agreement, from 1922 until 1937, as a dominion in the British Commonwealth, it was styled as the Irish Free State (Irish:Saorstát Éireann). The Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and Ireland which aimed to bring an end to The Troubles in Northern Ireland A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. That name was abolished with the adoption of the current Irish constitution. The Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann came into force on 29 December 1937 after having been passed by a national plebiscite the previous July Other colloquial names such as the Twenty-Six Counties and The South (a name frequently used by people in Northern Ireland) are also often used. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of

History

Main articles: History of the Republic of Ireland and History of Ireland

Ireland is the successor-state to the Dominion called the Irish Free State. The Republic of Ireland first became an independent state on 6 December 1922 The history of Ireland begins with the first known settlement in Ireland around 8000 BC when Hunter-gatherers arrived from Great Britain and continental The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by That Dominion came into being when all of the island of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 6 December 1922. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 However, the following day the Parliament of Northern Ireland exercised its right under the Anglo-Irish Treaty to opt back into the United Kingdom. The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule Legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, The Anglo-Irish Treaty (An Conradh Angla-Éireannach officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a Treaty The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[8] This action, known as the Partition of Ireland, followed four attempts to introduce devolved autonomous government over the whole island of Ireland (in 1886, 1893, 1914 and 1920). The Partition of Ireland took place on 3 May 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The Irish Home Rule bills were bills introduced in the British House of Commons during the late 19th and early 20th centuries intended to grant self-government and The Irish Free State was abolished when Ireland was formally established on 29 December 1937, the day its constitution came into force. The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by The Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann came into force on 29 December 1937 after having been passed by a national plebiscite the previous July

Irish independence in 1922 was preceded by the Easter Rising of 1916, when Irish volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army took over sites in Dublin and Galway under terms expressed in the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. The Easter Rising (Éirí Amach na Cásca was a rebellion staged in Ireland in Easter Week, 1916 The Proclamation of the Republic, also known as the 1916 Proclamation or Easter Proclamation, was a document issued by the Irish Volunteers and Irish The seven signatories of this proclamation, Patrick Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh, Thomas Clarke, Sean MacDiarmada, Joseph Plunkett, Eamonn Ceannt and James Connolly, were executed, along with nine others, and thousands were interned precipitating the Irish War of Independence. Patrick Henry Pearse (also known as Pádraig Pearse; Pádraig Anraí Mac Piarais An Piarsach; 10 November 1879 &ndash 3 May 1916 was a teacher barrister Thomas MacDonagh ( Tomás Mac Donnchadha) ( 1 February, 1878 &ndash 3 May, 1916) was an Irish nationalist, Poet, Tom Clarke or Thomas Clarke may refer to Tom Clarke (politician (born 1941 British Member of Parliament Tom Clarke (Irish republican Seán Mac Diarmada ( February 28, 1883 &ndash May 12, 1916) (born John MacDermott, usually used the name Sean MacDermott Joseph Mary Plunkett ( 21 November 1887 &ndash 4 May 1916) was an Irish nationalist poet journalist and leader of the 1916 Éamonn Ceannt (born Edward Thomas Kent ( 21 September, 1881 &ndash 8 May, 1916) was an Irish Nationalist and James Connolly (Séamas Ó Conghaile 5 June 1868 &ndash 12 May 1916 was an Irish Socialist leader The Irish War of Independence (or Tan War, or Anglo-Irish War, Irish: Cogadh na Saoirse) from January 1919 to July 1921 was a guerrilla

Early background

From the Act of Union on 1 January 1801 until 6 December 1922, Ireland had been part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The phrase Act of Union 1800 (or sometimes Act of Union 1801) (Acht an Aontais 1800 is used to describe two complementary Acts whose official United Kingdom titles are New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1801 ( MDCCCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Tuesday Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 During the Great Famine from 1845 to 1849 the island's population of over 8 million fell by 30 percent. One million Irish died of starvation and another 1. 5 million emigrated,^[9] which set the pattern of emigration for the century to come and would result in a constant decline up to the 1960s. From 1874, but particularly from 1880 under Charles Stewart Parnell, the Irish Parliamentary Party moved to prominence through widespread agrarian agitation that won improved tenant land reforms and with its attempts to win two Home Rule Bills, which would have granted Ireland limited national autonomy within the United Kingdom. Charles Stewart Parnell ( 27 June 1846 &ndash 6 October 1891) was an Irish Protestant landowner nationalist The Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP (commonly called the Irish Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing The Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor Tenant farmers Its primary aim was to abolish British Prime Minister William Gladstone had taken up the " Irish Question " in part to win the general election of 1868 by uniting the Liberal Party The Irish Home Rule bills were bills introduced in the British House of Commons during the late 19th and early 20th centuries intended to grant self-government and These nevertheless led to the “grass-roots” control of national affairs under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 previously in the hands of landlord dominated grand juries. The Local Government (Ireland Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict c 37 is a piece of legislation passed as an Act of Parliament by the Parliament of the United Kingdom The Protestant Ascendancy is a convenient phrase used when referring to the political economic and social domination of the former Kingdom of Ireland by a minority of great

Life in the Republic of Ireland
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v • d • e

Home Rule statute

Home Rule seemed certain in 1911 when the House of Lords lost their veto, and John Redmond secured the Third Home Rule Act 1914. Irish cuisine can be divided into two main categories &ndash traditional mainly simple dishes and more modern dishes as served in restaurants and hotels The culture of the people living on the island of Ireland is far from monolithic Etiquette in Europe is not uniform Even the Regions of Europe do not have common Manners Even within a single country there may be different Customs especially Public holidays are observed in the Republic of Ireland on School Holidays (Primary In Ireland the academic year in Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the entire island of Ireland, North and South of the border 2006 Census The 2006 census showed the following results Eurobarometer Poll 2005 According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005 Sport on the island of Ireland is popular and widespread Levels of participation and spectating are high but as in other western regions participation Telecommunications in the Republic of Ireland, including Postal services run by An Post, are regulated to a large extent by the Commission The economy of the Republic of Ireland is modern and trade-dependent with growth averaging a 7% per annum in 1995&ndash2007 The system of Taxation in Ireland is broadly similar to the system of Taxation in the United Kingdom. Most of the transport system in Ireland is in public hands either side of the Irish border. The architecture of Ireland is one of the most visible features in the Irish countryside - with remains from all eras since the Stone age abounding The geography of Ireland describes an Island in Northwest Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean. The history of Ireland begins with the first known settlement in Ireland around 8000 BC when Hunter-gatherers arrived from Great Britain and continental Óglaigh na hÉireann the Irish Defence Forces encompass the Army, Navy, air corps and reserve forces of Ireland. Rates of household recycling in Ireland have increased dramatically since the late 1990s but are still lagging behind European averages General demographics 4239848 (2006 Census 4339000 (2007 est 4442100 (2008 est The Republic of Ireland 's education system is quite similar to that of most other western countries "Health care in Ireland" redirects here For health care in Northern Ireland see Health and Care NI The public Health care system The media in Ireland include all the media and Communications outlets of any other developed nation The Government of Ireland (Rialtas na hÉireann n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ is the Cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. The Republic of Ireland has a Common law Legal system with a written constitution which provides for a parliamentary democracy based on the British parliamentary system Law enforcement on the island of Ireland is divided into two distinctive areas due to political boundaries The Republic of Ireland is a parliamentary representative democratic Republic. The foreign relations of Ireland are substantially influenced by its membership of the European Union, although bilateral relations with the United States Abortion in Ireland has had a controversial history and remains a disputed subject today Prostitution itself is not illegal in the Republic of Ireland, but the law criminalises many activities associated with it The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" The Parliament Acts are two Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom, passed in 1911 and 1949 that form part of the Constitution of the United John Edward Redmond (Seán Éamonn Mac Réamoinn (1 September 1856 &ndash 6 March 1918 was an Irish nationalist Politician, Barrister, MP The Home Rule Act of 1914, also known as the ( Irish) Third Home Rule Act (or Bill) and formally known as the Government of Ireland Act 1914 The Unionist movement, however, had been growing since 1886 among Irish Protestants after the introduction of the first home rule bill, fearing that they would face discrimination and lose economic and social privileges if Irish Catholics were to achieve real political power. Unionism in Ireland, is a belief in the desirability of a full constitutional and institutional relationship between Ireland and Great Britain based on the terms and Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Though Irish unionism existed throughout the whole of Ireland, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century unionism was particularly strong in parts of Ulster, where industrialisation was more common in contrast to the more agrarian rest of the island. The Ulster Unionist Party ( UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP or in a historic sense simply the Unionist Party (Any tariff barriers would, it was feared, most heavily hit that region. ) In addition, the Protestant population was more strongly located in Ulster, with unionist majorities existing in about four counties.

Mounting resistance

Under the leadership of the Dublin-born Sir Edward Carson of the Irish Unionist Party and the northerner Sir James Craig of the Ulster Unionist Party unionists became strongly militant in order to oppose the Coercion of Ulster. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Edward Henry Carson Baron Carson, PC, Kt, KC (often known as Sir Edward Carson or Lord Carson) ( The Irish Unionist Alliance (also known as the Irish Unionist Party) was a Unionist party founded in Ireland in the second half of the 19th century James Craig 1st Viscount Craigavon, Bart, PC ( 8 January 1871 – 24 November 1940) was a prominent Irish unionist The Ulster Unionist Party ( UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP or in a historic sense simply the Unionist Party The Ulster Volunteers were a unionist militia founded in 1912 to block Home Rule for Ireland. In 1914, to avoid rebellion with Ulster, the British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, with agreement of the Irish Party leadership, amended a clause into the bill providing for home rule for 26 of the 32 counties, with an as of yet undecided new set of measures to be introduced for the area to be temporarily excluded. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Herbert Henry Asquith 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC ( 12 September 1852 &ndash 15 February 1928) served The Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP (commonly called the Irish Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing Though it received the Royal Assent and was placed on the statute books, the Third Home Rule Act 1914's implementation was suspended until after the Great War. The granting of Royal Assent is the formal method by which a constitutional monarch completes the legislative process of Lawmaking by formally assenting to an The Home Rule Act of 1914, also known as the ( Irish) Third Home Rule Act (or Bill) and formally known as the Government of Ireland Act 1914 World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All (The war at that stage was expected to be ended by 1915, not the four years it did ultimately last. ) For the prior reasons of ensuring the implementation of the Act at the end of the war, Redmond and his Irish National Volunteers supported the Allied cause, and 175,000 joined Irish regiments of the 10th (Irish), 16th (Irish) and 36th (Ulster) divisions of the New British Army. The National Volunteers was the name taken by the majority of the Irish Volunteers that sided with Irish Parliamentary Party leader John Redmond after the The Entente Powers (from Triple Entente) were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. An Irish regiment is a Regiment (or similar military unit excluding those actually in the Irish Defence Forces, that at some time in its history has or had intentional The 36th (Ulster Division was a division of Lord Kitchener's New Army formed in September 1914 The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army, was an (initially all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in ^[10]

In January 1919, after the December 1918 general election, 73 of Ireland's 106 MPs elected were Sinn Féin members who refused to take their seats in the British House of Commons. The Irish general election of 1918 was that part of the 1918 United Kingdom general election that took place in Ireland. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Sinn Féin () is a political party in Ireland. The current party led by Gerry Adams was formed following a split in January 1970 The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Instead, they set up an Irish parliament called Dáil Éireann. ga '''Dáil Éireann''' ( English House of Representatives of Ireland) is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament This Dáil in January 1919 issued a Declaration of Independence and proclaimed an Irish Republic. The First Dáil (An Chéad Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919&ndash1921 This article is about declarations of independence in general The Irish Republic ( Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann or Saorstát Éireann) was a unilaterally declared independent state of Ireland proclaimed The Declaration was mainly a restatement of the 1916 Proclamation with the additional provision that Ireland was no longer a part of the United Kingdom. The Proclamation of the Republic, also known as the 1916 Proclamation or Easter Proclamation, was a document issued by the Irish Volunteers and Irish The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The new Irish Republic was recognised internationally only by the Russian Republic. The Republic's Aireacht (ministry) sent a delegation under Ceann Comhairle Seán T. O'Kelly to the Paris Peace Conference, 1919, but it was not admitted. The Aireacht or Ministry was the cabinet of the 1919–1922 Irish Republic. The Ceann Comhairle (/kʲaːn̪ˠ ˈkoːrʎə/ Irish for "head of the council" is the speaker or chairperson of Dáil Éireann, the Seán Thomas O'Kelly (Seán Tomás Ó Ceallaigh 25 August 1882–23 November 1966 was the second President of Ireland (1945–1959

After the bitterly fought War of Independence, representatives of the British government and the Irish treaty delegates, led by Arthur Griffith, Robert Barton and Michael Collins negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London from 11 October – 6 December 1921. The Irish War of Independence (or Tan War, or Anglo-Irish War, Irish: Cogadh na Saoirse) from January 1919 to July 1921 was a guerrilla Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at Arthur Griffith (Art Ó Gríobhtha 31 March 1872 &ndash 12 August 1922 was the founder and third leader of Sinn Féin. Robert Childers Barton (Riobárd Bartún (1881&ndash10 August 1975 was a Irish lawyer statesman and farmer who participated in the negotiations leading up to the signature Michael John ("Mick" Collins (Mícheál Seán Ó Coileáin 16 October 1890 &ndash 22 August 1922 was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for The Anglo-Irish Treaty (An Conradh Angla-Éireannach officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a Treaty London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar The Irish delegates set up headquarters at Hans Place in Knightsbridge and it was here in private discussions that the decision was taken at 11. Hans Place, London SW1, England, is a prime residential garden square situated immediately south of Harrods in Knightsbridge. Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of Central London. 15am on 5 December to recommend the Treaty to Dáil Éireann. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Under the Treaty the British agreed to the establishment of an independent Irish State whereby the Irish Free State (in the Irish language Saorstát Éireann) with dominion status was created. The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and Dáil Éireann narrowly ratified the treaty. ga '''Dáil Éireann''' ( English House of Representatives of Ireland) is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in London on 6 December 1921.

History of Ireland series
Prehistory
Early history
Early Christian Ireland
Early medieval and Viking era
Norman Ireland
Early Modern Ireland 1536–1691
Ireland 1691–1801
Ireland 1801–1922
History of Ireland (state)
History of Northern Ireland
Economic history
v • d • e

The Treaty was not entirely satisfactory to either side. The history of Ireland begins with the first known settlement in Ireland around 8000 BC when Hunter-gatherers arrived from Great Britain and continental The last Ice Age came to an end in Ireland about 10000 BC. Human occupation of Ireland began about 7000 BC and the earliest humans are believed to have migrated from Prehistory Mesolithic (8000 BC - 4500 BC What little is known of pre- Christian Ireland comes from a few references in Roman writings The history of Ireland begins with the first known settlement in Ireland around 8000 BC when Hunter-gatherers arrived from Great Britain and continental The Early Medieval era in Ireland from 800 to 1166 is characterised by Viking raids then settlement in what had become a stable and wealthy country The later medieval period in Ireland (" Norman Ireland " was dominated by the Cambro-Norman invasion of the country in 1171. Early Modern Ireland saw the first full conquest of Ireland by England and its colonization with Protestant settlers from England and Scotland This period in Ireland's history was marked by the dominance of the so-called Protestant Ascendancy. From 1801 to 1922 the whole island of Ireland formed a constituent part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (UK The Republic of Ireland first became an independent state on 6 December 1922 Northern Ireland was established as a distinct region of the United Kingdom on 3 May 1921 under the terms of the Government of Ireland Act 1920. To 1800 The first settlers in Ireland were seafarers who survived largely by Fishing, Hunting and gathering. It gave more concessions to the Irish than the British had intended to give but did not go far enough to satisfy republican aspirations. The new Irish Free State was in theory to cover the entire island, subject to the proviso that six counties in the north-east, termed "Northern Ireland" (which had been created as one of the two separate Home Rule regions under the Government of Ireland Act 1920) could opt out and choose to remain part of the United Kingdom, which they duly did. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of An Act to Provide for the Better Government of Ireland, more usually the Government of Ireland Act 1920, (and sometimes called the Fourth Home Rule Act) was an Act The remaining twenty-six counties (originally "Southern Ireland" under the Act) became the Irish Free State, a constitutional monarchy over which the British monarch reigned (from 1927 with the title King of Ireland). Southern Ireland (Deisceart Éireann was the short lived autonomous region (or Constituent country) of the United Kingdom established on 3 May The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The King was the Head of state of the 1922–1937 Irish Free State. It had a Governor-General, a bicameral parliament, a cabinet called the "Executive Council" and a prime minister called the President of the Executive Council. The Governor-General (Seanascal was the representative of the King in the 1922&ndash1937 Irish Free State. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral The Executive Council (Ard-Chomhairle was the cabinet and de facto Executive branch of government of the 1922&ndash1937 Irish Free State. The President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State ( Irish: Uachtarán ar Ard-Chomhairle Shaorstát Éireann) was the Head of government or prime

Permeating partition

The Irish Civil War was the direct consequence of the creation of the Irish Free State. The Irish Civil War ( June 28 1922 &ndash May 24 1923) pitted supporters of the Anglo-Irish Treaty against its opponents Anti-Treaty forces, led by Éamon de Valera, objected to the fact that acceptance of the Treaty abolished the Irish Republic of 1919 to which they had sworn loyalty, arguing in the face of public support for the settlement that the "people have no right to do wrong". Éamon de Valera (ˈeɪmən dɛvəˈlɛrə (born Edward George de Valera) (14 October 1882 &ndash 29 August 1975 was one of the dominant political figures in 20th century The Irish Republic ( Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann or Saorstát Éireann) was a unilaterally declared independent state of Ireland proclaimed They objected most to the fact that the state would remain part of the British Commonwealth and that Teachtaí Dála would have to swear an oath of fidelity to King George V and his successors. A Teachta Dála (ˈtʲaxtə ˈdɑːlə is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas (Parliament of the Republic of Ireland. Pro-Treaty forces, led by Michael Collins, argued that the Treaty gave "not the ultimate freedom that all nations aspire to and develop, but the freedom to achieve it". Michael John ("Mick" Collins (Mícheál Seán Ó Coileáin 16 October 1890 &ndash 22 August 1922 was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for

At the start of the war, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) split into two opposing camps: a pro-treaty IRA and an anti-treaty IRA. The Irish Republican Army ( IRA) (Óglaigh na hÉireann was a military organisation descended from the Irish Volunteers, established 25 November 1913 and who This article deals with the Irish republican organisation opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty styling itself "Irish Republican Army" as it existed from the time of the Treaty The pro-Treaty IRA became part of the new Irish Army. The Irish Army ( Arm na hÉireann) is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces ( Óglaigh na hÉireann) However, through the lack of an effective command structure in the anti-Treaty IRA, and their defensive tactics throughout the war, Collins and his pro-treaty forces were able to build up an army with many tens of thousands of WWI veterans from the 1922 disbanded Irish regiments of the British Army, capable of overwhelming the anti-Treatyists. Michael John ("Mick" Collins (Mícheál Seán Ó Coileáin 16 October 1890 &ndash 22 August 1922 was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for An Irish regiment is a Regiment (or similar military unit excluding those actually in the Irish Defence Forces, that at some time in its history has or had intentional British supplies of artillery, aircraft, machine-guns and ammunition boosted pro-treaty forces, and the threat of a return of Crown forces to the Free State removed any doubts about the necessity of enforcing the treaty. The lack of public support for the anti-treaty forces (often called the Irregulars) and the determination of the government to overcome the Irregulars contributed significantly to their defeat.

The Free State Army suffered 800 fatalities and perhaps as many as 4,000 people were killed altogether. The destruction caused by the war caused considerable economic damage to the Free State in the earliest days of its existence, and Northern Ireland's Unionists became hardened in distancing themselves from the Free State.

New Constitution

On December 29, 1937, a new constitution, the Constitution of Ireland, came into force. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann came into force on 29 December 1937 after having been passed by a national plebiscite the previous July It replaced the Irish Free State by a new state called simply "Ireland". Though this state's constitutional structures provided for a President of Ireland instead of a king, it was not technically a republic; the principal key role possessed by a head of state, that of symbolically representing Ireland internationally remained vested, in statute law, in the King as an organ of the Irish government. The President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ is the Head of state of Ireland. The Irish government had also taken steps to formally abolish the Office of Governor-General some months before the new Constitution came into force. The Governor-General (Seanascal was the representative of the King in the 1922&ndash1937 Irish Free State. ^[11]

Ireland remained neutral during World War II, a period it described as The Emergency. See also Irish neutrality The policy of Irish neutrality during World War II was adopted by Dáil Éireann (the Parliament of Ireland World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Emergency (Ré na Práinne was an official Euphemism used by the Irish Government during the 1940s to refer to its position during World War II.

On 18 April 1949, the Republic of Ireland Act came into force. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 is an Act of the Oireachtas whose primary provisions were to declare that the state Ireland, is a Republic and that the President Under that Act, Ireland declared that it was a republic and delegated the functions previously exercised by the King acting on the behalf of the Irish government to the President of Ireland instead.

The Irish state had remained a member of the then-British Commonwealth after independence until the declaration of a republic on 18 April 1949. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Under the Commonwealth rules at the time, a declaration of a republic automatically terminated membership of the Commonwealth. Ireland therefore immediately ceased to be a member and did not subsequently reapply for membership when the Commonwealth later changed its rules to allow republics to join the Commonwealth. Ireland joined the United Nations in 1955. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

Economic opening

From the 1920s Ireland had high trade barriers such as high tariffs and a policy of import substitution. A high number of residents emigrated. In the 1950s, 400,000 (a seventh of the population) emigrated. ^[12] It became increasingly clear that economic nationalism was unsustainable. While other European countries enjoyed fast growth, Ireland suffered economic stagnation, emigration, and other ills. ^[12]

The policy changes were drawn together in Eco­nomic Development, an official paper published in 1958 that advocated free trade, foreign investment, productive (rather than mainly social) investment, and growth rather than fiscal restraint as the prime objective of economic management. Free trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions ^[12] Ireland joined the European Community (now the European Union) in 1973. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

During the 1970s, the population increased for the first time since independence, by 15 percent for the decade. National income increased at an annual rate of about 4 percent. Employment increased by around 1 percent per year, but the state sector amounted to a large part of that. Public sector employment was a third of the total workforce by 1980. Budget deficits and public debt increased, leading to the crisis in the 1980s. ^[12]

In the Northern Ireland question, Irish governments started to seek a peaceful reunification of Ireland and have usually cooperated with the British government in the violent conflict involving many paramilitaries and the British Army in Northern Ireland known as "The Troubles". Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force but which are not regarded as having the same status The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, the Belfast Agreement, was approved in 1998 in referendums north and south of the border. The Agreement, most often referred to as the Belfast Agreement (Comhaontú Bhéal Feirste Belfast Greeance or the Good Friday Agreement (Comhaontú Aoine an As part of the peace settlement, Ireland dropped its territorial claim to Northern Ireland. Article 2 and Article 3 of the Constitution of Ireland ( Bunreacht na hÉireann) were adopted with the constitution as a whole on 29 December 1937 but completely The peace settlement is currently being implemented.

Recent history

By the 1980s, underlying economic problems become pronounced. High unemployment, emigration, growing public debt returned. Middle income workers were taxed 60% of their income. Unemployment was 20%. Annual emigration to overseas reached over 1% of population. Public deficits reached 15% of GDP. The Fianna Fail, which was largely responsible for the spending hikes in the 1970s, was elected in 1987 and surprised everyone by announcing a swing toward small government. Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the

Public spending was reduced quickly and taxes cut. Ireland promoted competition in all areas. For instance, Ryanair utilized Ireland's deregulated aviation market and helped European regulators to see benefits of competition in transport markets. Ryanair (,) is an Irish Airline with headquarters in Dublin and its biggest operational base at London Stansted Airport in the UK The more competitive economy attracted foreign investment quickly. Intel invested in 1989 and was followed by hordes of technology companies such as Microsoft and Google, who have found Ireland an excellent investment location. Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer Google Inc is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online All government parties have had a consensus about the economic development. ^[12]

In less than a decade, the GDP per capita ranking rose from 21st in 1993 to 4th in 2002. ^[13] Between 1985 and 2002, private sector jobs increased 59% compared to -1% in Sweden. ^[4] Between 1984 and 2002, GDP per capita increased 111% compared to 36% in Sweden. ^[4]

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Republic of Ireland

Ireland is a republic, with a parliamentary system of government. The President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ is the Head of state of Ireland. WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Academic titles --> Mary Patricia McAleese (Máire Pádraigín The Republic of Ireland is a parliamentary representative democratic Republic. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The President of Ireland, who serves as head of state, is elected for a seven-year term and can be re-elected only once. The President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ is the Head of state of Ireland. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The president is largely a figurehead but can still carry out certain constitutional powers and functions, aided by the Council of State, an advisory body. In politics a figurehead, by Metaphor with the carved figurehead at the prow of a sailing ship is a person who holds an important title or office yet executes little A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity The Council of State (Comhairle Stáit is an institution established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of The Taoiseach (prime minister), is appointed by the president on the nomination of parliament. The Taoiseach (ˈtiːʃəx in English t̪ˠiːʃʲəx (plural Taoisigh ( or) in Irish) also referred to as An Taoiseach ( t̪ˠiːʃʲəx is the the This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. The Taoiseach is normally the leader of the political party which wins the most seats in the national elections. It has become normal in the Republic for coalitions to form a government, and there has not been a single-party government since 1989. A coalition is an alliance among individuals during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own Self-interest.

The bicameral parliament, the Oireachtas, consists of the President of Ireland, a Senate, Seanad Éireann, being the upper House, and a House of Representatives, Dáil Éireann, being the lower House. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those The Oireachtas (ɛrʲaxt̪ˠasˠ is the "national parliament" or Legislature of Ireland, sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann. Seanad Éireann (ɕan̪ˠad̪ˠ erʲan̪ˠ English Senate of Ireland) also known unofficially as the Senate, is the Upper house of the Oireachtas ga '''Dáil Éireann''' ( English House of Representatives of Ireland) is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament ^[14] The Seanad is composed of sixty members; eleven nominated by the Taoiseach, six elected by two universities, and 43 elected by public representatives from panels of candidates established on a vocational basis. The Dáil has 166 members, Teachtaí Dála, elected to represent multi-seat constituencies under the system of proportional representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote. A Teachta Dála (ˈtʲaxtə ˈdɑːlə is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas (Parliament of the Republic of Ireland. The lower house of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament Dáil Éireann, currently contains 166 Teachtaí Dála (TDs representing 43 parliamentary constituencies Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation or PR is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes Single transferable vote (STV is a preferential Voting system designed to minimize Wasted votes and provide Proportional representation Under the constitution, parliamentary elections must be held at least every seven years, though a lower limit may be set by statute law. The current statutory maximum term is five years.

The Government is constitutionally limited to fifteen members. No more than two members of the Government can be selected from the Senate, and the Taoiseach, Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) and Minister for Finance must be members of the Dáil. The Tánaiste (ˈtɑːnəʃtʲə plural Tánaistí) or more formally An Tánaiste, is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current government consists of a coalition of three parties; Fianna Fáil under Taoiseach Brian Cowen, the Green Party under leader John Gormley and the Progressive Democrats under Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney. Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the Brian Cowen (Brian Ó Comhain born) is the current Taoiseach of Ireland. The Green Party (Comhaontas Glas lit Green Alliance) is a green Political party in Ireland. John Gormley (born 4 August 1959 is the leader of the Irish Green Party and the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government. The Progressive Democrats (An Páirtí Daonlathach lit The Democratic Party) commonly called The PDs, are a Free market liberal party in The Minister for Health and Children (Aire Sláinte agus Leanaí is the senior minister at the Department of Health and Children in the Government of Ireland Mary Harney (Máire Ní Áirne born 11 March 1953 is an Irish politician and is the current Minister for Health & Children. The last scheduled general election to the Dáil took place on 24 May 2007, after it was called by the Taoiseach on 29 April. The Irish general election of 2007 took place on 24 May 2007 after the dissolution of the 29th Dáil by the President on 29 April 2007 at the request of ga '''Dáil Éireann''' ( English House of Representatives of Ireland) is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans.

The main opposition in the current Dáil consists of Fine Gael under Enda Kenny, the Labour Party under Eamon Gilmore and Sinn Féin. Fine Gael – The United Ireland Party, shortened to Fine Gael (ˌfina gail meaning Family of the Irish or Tribe of the Irish, is the second largest For the Australian singer see Enda Kenny (singer Enda Kenny (Éanna Ó Cionnaith born 24 April 1951 an Irish politician The Labour Party (Páirtí an Lucht Oibre is a Democratic socialist and Social democratic Political party in the Republic of Ireland. Eamon Gilmore (born 24 April 1955 is the leader of the Irish Labour Party. Sinn Féin () is a political party in Ireland. The current party led by Gerry Adams was formed following a split in January 1970 A number of independent deputies also sit in Dáil Éireann though less in number than before the 2007 election.

Ireland joined the European Union in 1973 but has chosen to remain outside the Schengen Treaty. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The term Schengen Agreement is used for two agreements concluded among European states in 1985 and 1990 which deal with the abolition of systematic Border controls Citizens of the UK can freely enter Ireland without a passport thanks to the Common Travel Area, but some form of identification is required at airports and seaports. The Common Travel Area is a passport-free zone that comprises the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey Ireland has voted against a number of European treaties. On June 12, 2008, Ireland voted in a referendum which rejected the Lisbon treaty. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita The Treaty of Lisbon (also known as the Reform Treaty) is a Treaty designed to streamline the workings of the European Union (EU with amendments to the ^[15]

Counties

Main article: Counties of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland traditionally had twenty-six counties, and these are still used in cultural and sporting contexts. Since the late 16th century the Island of Ireland has been divided into 32 counties ( Irish language contae or condae A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. They are also used for postal purposes. Dáil constituencies are required by statute to follow county boundaries, as far as possible. ga '''Dáil Éireann''' ( English House of Representatives of Ireland) is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament Hence counties with greater populations have multiple constituencies (e. g. Limerick East/West) and some constituencies consist of more than one county (e. g. Sligo-North Leitrim), but by and large, the actual county boundaries are not crossed.

As local government units, however, some have been restructured, with the now-abolished County Dublin distributed among three new county councils in the 1990s and County Tipperary having been administratively two separate counties since the 1890s, giving a present-day total of twenty-nine administrative counties and five cities. County Dublin (Contae Bhaile Átha Cliath or more correctly today the Dublin Region ( Réigiúin Átha Cliath) is the area that contains the city of Dublin The five cities — Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford (Kilkenny is a city but does not possess a city council) — are administered separately from the remainder of their respective counties. Five boroughs — Clonmel, Drogheda, Kilkenny, Sligo and Wexford — have a level of autonomy within the county:

Map of the Republic of Ireland with numbered counties.

Republic of Ireland Dublin — Dublin City — Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown — Fingal — South Dublin Wicklow Wexford — Wexford Town (Borough) Carlow Kildare Meath Louth — Drogheda Town (Borough) Monaghan Cavan Longford Westmeath Offaly Laois Kilkenny — Kilkenny City (Borough)

Waterford — Waterford City Cork — Cork City Kerry Limerick — Limerick City Tipperary — North Tipperary — South Tipperary  — Clonmel Town (Borough) Clare Galway — Galway City Mayo Roscommon Sligo — Sligo Town (Borough) Leitrim Donegal

These counties are grouped together into regions for statistical purposes. County Dublin (Contae Bhaile Átha Cliath or more correctly today the Dublin Region ( Réigiúin Átha Cliath) is the area that contains the city of Dublin Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. The County of Dun Laoghaire&ndashRathdown (Contae Dhún Laoghaire&ndashRáth an Dúin is a county in Ireland formed from part of the old county of Dublin The County of Fingal ( is a county in Ireland. It was formed from part of the historic County Dublin. The County of South Dublin (Contae Átha Cliath Theas is a county in Ireland, with its county seat located in Tallaght. County Wicklow (Contae Chill Mhantáin is a county on the east coast of Ireland, immediately south of Dublin. County Wexford (Contae Loch Garman is a maritime county in the southeast of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. Wexford (derived from Old Norse Veisafjǫrðr (in some sources spelled "Waes Fiord" – veisa meaning "mudflat stagnant pool" County Carlow (Contae Cheatharlach is a County in Ireland located towards the south east of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. County Kildare (Contae Chill Dara is an Irish County located to the southwest of Dublin in the province of Leinster. County Meath (Contae na Mí is a county in Ireland, often informally called The Royal County County Louth (Contae Lú is a County on the East coast of Ireland, on the border with Northern Ireland. Drogheda (ˈdrɒhədə ˈdrɔːdə ( Droichead Átha in Irish, meaning "Bridge of the Ford" is an industrial and port town in County Louth on County Monaghan ('mɔnəhən Irish: Contae Mhuineacháin) is a county in Ireland. County Cavan ( Contae an Chabháin in Irish) is a County in Ireland. County Longford (Contae an Longfoirt is a county situated in the Irish Midlands, in northwest Leinster. County Westmeath (Contae na hIarmhí is a County situated in the Irish midlands, also popularly called the "Lake county" in the western part of the province County Offaly (Contae Uíbh Fhailí is a County in Leinster, Ireland, bordered by seven other counties Galway, Roscommon, Westmeath County Laois (liːʃ Contae Laoise in Irish) formerly also Laoighis or Leix, is a County in the midlands of Ireland, County Kilkenny ( is a landlocked county in Ireland. The county takes its name from the city of Kilkenny and has a population of 87558 Kilkenny, ( is a city and county town of County Kilkenny in Ireland. County Waterford (Contae Phort Láirge is a County in the province of Munster on the south coast of Ireland. Waterford ( or Windy fjord;) is a city in Ireland. It is the primary city of the South East region and the fifth largest in the country County Cork (Contae Chorcaí is the most southerly and the largest of the modern counties of Ireland. Cork (Corcaigh is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland 's third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast County Kerry ( Contae Chiarraí in Irish) is a southwestern county of Ireland. County Limerick ( Contae Luimnigh in Irish) is a County in the Province of Munster, located in the mid-west of Ireland with County Limerick (pronounced /ˈlɪmrɪk/ Luimneach in Irish) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the Province of Munster County Tipperary (Contae Thiobraid Árann is a County in Ireland situated in the Province of Munster. North Tipperary County (Contae Thiobraid Árann Thuaidh known until 2002 as Tipperary North Riding) is an Administrative county in Ireland, consisting South Tipperary County (County Thiobraid Árann Theas known until 2002 as Tipperary South Riding) is an Administrative county in Ireland, consisting of Clonmel ( Cluain Meala in Irish) in County Tipperary is the county seat of South Tipperary County Council. County Clare ( Irish: Contae an Chláir) commonly referred to as simply Clare, is a county on Ireland and part of the wider County Galway (Contae na Gaillimhe is located on the West Coast of Ireland. Galway (Gaillimh is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland. Not to be confused with Roscommon County Michigan, United States County Roscommon (Contae Ros Comáin is a County located in central Ireland County Sligo ( is a county in the province of Connacht in the west of Ireland. Sligo (disambiguation Sligo ( (ˈslaɪɡoʊ "sly-go" Irish ˈɕlʲɪɟəx is the County town of County Sligo in Ireland. County Leitrim ( is one of the counties of Ireland and is part of the province of Connacht. County Donegal (ˌdʌnəˈgɔːl Irish: Contae Dhún na nGall. Ireland is split into eight regions for NUTS statistical purposes

Geography, climate, and environment

Main articles: Geography of Ireland and Geography of the Republic of Ireland

Main article: Climate of Ireland

The island of Ireland extends over 84,421 Square kilometres (32,556 square miles), of which 83% (approx. The geography of Ireland describes an Island in Northwest Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean. This article concerns the geography of the Republic of Ireland. The climate of Ireland can be summed up as being mild moist and changeable with abundant Rainfall and a lack of Temperature extremes It is defined as a Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of five-sixths) belong to the Republic (70,280 km²; 27,103 sq mi), while the remainder constitute Northern Ireland. It is bound to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the northeast by the North Channel. The North Channel (known in Irish and Scottish Gaelic as Sruth na Maoile, and alternatively in English as the Straits of Moyle To the east is found the Irish Sea which reconnects to the ocean via the southwest with St George's Channel and the Celtic Sea. The Irish Sea ( Irish: Muir Éireann or Muir Meann; Scottish Gaelic: Muir Eireann Welsh: Môr Iwerddon, St George's Channel ( Welsh: Sianel San Siôr, Irish Muir Bhreatan) is a channel The Celtic Sea (An Mhuir Cheilteach Y Môr Celtaidd An Mor Keltek Ar Mor Keltiek La Mer Celtique is the area of the Atlantic Ocean off the South Coast The west coast of Ireland mostly consists of cliffs, hills and low mountains (the highest point being Carrauntoohil at 1,038 m or 3,406 ft). Carrauntoohil (ˌkærənˈtuːl) also spelt Carrantuohill and in various other ways is a mountain located in County Kerry, Ireland, and is the The interior of the country is relatively flat land, traversed by rivers such as the River Shannon and several large lakes or loughs. The River Shannon ( Sionainn or Sionna in Irish) is at 386 km (240 miles the longest river in Ireland. The centre of the country is part of the River Shannon watershed, containing large areas of bogland, used for peat extraction and production. A bog or mire is a Wetland type that accumulates Acidic Peat, a deposit of dead plant material &ndash usually Mosses but also Peat is an accumulation of partially Decayed Vegetation matter.

The local temperate climate is modified by the North Atlantic Current and is relatively mild. The North Atlantic Current ( North Atlantic Drift and the North Atlantic Sea Movement) is a powerful warm Ocean current that continues the Gulf Stream Summer temperatures exceed 30 °C (86 °F) usually once every decade, though commonly reach 29 °C (84 °F) most summers, and freezes occur only occasionally in winter, with temperatures below -6 °C (21 °F) being uncommon. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Precipitation is very common, with some parts of the country getting up to 275 days with rain annually. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric

Chief city conurbations are the capital Dublin 1,045,769 on the east coast, Cork 190,384 in the south, Limerick 90,757 in the mid-west, Galway 72,729 on the west coast, and Waterford 49,213 on the south east coast (see Cities in Ireland). Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Cork (Corcaigh is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland 's third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast Limerick (pronounced /ˈlɪmrɪk/ Luimneach in Irish) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the Province of Munster Galway (Gaillimh is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland. Waterford ( or Windy fjord;) is a city in Ireland. It is the primary city of the South East region and the fifth largest in the country There are officially eleven cities in Ireland between the two jurisdictions in Ireland, five of these in Northern Ireland and six of them in the Republic of Ireland

Impact of agriculture

The long history of agricultural production coupled with modern intensive agricultural methods (such as pesticide and fertiliser use) has placed pressure on biodiversity in Ireland. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture A pesticide is a substance or mixture of substances used to kill a pest. Fertilizers ( also spelt fertiliser are chemical compounds given to Plants to promote growth they are usually applied either through the soil for uptake by plant Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. Agriculture is the main factor determining current land use patterns in Ireland, leaving limited land to preserve natural habitats (also forestry and urban development to a lesser extent),^[16] in particular for larger wild mammals with greater territorial requirements. Forestry is the Art and Science of managing forests tree Plantations and related Natural resources. With no top predator in Ireland, populations of animals that cannot be controlled by smaller predators (such as the fox) are controlled by annual culling, i. Culling is the 'selection' (removal and killing of surplus animals from an animal population e. semi-wild populations of deer. A land of green fields for crop cultivation and cattle rearing limits the space available for the establishment of native wild species. Tillage is the agricultural preparation of the Soil by Ploughing ripping or turning it Hedgerows, however, traditionally used for maintaining and demarcating land boundaries, act as a refuge for native wild flora. A hedge is a line of closely spaced Shrubs and bushes planted and trained in such a way as to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area Their ecosystems stretch across the countryside and act as a network of connections to preserve remnants of the ecosystem that once covered the island. An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical (

Pollution from agricultural activities is one of the principal sources of environmental damage. "Runoff" of contaminants into streams, rivers and lakes impact the natural fresh-water ecosystems. ^[17] Subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy which supported these agricultural practices and contributed to land-use distortions are undergoing reforms. The Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP) is a system of European Union Agricultural subsidies and programmes ^[18] The CAP still subsidises some potentially destructive agricultural practices, however, the recent reforms have gradually decoupled subsidies from production levels and introduced environmental and other requirements. ^[18]

Forest covers about 10% of the country, with most designated for commercial production. ^[16] Forested areas typically consist of monoculture plantations of non-native species which may result in habitats that are not suitable for supporting a broad range of native species of invertebrates. Monoculture is the agricultural practice of producing or growing one single crop over a wide area Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco An invertebrate is an Animal lacking a Vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal Species — all animals except those in the Chordate Remnants of native forest can be found scattered around the country, in particular in the Killarney National Park. Killarney National Park (Páirc Náisiúnta Chill Airne is located beside the town of Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland. Natural areas require fencing to prevent over-grazing by deer and sheep that roam over uncultivated areas. This is one of the main factors preventing the natural regeneration of forests across many regions of the country. ^[19]

Education

See also: Education in the Republic of Ireland

The education systems are largely under the direction of the government via the Minister for Education and Science (currently Batt O'Keefe, TD). The Republic of Ireland 's education system is quite similar to that of most other western countries The Minister for Education and Science (An Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta is the senior minister at the Department of Education and Science in the Government Bartholomew "Batt" O'Keeffe (born 2 April 1945 is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician Recognised primary and secondary schools must adhere to the curriculum established by authorities that have power to set them.

The education systems in Ireland are complex due to a confusion of ownership, control and curricular assessment. This has arisen because the systems developed over long periods of time with variable influence by several key players, including the Irish state. Unlike in countries such as France, Ireland's state education system is largely limited to the content of the curriculum, although this too is mediated by voluntary interests. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks Ireland's education as the 20th best in the world, being significantly higher than the OECD average. ^[20]

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary (University/College) level education are all free in Ireland for all EU citizens. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Republic of Ireland

The economy of Ireland has transformed in recent years from an agricultural focus to a modern knowledge economy, focusing on services and high-tech industries and dependent on trade, industry and investment. The knowledge economy is a term that refers either to an economy of knowledge focused on the production and management of knowledge in the frame of economic constraints Economic growth in Ireland averaged a (relatively high) 10% from 1995–2000, and 7% from 2001–2004. Industry, which accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labour force, now takes the place of agriculture as the country's leading sector. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture

Exports play a fundamental role in Ireland's growth, but the economy also benefits from the accompanying rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment. On paper, the country is the largest exporter of software-related goods and services in the world. In fact, a lot of foreign software, and sometimes music, is filtered through the country to avail of Ireland's non-taxing of royalties from copyrighted goods.

A key part of economic policy, since 1987, has been Social Partnership which is a neo-corporatist set of voluntary 'pay pacts' between the Government, employers and trades unions. Social partnership ( Irish: Pairtíocht sóisialta) is the term used for the tripartite triennial national agreements reached in the Republic of Ireland Historically corporatism (corporativismo refers to a political or Economic system in which power is held by civic assemblies that represent Economic These usually set agreed pay rises for three-year periods.

Ireland joined in launching the Euro currency system in January 1999 (leaving behind the Irish pound) along with eleven other EU nations. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e The Irish pound ( English) or punt Éireannach ( Irish) was the Currency of Ireland until 2002 The 1995 to 2000 period of high economic growth led many to call the country the Celtic Tiger. Celtic Tiger (Tíogar Ceilteach is a name for the period of rapid Economic growth in the Republic of Ireland that began in the 1990s and slowed in 2001 The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001, particularly in the high-tech export sector — the growth rate in that area was cut by nearly half. GDP growth continued to be relatively robust, with a rate of about 6% in 2001 and 2002. Growth for 2004 was over 4%, and for 2005 was 4. 7%.

With high growth came high levels of inflation, particularly in the capital city. Prices in Dublin, where nearly 30% of Ireland's population lives, are considerably higher than elsewhere in the country,^[21] especially in the property market. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland.

Measuring Ireland's level of income per capita is a complicated issue. Ireland possesses the second highest GDP (PPP) per capita in the world (US$43,600 as of 2006), behind Luxembourg, and the fifth highest Human Development Index, which is calculated partially on the basis of GDP per capita. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP However, many economists feel that GDP per capita is an inappropriate measure of national income for Ireland, as it neglects the fact that much income generated in Ireland belongs to multinational companies and eventually goes offshore. ^[22] Another measure, Gross National Income per head, takes account of this and therefore many economists feel it is a superior measure of income in the country. In 2005, the World Bank measured Ireland's GNI per head at $41,140 - the seventh highest in the world, sixth highest in Western Europe, and the third highest of any EU member state. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Also, a study by The Economist found Ireland to have the best quality of life in the world. Quality of life is the degree of well-being felt by an individual or group of people ^[23] This study employed GDP per capita as a measure of income rather than GNI per capita.

The positive reports and economic statistics mask several underlying imbalances. The construction sector, which is inherently cyclical in nature, now accounts for a significant component of Ireland's GDP. A recent downturn in residential property market sentiment has highlighted the over-exposure of the Irish economy to construction, which now presents a threat to economic growth. ^[24][25][26] Several successive years of economic growth have led to an increase in inequality ^[27] in Irish society (see Economy of Ireland - Recent developments) and a decrease in poverty. The economy of the Republic of Ireland is modern and trade-dependent with growth averaging a 7% per annum in 1995&ndash2007 ^[28] Irelands's Gini co-efficient is 30. 4, slightly below the OECD average of 30. 7. ^[29] Figures show that 6. 8% of Ireland's population suffer "consistent poverty". ^[30]

However, after a construction boom in the last decade, economic growth is now slowing. It is said the Irish economy is rebalancing itself. The ESRI predicts that the Irish economy will grow by just over 1% in 2008, down from 4. 7% in 2007, but expects economic growth to near 4% again in 2010. Ireland now has the second-highest level of household debt in the world, at 190% of household income. ^[31]

Military

Main article: Irish Defence Forces

Ireland's armed forces are organised under the Irish Defence Forces (Óglaigh na hÉireann). Óglaigh na hÉireann the Irish Defence Forces encompass the Army, Navy, air corps and reserve forces of Ireland. Óglaigh na hÉireann the Irish Defence Forces encompass the Army, Navy, air corps and reserve forces of Ireland. Óglaigh na hÉireann ( old orthography Óglaiġ na h-Éireann, ˈoːgɫ̪iː n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ) is the Irish language title used by various The Irish Army is relatively small compared to other neighbouring armies in the region, but is well equipped, with 8,500 full-time military personnel (13,000 in the reserve army). The Irish Army ( Arm na hÉireann) is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces ( Óglaigh na hÉireann) ^[32] This is principally due to Ireland's policy of neutrality,^[33] and its "triple-lock" rules governing participation in conflicts whereby approval must be given by the UN, the Government and the Dáil before any Irish troops are deployed into a conflict zone. For other uses of Neutral and Neutrality see Neutral A neutral country takes no side in a War between other parties ^[34] Deployments of Irish soldiers cover UN peace-keeping duties, protection of Ireland's territorial waters (in the case of the Irish Naval Service) and Aid to Civil Power operations in the state. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The Irish Naval Service (in Irish: Seirbhís Chabhlaigh na hÉireann or just An tSeirbhís Chabhlaigh for "the Naval Service" is the See Irish neutrality. Irish neutrality has been a policy of the Irish Free State and its successor Ireland, since independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain

There is also an Irish Air Corps and Reserve Defence Forces (Irish Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) under the Defence Forces. The Irish Air Corps (Aer Chór na hÉireann provides the air defence function of Oglaigh na hÉireann ( the Irish Defence Forces) in support of the Army and The Reserve Defence Forces is the title given to the reserve components of the Irish Defence Forces. The Army Reserve ( Cúltaca an Airm) formerly known as An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil ( FCÁ) is the Reserve force of the Irish Army. The Naval Service Reserve ( NSR; Irish: Cúltaca na Seirbhíse Cabhlaigh) is the Reserve force of the Irish Naval Service. The Irish Army Rangers is a special forces branch which operates under the aegis of the army. The Irish Army Ranger Wing ( ARW, Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm is the Special forces unit of the Irish Defence Forces.

Over 40,000 Irish servicemen have served in UN peacekeeping missions around the world.

The Republic's air facilities were used by the U. S. military for the delivery of military personnel involved in the 2003 invasion of Iraq through Shannon Airport; previously the airport had been used for the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, as well as the First Gulf War. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia Shannon International Airport, or Aerfort na Sionnainne in Irish is one of Ireland's primary three airports (along with Dublin Airport and Cork Airport The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U ^[35] This is part of a longer history of use of Shannon for controversial military transport, under Irish military policy which, while ostensibly neutral, was biased towards NATO during the Cold War. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the ^[36] During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Seán Lemass authorised the search of Cuban and Czech aircraft passing through Shannon and passed the information to the CIA. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba during the Cold War. Seán Francis Lemass (15 July 1899 &ndash 11 May 1971 was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and third Taoiseach of Ireland from 1959 until 1966 ^[37]

During the Second World War, although officially neutral, Ireland supplied similar, though more extensive, support for the Allied Forces (see Irish neutrality during World War II). See also Irish neutrality The policy of Irish neutrality during World War II was adopted by Dáil Éireann (the Parliament of Ireland Since 1999, Ireland has been a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program. Partnership for Peace (PfP is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former ^[38][39]

Demographics

International rankings
Indicator	Rank	Measure
Economy
GDP (PPP) per capita	2nd	$44,087
GNP	7th	$41,140
Unemployment rate	28th	4. This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Geary-Khamis dollar, also known as the international dollar, is a hypothetical unit of Currency that has the same Purchasing power that the U This is a list of countries by unemployment rate. Unless indicated otherwise information is based on The World Factbook. 30%
CO2 emissions	30th	10. This is a list of countries by Carbon dioxide emissions Per capita from 1990 through 2004 3 t†
Electricity consumption	61st	22. This article is about the tonne or metric ton For other tons see Ton. This list of countries by Electricity consumption is mostly based on The World Factbook. 79 GWh
Economic Freedom	3rd	1. The Index of Economic Freedom is a series of 10 economic measurements created by the Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation to measure the degree of Economic freedom 58
Politics
Human Development Index	5th	0. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 959
Political freedom	1st*	1
Press freedom	8th*	2. Freedom in the World is a yearly report by US-based Freedom House that attempts to measure the degree of Democracy and political freedom 00
Corruption (A higher score means less (perceived) corruption.)	↓17th	7. Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI ordering the countries of the world according to "the degree 5
Global Peace Index	4th	1. The Global Peace Index is an attempt to measure the relative position of nations’ and regions’ peacefulness 396
Democracy Index	11th	9. The Economist has in a study examined the state of Democracy in 167 countries and attempted to quantify this with an Economist Intelligence Unit Index of Democracy 01
Failed States Index	↓ 4th	19. This is a list of countries by order of appearance in the Fund For Peace 's Failed States Index 5
Henley Visa Restrictions Index	2nd	129
Society
Literacy rate	18th*	99.0%
Quality-of-life index	1st	8. List of countries by Literacy rate, as included in the United Nations Development Programme Report 2007/2008 The Economist Intelligence Unit ’s quality of life index is based on a unique methodology that links the results of Subjective life-satisfaction surveys to the 333 (out of 10)
Broadband uptake	—	31%
Mobile phone penetration	—	114%
Alcohol consumption	2nd	13. For more information about the development of Internet connections in individual countries click on the links below Albania Albania has 2215 million subscribers in total or a 61 7 L 3. The litre or liter (see spelling differences) is a unit of Volume. 0 imp gal 3. Imperial units or the Imperial system is a collection of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act of 1824 6 US gal†
Beer consumption	2nd	131. US customary units, also known in the United States as English units or Imperial units (in reference to the British Empire) (but see English This is a list of countries ordered by annual Per capita consumption of Beer. 1 L 28. 8 imp gal 34. 6 US gal†
International Property Rights Index	14th	7. The International Property Rights Index is produced annually by the Property Rights Alliance. 4
Health
Life expectancy		78.4
Birth rate		15.2‡
Fertility rate	133rd	1. __FORCETOC__This is a list of countries by Life expectancy at birth the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year if mortality at each age remains This is a list of countries by crude Birth rate, based on the United Nations Population Division's quinquennial estimates and projections This page consists of two tables Table 1 is sourced from the CIA World Factbook''' 96††
Infant mortality	172th	4. This is a list of countries by infant mortality rate. Figures are from the 2006 revision of the United Nations World Population Prospects report for the period 2005-2010 and the 9‡‡
Death rate		6.5‡
Suicide rate	48th	♂ 16. This is a list of countries by crude Death rate, based on the United Nations Population Division's quinquennial estimates and projections The following is a List of suicide rates by country according to data from the World Health Organization in which a country's rank is determined by its total rate of Suicides 3†‡ ♀ 3. 2†‡
HIV/AIDS rate	123rd	0. This is a list of countries and territories by people living with HIV / AIDS and the prevalence rate among adults, based on data from various sources such as the 10%
Notes
↓ indicates rank is in reverse order (e. g. 1st is lowest) * joint with one or more other countries † per capita ‡ per 1000 people †† per woman ‡‡ per 1000 live births †‡per 100,000 people ♂ indicates males, ♀ indicates females

Main article: Demographics of the Republic of Ireland

Genetic research suggests that the first settlers of Ireland, and parts of North-Western Europe, came through migrations from Iberia following the end of the most recent ice age. General demographics 4239848 (2006 Census 4339000 (2007 est 4442100 (2008 est The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets ^[40] After the Mesolithic, the Neolithic and Bronze Age migrants introduced Celtic culture and languages to Ireland. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts These later migrants from the Neolithic to Bronze Age still represent a minority of the genetic heritage of Irish people. ("Origins of the British", Stephen Oppenheimer, 2006)^[41] Culture spread throughout the island, and the Gaelic tradition became the dominant form in Ireland. Today, Irish people are mainly of Gaelic ancestry, and although some of the population is also of Norse, Anglo-Norman, English, Scottish, French and Welsh ancestry, these groups have been assimilated and do not form distinct minority groups. Gaelic culture and language forms an important part of national identity. In the UK, Irish Travellers are a recognised ethnic minority group, politically (but not ethnically) linked with mainland European Roma and Gypsy groups,^[42] although in Ireland, they are not, instead they are classified as a "social group". ^[43]

Ireland, as of 2007, contains the fastest growing population in Europe. The growth rate in 2006 was 2. 5%, the third year in a row it has been above 2%. This rapid growth can be said to be due to falling death rates, rising birth rates and high immigration rates. ^[44]

Languages

Main articles: Languages of Ireland, Irish language, Hiberno-English, and Mid Ulster English

The official languages are Irish and English. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Hiberno-English also known as Anglo-Irish and Irish English is English as spoken in Ireland, partly the result of the interaction of the English Mid Ulster English is the dialect of most people in the traditional province of Ulster in Ireland, including those in the two main cities Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Teaching of the Irish and English languages is compulsory in the primary and secondary level schools that receive money and recognition from the state. Some students may be exempt from the requirement to receive instruction in either language. English is by far the predominant language spoken throughout the country. People living in predominantly Irish-speaking communities, Gaeltacht regions, are limited to the low tens of thousands in isolated pockets largely on the western seaboard. ga '''Gaeltacht''' ( plural ga ''Gaeltachtaí'' is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region Road signs are usually bilingual, except in Gaeltacht regions, where they are in Irish only. The legal status of place names has recently been the subject of controversy, with an order made in 2005 under the Official Languages Act changing the official name of certain locations from English back to Irish (e. The Official Languages Act 2003 (or in Irish Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003(the " OLA " is an Act of the Oireachtas of Ireland. g. Dingle had its name changed to An Daingean despite local opposition and a local plebiscite requesting that the name be changed to a bilingual version: Dingle Daingean Ui Chuis. Dingle (An Daingean or Daingean Uí Chúis) is a town in County Kerry in Ireland on the Atlantic Coast some west-south-west of Most public notices are only in English, as are most of the print media. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Most Government publications and forms are available in both English and Irish, and citizens have the right to deal with the state in Irish if they so wish. National media in Irish exist on TV (TG4), radio (e. TG4 ( Spoken as TG Ceathair or TG a Ceathair; tiː dʒiː kʲahəɾʲ is a Television channel in Ireland, aimed g. Raidió na Gaeltachta), and in print (e. RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta n̪ˠə ˈɡeːɫ̪t̪ˠəxt̪ˠə ( RnaG; Irish for Radio of the Gaeltacht) is the Irish-language Radio g. Lá Nua and Foinse). Lá Nua (meaning 'New Day' is an Irish language Daily newspaper based in Belfast. Foinse (meaning Source) is the biggest Irish language newspaper in Ireland.

According to the 2006 census, 1,656,790 people (or 39%) in the Republic regard themselves as competent in Irish; though no figures are available for English-speakers, it is thought to be almost 100%.

The Polish language is one of the most widely-spoken languages in Ireland after English and Irish: there are over 63,000 Poles resident in Ireland according to the 2006 census. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. Other languages spoken in Ireland include Shelta, spoken by the Irish Traveller population and a dialect of Scots is spoken by the descendents of Scottish settlers in Ulster. Shelta (also known as Gammen, Sheldru, Pavee, Caintíotar or simply " The Cant " is a Language spoken by the Ulster Scots, also known as Ullans, Hiberno-Scots, or Scots-Irish, refers to the variety of Scots (sometimes referred to as Ulster ( Ulaidh ˈkwɪɟɪ ˈʌlˠu / ˈʌlˠi is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in addition to Connacht, Munster and Leinster

Most students at second level choose one or two foreign languages to learn. A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them Languages available for the Junior Certificate and the Leaving Certificate include French, German, Italian and Spanish; Leaving Certificate students can also study Arabic, Japanese and Russian. The Junior Certificate is an educational qualification awarded in Ireland by the Department of Education to students who have successfully completed the junior cycle of secondary The Leaving Certificate ( Ardteistiméireacht) commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert (Irish Ardteist) is the final course in the Irish French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Some schools also offer Ancient Greek, Hebrew Studies and Latin at second level. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome.

Recent population growth

Ireland's population has increased significantly in recent years. Much of this population growth can be attributed to the arrival of immigrants and the return of Irish people (often with their foreign-born children) who emigrated in large numbers in earlier years during periods of high unemployment. In addition the birth rate in Ireland is currently over double the death rate, which is highly unusual among Western European countries. ^[45] Approximately 10% of Ireland's population is now made up of foreign citizens.

The CSO has published preliminary findings based on the 2006 Census of Population. The Central Statistics Office ( CSO) or in Irish An Phríomh-Oifig Staidrimh ( POS) is the Statistical agency responsible for the gathering of These indicate:

• The total population of Ireland on Census Day, April 23, 2006, was 4,234,925, an increase of 317,722, or 8. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. 1% since 2002
• Allowing for the incidence of births (245,000) and deaths (114,000), the derived net immigration of people to Ireland between 2002 and 2006 was 186,000.
• The total number of non-nationals (foreign citizens) resident in Ireland is 419,733, or around 10% (plus 1,318 people with 'no nationality' and 44,279 people whose nationality is not stated).
• The single largest group of immigrants comes from the United Kingdom (112,548) followed by Poland (63,267), Lithuania (24,628), Nigeria (16,300), Latvia (13,319), the United States (12,475), China (11,161), and Germany (10,289). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.
• 94. 8% of the population was recorded as having a 'White' ethnic or cultural background. 1. 1% of the population had a 'Black or Black Irish' background, 1. 3% had an 'Asian or Asian Irish' background and 1. 7% of the population's ethnic or cultural background was 'not stated'.
• The average annual rate of increase, 2%, is the highest on record – compared to 1. 3% between 1996 and 2002 and 1. 5% between 1971 and 1979.
• The 2006 population was last exceeded in the 1861 Census when the population then was 4. 4 million The lowest population of Ireland was recorded in the 1961 Census – 2. 8 million.
• All provinces of Ireland recorded population growth. The population of Leinster grew by 8. Leinster (ˈlɛnstər Irish: Laighin, lainʲ one of the Provinces of Ireland, lies in the east of Ireland and comprises the counties of 9%; Munster by 6. Munster ( Irish: An Mhumhain, ənˈvuːnʲ Cúige Mumhan or Mumha) is the southernmost of the four Provinces of Ireland. 5%; and the long-term population decline of the Connacht-Ulster^[46] Region has stopped. Ulster ( Ulaidh ˈkwɪɟɪ ˈʌlˠu / ˈʌlˠi is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in addition to Connacht, Munster and Leinster
• The ratio of males to females has declined in each of the four provinces between 1979 and 2006. Leinster is the only province where the number of females exceeds the number of males. Males predominate in rural counties such as Cavan, Leitrim, and Roscommon while there are more females in cities and urban areas. Cavan (ˈkævən) is the county seat of County Cavan in Ireland. County Leitrim ( is one of the counties of Ireland and is part of the province of Connacht. Roscommon (Ros Comáin is the county seat of County Roscommon in Ireland.

A more detailed breakdown of these figures is available online. Census 2006 Principal Demographic ResultsPDF (894 KiB)

Detailed statistics into the population of Ireland since 1841 are available at Irish Population Analysis. A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International The population of Ireland in 2008 was approximately 61 million comprising 4

Cities and Towns of Ireland								view • talk • edit
	Greater Area	County	Population			Greater Area	County	Population
1	Dublin City	Co. Dublin	1,661,185	Dublin City Cork City	11	Ennis	Co. Clare	24,253
2	Cork City	Co. Cork	190,384		12	Tralee	Co. Kerry	22,744
3	Limerick	Co. Limerick	90,778		13	Kilkenny	Co. Kilkenny	22,179
4	Galway	Co. Galway	72,729		14	Carlow	Co. Carlow	20,724
5	Waterford	Co. Waterford	49,240		15	Naas	Co. Kildare	20,044
6	Drogheda	Co. Louth	35,090		16	Sligo	Co. Sligo	19,402
7	Dundalk	Co. Louth	35,085		17	Newbridge	Co. Kildare	18,520
8	Swords	Co. Dublin	33,998		18	Mullingar	Co. Westmeath	18,416
9	Bray	Co. Wicklow	31,901		19	Wexford	Co. Wexford	18,163
10	Navan	Co. Meath	24,851		20	Letterkenny	Co. Donegal	17,586
Source: 2006 Census

Religion

Ireland is officially a secular state, and the constitution states that the state is forbidden from endowing any particular religion. A secular state is a State or Country that is officially neutral in matters of Religion, neither supporting nor opposing any particular religious beliefs Approximately 86. 8% of the population are Roman Catholic,^[47] and the country has one of the highest rates of regular and weekly church attendance in the Western World. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings ^[48] However, there has been a major decline in this attendance among Irish Catholics in the course of the past 30 years. Irish Catholics is a term used to describe people of Roman Catholic background who are Irish or of Irish descent. Between 1996 and 2001, regular Mass attendance, declined further from 60% to 48%^[49] (it had been above 90% before 1973), and all but two of its sacerdotal seminaries have closed (St Patrick's College, Maynooth and St Malachy's College, Belfast). The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. A number of theological colleges continue to educate both ordained and lay people.

The second largest Christian denomination, the Church of Ireland (Anglican), was declining in number for most of the twentieth century, but has more recently experienced an increase in membership, according to the 2002 census, as have other small Christian denominations, as well as Hinduism. The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The 2006 Irish Census reports 6082 resident in Ireland almost double the count in 2000 where 3099 Hindus were recorded in Ireland Other large Protestant denominations are the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, followed by the Methodist Church in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (or PCI (Eaglais Phreispitéireach in Éirinn, operating seamlessly across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern The Methodist Church in Ireland has approximately 80000 members across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The very small Jewish community in Ireland also recorded a marginal increase (see History of the Jews in Ireland) in the same period. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut The history of the Jews in Ireland extends back nearly a thousand years

The patron saints of Ireland are Saint Patrick and Saint Bridget. Saint Patrick (Patricius Irish: Naomh Pádraig) was a Roman Britain -born Christian Missionary and is the Patron saint

According to the 2006 census, the number of people who described themselves as having "no religion" was 186,318 (4. 4%). An additional 1,515 people described themselves as agnostic and 929 as atheist instead of ticking the "no religion" box. This brings the total nonreligious within the state to 4. 5% of the population. A further 70,322 (1. 7%) did not state a religion. ^[50]

Religion and politics

Constitution

The 1937 Constitution of Ireland gave the Catholic Church a "special position" as the church of the majority, but also recognised other Christian denominations and Judaism. The Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann came into force on 29 December 1937 after having been passed by a national plebiscite the previous July As with other predominantly Catholic European states (e. g. , Italy), the Irish state underwent a period of legal secularisation in the late twentieth century. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The twentieth century of the Common Era began on In 1972, the article of the Constitution naming specific religious groups, including the Catholic Church, was deleted by the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland. The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland removed from the constitution a controversial reference to the "special position" of the Roman Catholic Church

Article 44 remains in the Constitution. It begins:

The State acknowledges that the homage of public worship is due to Almighty God. It shall hold His Name in reverence, and shall respect and honour religion.

The article also establishes freedom of religion (for belief, practice, and organisation without undue interference from the state), prohibits endowment of any particular religion, prohibits the state from religious discrimination, and requires the state to treat religious and non-religious schools in a non-prejudicial manner.

Abortion and Divorce

Catholic doctrine prohibits abortion in all circumstances, putting it in conflict with the pro-choice movement. An Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-choice advocates emphasize their beliefs that having a child is a personal choice that affects a woman's body and In 1983, the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland recognised "the right to life of the unborn", subject to qualifications concerning the "equal right to life" of the mother. The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland introduced a constitutional ban on Abortion. The case of Attorney General v. X prompted passage of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, guaranteeing the right to travel abroad to have an abortion performed, and the right of citizens to learn about "services" that are illegal in Ireland but legal outside the country (see Abortion in Ireland). Attorney General v X or the X Case was a 1992 Supreme Court of Ireland case which established the right of Irish women to an Abortion The Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland specified that the prohibition of abortion would not limit freedom of travel in and out of the state The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland specified that the prohibition of abortion would not limit the right to distribute information about abortion services Abortion in Ireland has had a controversial history and remains a disputed subject today

Catholic and Protestant attitudes in 1937 also disapproved of divorce, which was prohibited by the original Constitution. It was not until 1995 that the Fifteenth Amendment repealed this ban. The Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland repealed the constitutional prohibition of Divorce.

Sex Abuse Scandals

The Catholic Church was hit in the 1990s by a series of sexual abuse scandals and cover-up charges against its hierarchy. In 2005, a major inquiry was made into child sexual abuse allegations. Child sexual abuse is a form of Child abuse in which a child is abused for the sexual gratification of an adult or older adolescent The Ferns report, published on 25 October 2005, revealed that more than 100 cases of child sexual abuse, between 1962 and 2002, by 21 priests, had taken place in the Diocese of Ferns alone. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The report criticised the Gardaí and the health authorities, who failed to protect the children to the best of their abilities; and in the case of the Garda before 1988, no file was ever recorded on sexual abuse complaints (see Roman Catholic sex abuse cases). ga '''''Garda Síochána na hÉireann''''' (ˈgaːrdə ʃiːˈxaːnə nə ˈheːɾʲən Irish for "Peace Guard of Ireland" often rendered Allegations of sexual abuse of children have been made against a variety of religious groups including but not exclusively Roman Catholic priests monks and nuns

Education

Despite a large number of schools in Ireland being run by religious organisations, a general trend of secularism is occurring within the Irish population, particularly in the younger generations. ^[51] Many efforts have been made by secular groups, to eliminate the rigorous study in the second and sixth classes, to prepare for the sacraments of Holy Communion and confirmation in Catholic schools - parents can ask for their children to be excluded from religious study if they wish. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for However, religious studies as a subject was introduced into the state administered Junior Certificate in 2001, although it is not compulsory and deals with aspects of different religions, not focusing on one particular religion. Religious studies, or Religious education, is the academic field of multi-disciplinary Secular study of religious beliefs behaviors and institutions The Junior Certificate is an educational qualification awarded in Ireland by the Department of Education to students who have successfully completed the junior cycle of secondary

Schools run by religious organisations, but receive public money and recognition, are not allowed to discriminate pupils based upon religion (or lack of).

Contraception and Gay Rights

In the past, Ireland has historically favoured conservative legislation regarding sexuality. For example, contraception was illegal in Ireland until 1979. ^[52] Another example is the legislation which outlawed homosexual acts was not repealed until 1993 although it was generally only enforced when dealing with underage sex. ^[53][54] However, Ireland has taken steps to change its policies in regards to these issues; for instance, discrimination based on sexual preference is illegal. Government recognition of LGBT rights in the Republic of Ireland has expanded greatly over the past two decades The Irish government is set to bring in same-sex civil partnerships legislation in 2008. A poll carried out in 2008, showed that 84% of Irish people supported civil marriage or civil partnerships for gay and lesbian couples, with 58% supporting full marriage rights in registry offices. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[55]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Ireland

The island of Ireland has produced the Book of Kells, and writers such as George Berkeley, Sheridan le Fanu, Jonathan Swift, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Oliver Goldsmith, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, Patrick Kavanagh, Samuel Beckett, Brian O'Nolan, who published as Flann O'Brien, John Millington Synge, Seán O'Casey, Seamus Heaney, Bram Stoker, Elizabeth Bowen, Kate O'Brien, Seán Ó Faoláin, Frank O'Connor, William Trevor and others. The culture of the people living on the island of Ireland is far from monolithic The Book of Kells (Leabhar Cheanannais (Dublin Trinity College Library MS A George Berkeley (ˈbɑrkli (12 March 1685 14 January 1753 also known as Bishop Berkeley, was a Philosopher. Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu (28 August 1814 &ndash 7 February 1873 was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 &ndash 13 January 1941 was an Irish expatriate writer widely considered to be one of the most influential writers of the George Bernard Shaw ( (26 July 1856 &ndash 2 November 1950 was an Irish Playwright. Richard Brinsley Sheridan (30 October 1751 &ndash 7 July 1816 was an Irish playwright and Whig Statesman. Oliver Goldsmith (10 November 1730 or 1728 &ndash 4 April 1774 was an Anglo-Irish writer poet and Physician known for his Novel The Vicar Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of Patrick Kavanagh (Pádraig Caomhánaigh (21 October 1904 &ndash 30 November 1967 was an Irish Poet. Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989 was an Irish Writer, Dramatist and poet Brian O'Nolan (Brian Ó Nualláin (5 October 1911 – 1 April 1966 was an Irish novelist and satirist best known for his novels An Béal Bocht, At Edmund John Millington Synge ( (16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909 was an Irish Playwright, Poet, Prose writer and collector of Folklore. Seán O'Casey ( Irish Seán Ó Cathasaigh (30 March 1880 &ndash 18 September 1964 was a major Irish dramatist and Memoirist A committed irish Abraham "Bram" Stoker (8 November 1847 – 20 April 1912 was an Irish writer of novels and short stories who is best known today for his 1897 horror Elizabeth Dorothea Cole Bowen (7 June 1899 &ndash 22 February 1973 was an Anglo-Irish novelist and short story writer Kate O'Brien (3 December 1897 - 13 August 1974 was an Irish novelist and playwright Seán Proinsias Ó Faoláin (22 February 1900 &ndash 20 April 1991 was an Irish Short story writer Frank O’Connor (born Michael Francis O'Connor O'Donovan) (17 September 1903 – 10 March 1966 was an Irish author of over 150 works who was best known for his William Trevor, KBE (born 24 May 1928 is an Irish Short story writer novelist and playwright Shaw, Yeats, Beckett and Heaney are Nobel Literature laureates. The Nobel Prize in Literature (Nobelpriset i litteratur is awarded annually since 1901 to an author from any country who has in the words from the will of Alfred Other prominent writers include John Banville, Roddy Doyle, Pádraic Ó Conaire, Máirtín Ó Cadhain, Séamus Ó Grianna, Dermot Bolger, Maeve Binchy, Frank McCourt, Edna O'Brien, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Paul Muldoon, Thomas McCarthy, Joseph O'Connor, Eoin Colfer, John McGahern and Colm Tóibín. John Banville (born 1945 is an Irish Novelist and Journalist. Roddy Doyle (Ruaidhrí Ó Dúill born 8 May 1958 in Dublin) is an Irish Novelist Dramatist and Screenwriter. Pádraic Ó Conaire (28 February 1882 &ndash 6 October 1928 was an Irish writer and Journalist whose production was primarily in the Irish language. Máirtín Ó Cadhain (1906 &ndash 1970 ˈmɑːrtʲiːnʲ oː ˈkainʲ was one of the most prominent Irish language writers of the twentieth century Séamus Ó Grianna ( 1889-1969 locally known also as Jimí Fheilimí) was an Irish writer who used the pen name Máire. Dermot Bolger (born 1959 is an Irish novelist playwright and poet born in Finglas, a suburb of Dublin. Maeve Binchy (born 28 May 1940 Dalkey) is an Irish Novelist newspaper columnist and speaker. Francis "Frank" McCourt (born 19 August 1930 is an Irish-American Teacher and Pulitzer Prize -winning author best known as the author of Angela's Edna O'Brien (born 15 December 1930 is an Irish novelist and Short story writer whose works often revolve around the inner feelings of women and their problems in relating Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill (born 1952 is an Irish poet Born in Lancashire, England in 1952 of Irish parents she moved to Ireland at the age of 5 Paul Muldoon (born 20 June 1951 is a writer academic and educator as well as Pulitzer Prize -winning poet from County Armagh, Northern Ireland Thomas McCarthy may refer to Thomas McCarthy (poet (born 1954 Irish poet Thomas McCarthy (politician (1832&ndash1870 Quebec businessman Joseph Victor O'Connor (born 20 September 1963 is an Irish novelist and brother of singer Sinéad O'Connor. Eoin Colfer (born 14 May 1965) is an Irish Author of children's books and a comedian John McGahern (12 November 1934 – 30 March 2006 was an Irish author Colm Tóibín ( (born 1955 in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland) is an multi award winning Irish novelist and critic

Prominent Irish artists include Nathaniel Hone, James Arthur O'Connor, Roderick O'Conor, Jack Yeats, William Orpen, Mainie Jellett, Louis le Brocquy, Anne Madden, Robert Ballagh, James Coleman, Dorothy Cross and John Gerrard.

Ireland is known for its Irish traditional music, but has produced many other internationally influential artists in other musical genres, such as U2, Thin Lizzy, The Pogues, the alternative rock group The Cranberries, Blues guitarist Rory Gallagher, folk singer Christy Moore, Celtic Woman, The Chieftains and singer Sinéad O'Connor. The folk music of Ireland (also known as Irish traditional music, Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants is the generic term for music that has Thin Lizzy are an Irish Hard rock band who formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1969 The Pogues are a band of mixed Irish and English background playing Traditional Irish music with influences from Punk rock, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1990 The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles Rory Gallagher (2 March 1948&ndash14 June 1995 was an Irish Blues / rock Guitarist Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal Christopher Andrew 'Christy' Moore (born 7 May 1945 in Newbridge County Kildare, Ireland is a popular Irish Folk singer, songwriter and Guitarist. Celtic Woman is a Musical ensemble comprising six Irish female artists vocalists Chloë Agnew, Órla Fallon, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly The Chieftains are a Grammy -winning Irish musical group founded in 1962 best known for being the first band to make Irish traditional music popular Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor (ʃɪˈneɪd oʊˈkɒnɚ (born 8 December 1966 is a Grammy Award winning Irish singer and songwriter

In classical music, the island of Ireland was also the birthplace of the notable composers Turlough O'Carolan, John Field (inventor of the Nocturne), Gerald Barry, Michael William Balfe, Sir Charles Villiers Stanford and Charles Wood. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Turlough Carolan ( Irish name Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin, 1670 - March 25, 1738) was a blind Itinerant Early John Field (26 July 1782 &ndash 23 January 1837 was an Irish Composer and Pianist. A nocturne (from the French for "nocturnal" is usually a Musical composition that is inspired by or evocative of the Night. Gerald Barry (born April 28, 1952) is an Irish Composer. Born in Clarecastle County Clare, Republic of Ireland, he studied with Michael William Balfe ( May 15, 1808 - October 20, 1870) was an Irish Composer, best known today for his Opera Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (30 September 1852 &ndash 29 March 1924 was an Irish composer resident in England for much of his life Charles Wood ( 15 June 1866 &ndash 12 July 1926) was an Irish Composer and teacher

Robert Boyle was a seventeenth-century physicist and discovered Boyle's Law. Robert Boyle was a Natural philosopher, chemist physicist inventor and early Gentleman scientist, noted for his work in Physics and Chemistry Boyle's law (sometimes referred to as the Boyle-Mariotte law) is one of several Gas laws and a special case of the Ideal gas law. Ernest Walton of Trinity College Dublin shared the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physics for "splitting the atom". Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton (6 October 1903 &ndash 25 June 1995 was an Irish physicist and Nobel laureate for his work with John Cockcroft with Trinity College Dublin ( TCD; Irish Coláiste na Tríonóide Baile Átha Cliath; Latin: Collegium Sacrosanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae The Nobel Prize in Physics (Nobelpriset i fysik is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. William Rowan Hamilton was a significant mathematician. Sir William Rowan Hamilton (4 August 1805 &ndash 2 September 1865 was an Irish Mathematician, Physicist, and Astronomer who The Irish philosopher and theologian Eriugena, was considered one of the leading intellectuals of his era.

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Ireland

The architecture of Ireland is one of the most visible features in the Irish countryside - with remains from all eras since the stone age abounding. The architecture of Ireland is one of the most visible features in the Irish countryside - with remains from all eras since the Stone age abounding Ireland is famous for its ruined and intact Norman and Anglo-Irish castles, small whitewashed thatched cottages and Georgian urban buildings. What are unaccountably somewhat less famous are the great, still complete palladian and rococo country houses which can be favourably compared to anything similar in northern Europe, and the country's many mighty Gothic and neo-Gothic cathedrals and buildings. Despite the ofttimes significant British and European influence, the fashion and trends of architecture have been adapted to suit the peculiarities of the particular location. In the late 20th century a new economic climate resulted in a renaissance of Irish culture and design, placing some of Ireland's cities, once again, at the cutting edge of modern architecture.

Entertainment

Successful entertainment exports in the late twentieth century include acts such as U2, Thin Lizzy, The Pogues, My Bloody Valentine, Rory Gallagher, Sinéad O'Connor, Boomtown Rats, The Corrs, Horslips, Boyzone, Ronan Keating, The Cranberries, Clannad, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Westlife and Enya, and the internationally acclaimed dance shows Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. Thin Lizzy are an Irish Hard rock band who formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1969 The Pogues are a band of mixed Irish and English background playing Traditional Irish music with influences from Punk rock, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane My Bloody Valentine are an Alternative rock band formed in Dublin Ireland in 1984 and predominantly based in London. Rory Gallagher (2 March 1948&ndash14 June 1995 was an Irish Blues / rock Guitarist Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor (ʃɪˈneɪd oʊˈkɒnɚ (born 8 December 1966 is a Grammy Award winning Irish singer and songwriter The Boomtown Rats were a new wave group led by Bob Geldof. All six members were originally from Dún Laoghaire, Republic of Ireland. The Corrs are a Celtic Folk rock group from Dundalk, County Louth Ireland. Horslips were a 1970s Irish rock band that composed arranged and performed their music based on traditional Irish Jigs and reels. Boyzone are an Irish boy band who had popular mainstream success during the 1990s Ronan Keating (born March 3, 1977 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish pop Singer who has had hits with boyband The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1990 Clannad are a Grammy Award -winning Irish musical group, from Gweedore ( Gaoth Dobhair) County Donegal. Raymond Edward O'Sullivan (born 1 December 1946, Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland) known professionally as Gilbert O'Sullivan Westlife is an Irish pop band that was formed on 3 July 1998 They were signed on by Simon Cowell and are currently managed by Louis Walsh. Enya (born Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin on May 17 1961, Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, Ireland, sometimes presented in Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish step dancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary For other meanings see Lord of the Dance Lord of the Dance is an Irish musical

In the early twenty-first century, Damien Rice and The Thrills rose to international fame. Damien Aonghus Rice (born December 7, 1973) is an Irish folk Singer. The Thrills are an Irish Indie rock band formed in 2001 in Dublin. The Frames are a popular band in Ireland who are on the rise world-wide, although their status as possibly the best-liked live band in Ireland is under threat from newer bands like Bell X1. The Frames are an influential Irish band based mainly in Dublin. Bell X1 are an Irish rock band from North County Kildare in Ireland.

Notable Hollywood actors from the Republic of Ireland include Gerard Butler, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, George Brent, Arthur Shields, Maureen O'Sullivan, Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole, Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne, Brendan Gleeson, Daniel Day Lewis (by citizenship), Colm Meaney, Colin Farrell, Brenda Fricker, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Stuart Townsend and Cillian Murphy. Gerard James Butler (born November 13, 1969) is a Scottish Actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of King Leonidas in Maureen O'Hara (born Maureen FitzSimons on 17 August 1920 in Ranelagh, County Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish film actress Barry Fitzgerald (10 March 1888 - 14 January 1961 was an Academy Award winning Irish stage film and television actor George Brent ( March 15 1899 - May 26 1979) was an Irish film and television Actor in American cinema. Arthur Shields ( February 15, 1896 - April 27, 1970) was an Irish stage and film actor Maureen Paula O’Sullivan ( 17 May, 1911 &ndash 23 June, 1998) was an Irish actress considered Ireland Richard St John Harris ( October 1 1930 - October 25 2002) was a two-time Academy Award -nominated and Grammy Award Peter O'Toole (born 2 August 1932) is an Irish and British actor who achieved instant stardom in 1962 playing T Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE Honour and so holds an honorary OBE Gabriel James Byrne ( Irish: Gabriel Séamas Ó Broin; born 12 May, 1950) is an Emmy - and Tony -nominated Irish Brendan Gleeson (born 29 March 1955 is an Irish Actor who has starred in many high profile Irish American and British films Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis (born 29 April 1957 is an English actor Colm J Meaney ( Irish: Colm Ó Maonaigh; first name ˈkɒləm born 30 May, 1953) is an Irish actor widely known for playing Colin James Farrell (born May 31, 1976) is an Irish Actor, who has appeared in several high-profile Hollywood films including Brenda Fricker (born February 17, 1945 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Academy Award -winning Irish actress Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O’Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish Film and Television Actor Stuart Townsend (born on December 15 1972 in Howth, County Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish actor

The flourishing Irish film industry, state-supported by Bord Scannán na hÉireann, helped launched the careers of directors Neil Jordan and Jim Sheridan, and supported Irish films such as John Crowley's Intermission, Neil Jordan's Breakfast on Pluto, and others. Neil Jordan (born February 25, 1950) is an Academy Award -winning Irish filmmaker and Novelist He received the Academy Award This article is about the film director For the UK Labour politician see James Sheridan. John Crowley (born 1969 is an Irish BAFTA -winning television director theatre and Film director who has received critical acclaim in both mediums Intermission is a 2003 Motion picture directed by John Crowley which tells a story of a young couple and people surrounding them Breakfast on Pluto is a 2005 Irish Comedy-drama film directed by Neil Jordan and based on the novel of the same name by A policy of tax breaks and other incentives has also attracted international film to Ireland, including Mel Gibson's Braveheart and Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson, AO (born January 3 1956 Braveheart is a 1995 historical action-drama movie produced and directed by Mel Gibson, who also starred in the title role Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE (Hon (born December 18 1946 is an American Film director, Screenwriter and producer. Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 War film set during the invasion of Normandy during World War II.

Sport

Main article: Sport in Ireland

The national sports, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, are Gaelic football and hurling, arguably the world's fastest field team sport in terms of game play. Sport on the island of Ireland is popular and widespread Levels of participation and spectating are high but as in other western regions participation The Gaelic Athletic Association ( GAA) ( Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael /'kʊmˠən̪ˠ 'l̪ˠuh Gaelic football ( Irish: Peil, Peil Ghaelach, or Caid) commonly referred to as " football " is a form of Football Hurling (in Irish, iománaíocht or iomáint) is an outdoor team Sport of ancient Gaelic origin administered by the Gaelic Handball is also administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association. For more information on this topic see Senior Hardball Singles or Senior Softball Singles. The Gaelic Athletic Association ( GAA) ( Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael /'kʊmˠən̪ˠ 'l̪ˠuh Notable former Gaelic Athletic Association players include the now retired pair of DJ Carey and Peter Canavan. Denis Joseph Carey (born 11 November, 1970) better known as D Peter Canavan (born 9 April 1971 is a former Gaelic football player for Tyrone, and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history The former Taoiseach Jack Lynch was a noted hurler and All-Ireland winner before entering politics. The Taoiseach (ˈtiːʃəx in English t̪ˠiːʃʲəx (plural Taoisigh ( or) in Irish) also referred to as An Taoiseach ( t̪ˠiːʃʲəx is the the John Mary "Jack" Lynch ( Irish: Seán Ó Loinsigh; 15 August 1917 &ndash 20 October 1999 was the fourth Taoiseach of Ireland, Well-known current players include Henry Shefflin, Sean Cavanagh and Colm Cooper. Henry Shefflin (born 1 November, 1979 in Ballyhale, County Kilkenny) is an Irish sportsperson Sean Cavanagh (sometimes Seán Cavanagh) is a treble All Star -winning Tyrone Gaelic footballer He has won All-Ireland championships Colm "Gooch" Cooper (born June 3 1983 is a Gaelic footballer from County Kerry in Ireland.

Ireland has produced a number of talented sportsmen and women. In association football, former players include Roy Keane, Johnny Giles, Liam Brady, Denis Irwin, Packie Bonner, Niall Quinn and Paul McGrath, while players whose careers are ongoing include Lee Carsley, Steve Finnan, Shay Given, Damien Duff, and Robbie Keane. Roy Maurice Keane (born 10 August 1971 in Mayfield, Cork) is an Irish former professional footballer and the current manager of Johnny Giles (born 6 November 1940 in Dublin) is an Irish former Association football midfielder who played for Leeds United in the 1960s Liam "Chippy" Brady (born 13 February 1956 in Dublin) is a former Irish football player, who is now the assistant manager of the Republic For the double bassist see Dennis Irwin Denis Joseph Irwin (born 31 October 1965 in Cork, Ireland) is a former Irish football Patrick Joseph ("Packie" Bonner (born 24 May 1960 in Cloughglass County Donegal, Ireland) is a former football Goalkeeper for the Niall John Quinn ( Irish name: Niall Seán Ó Cuinn) (Honorary MBE (b Paul McGrath (born 4 December 1959 in Ealing, London England is a former football defender, a long-time member of the Republic of Ireland national Lee Kevin Carsley (born 28 February 1974 in Birmingham) is a professional footballer who plays for Birmingham City. Stephen John Finnan (born 24 April 1976 is an Irish international football player who currently plays for Espanyol at right back. Séamus John James "Shay" Given (born 20 April 1976 in Lifford, County Donegal) is an Irish goalkeeper who currently plays for Damien Anthony Duff (born 2 March 1979 in Ballyboden, Dublin) is an Irish footballer. Robert David "Robbie" Keane ( Irish name: Roibéard Daithí Ó Catháin) (born 8 July 1980 in Tallaght, Dublin) is an Irish In rugby, Ireland has produced Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara, Paul O'Connell, David Wallace and Keith Wood. Brian Gerald O'Driscoll ( Irish name: Brian Gearóid Ó hEidirsceoil) born 21 January 1979 is an Irish professional Rugby union player Ronan John Ross O'Gara (born 7 March 1977 in San Diego, California) is an Irish Rugby union footballer occupying the position for both Paul O'Connell (born 20 October 1979 in Limerick) is an Irish Rugby union player who plays lock for Munster and Ireland David Wallace or Dave Wallace can refer to Dave Wallace (baseball (born 1947 coach and player David Wallace (actor (born 1957 Keith Gerard Mallinson Wood (born 27 January 1972 Killaloe County Clare) and educated at St Munchin's College, Limerick is a former international rugby union

In athletics, Sonia O'Sullivan, Eamonn Coghlan, Catherina McKiernan, Ronnie Delaney, John Treacy, David Gillick, and Derval O'Rourke have won medals at international events. Sonia O'Sullivan (born 28 November 1969 is an Irish runner from Cobh, County Cork. Eamonn Coghlan (born 21 November 1952 is an Irish 4-time Olympian and world championship winning athlete Catherina McKiernan (born 30 November 1969 in Cornafean, County Cavan) is a Long-distance runner from Ireland who competes in the Ronald Michael Delaney (born 6 March 1935 better known as Ron or Ronnie is a former Irish athlete, who specialised in middle distance running John Treacy (born 4 June 1957 in Villierstown near Dungarvan, County Waterford) is a former Irish athlete and Olympic medalist David Gillick (born July 9, 1983 in Dublin) is an Irish international track and field athlete Derval O'Rourke (born 28 May 1981 in Cork, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish sprint Hurdles athlete.

Ken Doherty is a former World Champion (1997) snooker player. Ken Doherty (born 17 September Snooker is a Cue sport that is played on a large Baize -covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long

John L. Sullivan, born 1858 in the United States to Irish immigrant parents, was the first modern world heavyweight champion. John Lawrence Sullivan (October 15 1858 &ndash February 2 1918 was recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing from February 7 1882 to 1892 and Barry McGuigan and Steve Collins were also world champion boxers, while Bernard Dunne was a European super bantamweight champion and Michael Carruth an Olympic gold medallist. Finbar Patrick McGuigan MBE, more commonly known as Barry McGuigan (born 28 February 1961 in Clones, County Monaghan, Ireland) nicknamed For the motorcycle speedway ridersee Steve Collins. Steve Collins, nicknamed The Celtic Warrior, is a former Boxing Bernard Dunne (born 6 February 1980 in Dublin, Ireland) is a Professional boxer and currently fights at Super bantamweight He is a former Michael Carruth (born 9 July 1967 is a Southpaw Irish Olympic boxer from Dublin who won the welterweight gold medal at the 1992 Current prospects in the middleweight division are the undefeated John Duddy, and Andy Lee who has one defeat. Both fighters are aiming for world championship fights.

In motorsport, during the 1990s Jordan Grand Prix became the only independent team to win multiple Formula One races. Early history Jordan's success in lower formulae inspired the creation of a Formula One programme for the 1991 season. Rallying also has a measure of popularity as a spectator sport, and in 2007 the Rally of Ireland (which was held in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) became a qualifying round of the FIA World Rally Championship and attracted an estimated attendance of some 200,000 spectators. Rallying is a form of motor competition that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars Rally Ireland was a new addition to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC calendar in 2007. History Early The World Rally Championship was formed from well-known international rallies nine of which were previously part of the International Championship ^[56]

In cycling, Ireland produced Stephen Roche, the first and only Irishman to win the Tour de France in 1987, and the prolific Seán Kelly. Stephen Roche (born 28 November 1959 in Dundrum near Dublin Ireland) is a retired professional Road racing cyclist. Seán James Kelly (born 21 May 1956 is an Irish former professional Road bicycle racer.

In golf, the current British Open champion is Irishman Pádraig Harrington. The Open Championship, or simply The Open (often referred to as the British Open outside the UK) is the oldest of the four major championships Background Harrington was born in Ballyroan, Dublin, Ireland, the youngest of five sons of Patrick and Breda Harrington

Professional wrestler, Prince Devitt, was born in Dublin, and has made a large impact in the last few years on the independent circuit in Europe, Japan, and the United States. Fergal Devitt (born 25 July 1981 is an Irish professional wrestler currently contracted by New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Transport

See also: Transport in Ireland, Rail transport in Ireland, and Roads in Ireland

The Republic of Ireland has three main international airports (Dublin, Shannon, and Cork) that serve a wide variety of European and intercontinental routes with scheduled and chartered flights. Most of the transport system in Ireland is in public hands either side of the Irish border. Rail services in Ireland are provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland Ireland, both north and south of the border, has an extensive network of roads An international airport is an Airport typically equipped with Customs and Immigration facilities to handle international flights to and from other Shannon International Airport, or Aerfort na Sionnainne in Irish is one of Ireland's primary three airports (along with Dublin Airport and Cork Airport Cork Airport, ( Irish: Aerfort Chorcaí is one of the three principal International airports in the Republic of Ireland (along with A charter airline, also sometimes referred to as an Air taxi, operates Aircraft on a charter basis that is flights that take place outside normal schedules by a The national airline is Aer Lingus, although low cost airline Ryanair is the largest airline. Aer Lingus is the Flag carrier airline of Ireland. Based at Dublin Airport, it operates 41 Airbus aircraft serving Europe Africa and North Ryanair (,) is an Irish Airline with headquarters in Dublin and its biggest operational base at London Stansted Airport in the UK The route between London and Dublin is the busiest international air route in Europe, with 4. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. 5 million people flying between the two cities in 2006. ^[57][58]

Railways services are provided by Iarnród Éireann. rail transport in Ireland Iarnród Éireann ( IÉ;; in English, Irish Rail) is the national Railway system operator of the Republic Dublin is the centre of the network, with two main stations (Heuston and Connolly) linking to the main towns and cities. Dublin Heuston, commonly called Heuston station ( Stáisiún Heuston) is one of Ireland's main railway stations, serving the south southwest and west Dublin Connolly, commonly called Connolly station ( Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile) (previously named Amiens Street Station) is one of the main railway The Enterprise service, run jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, connects Dublin with Belfast. History The service was introduced as the "Enterprise Express" on August 11 1947 by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland (GNR (I in an NI Railways also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time Ulster Transport Railways (UTR is the Railway operator in Dublin has a steadily improving public transport network of varying quality including the DART, LUAS, Bus service and an expanding rail network. The Dublin Area Rapid Transit ( DART) is part of the suburban railway network in Ireland, running mainly along the coastline of Dublin Bay on Luas /ɫ̪uəsˠ/ ( Irish for 'speed' also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a Light rail or Tram Dublin Bus (Bus Átha Cliath ˈaːhə ˈclʲiə is a Public transport operator in the Republic of Ireland.

The motorways and major trunk roads are managed by the National Roads Authority. Motorway is a term for both a type of Road and a classification or designation A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major Road &mdashusually connecting two or more cities, Ports Airports The National Roads Authority ( NRA) (An tÚdarás urn Bóithre Náisiúnta is a state body in Ireland, responsible for the national road network The rest of the road network is managed by the local authorities in each of their areas.

Regular ferry services operate between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, the Isle of Man and France. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

See also

• Irish people
• List of Ireland-related topics
• List of Irish people
• List of flags of the Republic of Ireland
• Republic of Ireland association football team

References

Bibliography and further reading

External links

• Áras an Uachtaráin — Official presidential site
• Irish genes from Spain
• Information on the Irish State — Governmental portal
• Ireland Story — History, geography and current affairs
• Chief Herald of Ireland — Flags, Seals, Titles
• Myths of British ancestry
• Taoiseach — Official prime ministerial site
• Tithe an Oireachtais — Houses of Parliament, official parliamentary site
• 2004 Presidency of the Council of the European Union

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