Ireland

Region: Europe

Official language: English, Irish (Gaelic)

Population: 5,233,461 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) (noun), Irish (adjective)

Land area: 68,883 sq km (26,596 sq miles)

Water area: 1,390 sq km (537 sq miles)

Capital: Dublin

National anthem: “Amhran na bhFiann” (The Soldier’s Song), by Peadar Kearney [English], Liam O Rinn [Irish]/Patrick Heeney And Peadar Kearney

National holiday: Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17

Population growth: 0.93% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +0

Flag: The Irish flag is a tricolored flag with equal-sized vertical stripes of green, white, and orange. The green in the flag is thought to symbolize the older Roman Catholic population that inhabited the island prior to the invasion of William of Orange, who firmly established the Anglo-Irish population, largely Protestant (and represented by the color orange), following the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The white stripe between the green and orange stands for the peace between the two religious populations within the Republic.

Independence: December 6, 1921 (from the UK by treaty)

Government type: parliamentary republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: common law system based on the English model but substantially modified by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court

The Republic of Ireland is an independent European country that occupies most of the island of Ireland, which lies to the west of England, Scotland, and Wales. The rest of the island is occupied by Northern Ireland, which is a separate nation under the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Ireland, sometimes called the “Emerald Isle” because of its green landscape, has had a significant impact on Western literature, folk music, and dance.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Though most of Ireland’s people live in urban areas, a large percentage (35.5 percent) still lived in rural settings in 2023. The people of Ireland are predominantly White Europeans; Irish make up the biggest ethnic group, at 76.6 percent as of 2022. The country also has a sizable population of Irish Travelers, an Indigenous nomadic people. Immigration, primarily in the twenty-first century, has led to small but significant communities of other Europeans, including Polish and Lithuanians, and southeast Asians, including Indians and Bangladeshis.

Both Irish and English are considered official languages. English is most frequently used in daily life, and is spoken with an accent (often called a “brogue”). Irish is spoken by around 37.7 percent of the population (2022 estimate); it is taught in schools and used in governmental affairs. The Irish language is a dialect of ancient Gaelic, which was the language of the Celtic people. Many of Ireland’s popular sayings are written in Irish, such as “Cead mile failte,” which translates into English as, “One hundred-thousand welcomes,” and “Erin go bragh,” which means “Ireland forever.”

Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion in Ireland. About 69.2 percent (2022 estimate) of all residents of Ireland are Catholic, while many of the remaining people of faith are Protestant, belonging to the Church of Ireland. Muslims made up around 1.6 percent in 2022. Citizens of Ireland are granted freedom of religious belief and practice.

The republic is divided into twenty-eight counties of varying sizes and three cities. The most heavily populated counties are County Dublin, County Cork, and County Galway. The population is generally clustered in the counties along the south, west, and east coasts, while the central and northern counties tend to be more rural.

Indigenous People: Some of the earliest settlers of Ireland were the Celts, who came to the island around the year 400 BCE. There are several other peoples from which the modern population of Ireland has descended. These include the Vikings, the Normans, and the British.

Despite the successive invasions of these other groups and centuries of British colonialism, the Celts remain the most significant tribe to the modern population, which continues to observe Celtic traditions and folklore. Imagery such as Celtic crosses and Celtic knots are abundant in Irish craftwork.

Education: Ireland is known for its universities, which include the National University of Ireland, which has campuses in Dublin, Galway, and Cork; the University of Limerick; and perhaps Ireland’s most famous university, Trinity College in Dublin. Alumni of Trinity College include Irish writers Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw.

Irish youth are required to attend school between the ages of six and sixteen. Most of these students attend schools that are privately owned by the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland. Students wear uniforms and usually attend same-sex schools at the secondary level.

Secondary schools are largely divided into two groups. Some schools are traditional secondary academies, while others are vocational schools that specialize in technical skills. A smaller group includes comprehensive schools, which offer both secondary and vocational programs.

Health Care: In 2005, the Irish government began issuing medical cards to eligible residents. These cards entitle a holder to limited medical services free of charge. Senior citizens and students are automatically qualified for cards. In addition to these cards, Irish residents may enroll for health care through an employer or through a medical institution, in a system similar to that used in the United States.

Food: Irish cuisine is centered on local agriculture. Most Irish people consume a high-protein diet mainly consisting of beef, mutton, poultry, pork and vegetables. Potatoes are farmed throughout Ireland, and the Irish people consume a large quantity of their potato harvests.

An Irish dish consisting of flattened, fried potatoes called “boxty” has become popular worldwide. A typical Irish breakfast may include boxty, slices of bacon called “rashers,” and “blood pudding,” a type of sausage made out of pig’s blood.

Stout beer is the most popular Irish beverage. Dublin’s famed Guinness Brewery provides the majority of the stout in Ireland. Another of Ireland’s most popular drinks is whiskey, which is sometimes mixed with coffee and Irish cream in a drink called “Irish coffee.”

Arts & Entertainment: Perhaps the most popular form of entertainment in Ireland is football (known in the United States as soccer). The Irish have a number of professional football clubs that compete against each other and other European teams.

Gaelic football is another popular sport. Ireland is the only country that plays this unique blend of football and rugby professionally. Also unique to Ireland is a ball game called hurling. Hurling is a high contact field sport that uses a long stick and a hard, canvas-wrapped ball. In addition to these team sports, horse racing is a popular form of recreation that has existed on the island for centuries.

There is a great appreciation for fine arts in Ireland. Dublin’s Abbey Theatre is a popular venue for the performing arts. Many dramatic performances and art exhibitions are funded by grants from a government-sponsored Arts Council.

Ireland has produced some of the most famous literary works in the history of Western culture. Notable Irish writers include William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Bram Stoker, and Oscar Wilde.

Music is an important part of Irish history and culture. Irish music is based on traditional folk songs and dance. Folk music is played on acoustic stringed instruments such as the guitar, mandolin, and fiddle, and on wind instruments such as the flute, recorder, Irish bagpipes, accordion and concertina. The music is usually accompanied by the bodhrán, which is an Irish drum played with a small wooden mallet. Folk music has been popular throughout the history of the country, and is often complemented by traditional dance jigs.

Holidays: On February 1, the Irish honor one of their patron saints as they celebrate Saint Brigid’s Day. The other patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick, is celebrated on March 17 in Ireland as a day of feasting.

Environment and Geography

Topography: Central Ireland, in the agricultural lowlands, is characterized by rolling fields and peat bogs. The mountainous areas in Ireland exist mainly in the west. These include the Connemara, Kerry, and Donegal Mountains. Ireland’s highest point is atop Carrauntoohil, in Kerry. Carrauntoohil’s peak is 1,041 meters (3,141 feet) high.

Despite Ireland’s small size, it is home to many notable geographical features. The west coast is dotted with bays that support industry along the shore. Some of the more notable bays are the central Galway Bay, Dingle Bay in the south, and Donegal Bay in the north. In the east, there are two major bodies of water that separate Ireland from England and the rest of Great Britain. These are the Irish Sea, to the east of Dublin, and St. George’s Channel, which lies off the southeastern coast.

Ireland is home to many rivers and lakes, including the River Liffey, which runs through the center of Dublin, and the River Shannon, which at 370 kilometers (230 miles) is the Republic’s longest. The River Shannon feeds three major lakes, or loughs. These are the Lough Allen, Lough Lee, and Lough Derg.

The Aran Islands lie to the west of Galway Bay, and are a popular tourist attraction. The islands feature expansive fields with ancient stonewall structures dividing pastures and retaining flocks of sheep. The famous Aran wool sweaters are handmade and sold on the islands. At the end of the main island is a large cliff with castle ruins at its peak.

Natural Resources: Ireland’s chief natural resources are mainly geological. The land is rich with minerals that are valuable as building stones. Zinc and lead are heavily mined in the lowland areas, and peat is widely used as a fossil fuel in the absence of coal. There are few trees on the island due to a history of heavy logging.

Plants & Animals: Wildlife in Ireland is similar to that found in some areas of North America. Many of the same species of birds and small mammals inhabit the island.

The problem of endangered species has grown over the years, as the corncrake bird has been forced to leave its habitat as a result of human interference. By the 2020s, there were reports of an increased number of corncrakes due to conservation efforts. Badgers are native to Ireland, though the species has been experiencing a devastating outbreak of tuberculosis. Rodents such as the grey squirrel and the mink were introduced into Ireland’s ecosystem, and are now thriving.

Cattle, horses, and sheep are abundant throughout the island.

Because of the wet climate, plant life is lush and green, and thick moss grows rampantly. Heavy industrial growth has caused water pollution in many freshwater habitats, prompting the European Union (EU) to write laws for the protection of Ireland’s peat bogs.

Climate: Ireland’s climate is generally categorized as wet, though mild. The island is not subjected to many harsh storms, but its rainy weather comes in long, drizzly spells. Annual rainfall is around 150 centimeters (60 inches). Because of the abundance of rain and the lack of a harsh cold season, Ireland’s agriculture remains active throughout most of the year.

The temperature is generally cool and comfortable throughout the year, with an average of 5° Celsius (41° Fahrenheit) in the winter, and 15° Celsius (59° Fahrenheit) during the summer. However, climate change meant that the country continued to see a consistent rise in temperatures over the years.

Economy

Ireland's gross domestic product (GDP) was $608.463 billion in 2023, with a per capita GDP of $115,600—the latter among the highest in the world. Ireland’s major exports include meat and dairy, textiles such as wool, and manufactured products. The country's biggest trading partners include the United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany. Ireland’s unemployment rate was 4.34 percent in 2023. The country ranked seven out of 193 countries on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index, based on 2022 data.

Industry: The significance of industry to the economy of Ireland has increased in the past century. While agriculture remains important, technology companies have created most of modern Ireland’s job market, starting with the economic boom of the 1990s and early 2000s. The manufacturing industry is not as prevalent as service industries, which include sectors such as trade, construction, and communication.

Agriculture: The export economy of Ireland relies heavily on agriculture. Ireland does not import much food, mostly because of its abundant pastures and ideal climate for year-round farming.

The fishing industry thrives along the coasts, the inland pastures cover two-thirds of the country. Cattle and vegetables, especially potatoes, are particularly important as both food and commodities, as are wheat and barley.

Tourism: Tourism is a large part of the Irish economy. In 2018, about 11.2 million people visited Ireland. In 2018, tourism and travel generated a total contribution of US$23.2 billion, or 6.2 percent, to the GDP. However, tourism suffered a steep drop in 2020, due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic early that year. As the industry rebounded in subsequent years, in 2022 the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation estimated that seven million people visited the country that year. Popular tourist attractions include Ireland’s many castles, such as Bunratty Castle, Ashford Castle, and Blarney Castle. Visitors to Blarney are given the chance to kiss the Blarney Stone for good luck.

Tourists often visit the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher. Popular tourist attractions in Dublin include the Guinness Brewery and the trendy Temple Bar area.

Because of the great number of Irish Americans living in the United States, many Americans visit Ireland in an attempt to trace their lineage. There is a large market for heritage-based products, such as family crests and information about the origins and meaning of Irish surnames.

Many tourists are particularly interested in buying the famous Waterford Crystal products, such as stemware and vases, made in the southern city of Waterford. Souvenirs such as Claddagh rings and Celtic crosses are also popular among visitors to Ireland.

Government

The Republic of Ireland has been an independent nation since 1921. Previously, it had been a British colony and a part of the United Kingdom for hundreds of years. This period of history was marked by British domination of many aspects of Irish political and public life, state-sanctioned suppression of Roman Catholicism, and humanitarian disasters such as the Potato Famine (1845–49), which many people in Ireland felt the British government failed to adequately address.

Opposition to British rule by Irish nationalists reached a significant level by the end of the nineteenth century, and Irish rebels fought against the British for their independence on many occasions. The most significant of these was the Easter Rising of 1916, when the Irish Republicans in favor of “home rule” led an unsuccessful uprising in Dublin against British troops. The subsequent War of Independence (1919–21) managed to secure independence for Ireland in the form of the Irish Free State.

The Government of Ireland Act of 1920 described the Republic as separate from Northern Ireland, which remains a country of the United Kingdom, along with England, Scotland, and Wales. Despite this agreement, conflict continued to flare up over the status of Northern Ireland. From the 1960s to the 1990s, a period of sectarian violence known as The Troubles pitted Irish nationalist groups, including the Irish Republican Army, against Unionists, or supporters of British rule in Northern Ireland; after 1969, the British Army was also involved. Catholic–Protestant tensions, namely discrimination against Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland, helped fuel the conflict. While violence was concentrated in Northern Ireland, terrorist attacks and outbreaks of fighting also occurred in the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere in the UK. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 largely ended this sectarian violence, but debates over the status of Northern Ireland continued into the 2020s, in part due to Britain's exit from the EU and Ireland's continued membership.

The Irish Constitution was drafted in 1937. In 1949, Ireland’s status as a commonwealth of Great Britain officially ended, making it a fully independent state. The Republic of Ireland is a member of the EU.

Like the United States, Ireland is a democracy with a president as the head of state. The people of Ireland elect their president to a seven-year term. People who are at least eighteen years old and have lived in the Republic for a minimum of five years are eligible to vote.

Like Great Britain, Ireland has a parliament, which in Irish is called the Oireachtas, and a prime minister, called the Taoiseach. The Taoiseach is nominated by the Oireachtas and is appointed by the President.

The Oireachtas’s legislative branch is the House of Representatives, or Dáil Éireann. The executive branch is the Senate, or Seanad Éireann. There are numerous active political parties, and the party holding the majority in the Oireachtas is led by the Taoiseach. The largest parties are Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil (the Republican Party), Sinn Féin, and the Labour Party.

Interesting Facts

• In Galway, Ireland, there is a famous park named after John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth president of the United States.
• The limerick, a popular style of rhymed-verse poem, gets its name from the city of Limerick, Ireland, where the style was originated.
• The horse race known as the steeplechase was invented in 1752 when two Irish men engaged in an off-course countryside race from the steeple of one church to the steeple of another.
• Muckanaghederdauhaulia, in County Galway, has the longest place name in the country.
• The Irish government appointed its first artificial intelligence ambassador in 2022.

Bibliography

Human Development Report 2021/2022. United Nations Development Programme, 2022, hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2021-22pdf‗1.pdf. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

“Ireland.” The World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/ireland. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

“Ireland.” The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 20 Dec. 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ireland/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"Ireland: 2019 Annual Research: Key Highlights." World Travel & Tourism Council, 2019, www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/countries-2019/ireland2019.pdf. Accessed 24 July 2019.

"Tourism Industry Rebounded This Year but Full Recovery Not Expected until 2026." Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, 27 Dec. 2022, www.itic.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ITIC‗Press‗Release‗Tourism‗27Dec2022‗final.pdf. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023.