Facts about the Republic of Ireland

Facts about England - Tiffany Macbeth

Tiffany loves to travel and learn about the countries of the World.

During her travels she discovered lots of interesting facts about the Republic of Ireland.

Did you know?

The Republic of Ireland has a border with Northern Ireland. Together the two countries make up the island of Ireland which is the third biggest island in Europe. The map below shows the main cities of the Republic of Ireland.

 

Republic of Ireland Map

The flag of the Republic of Ireland is made up of three vertical stripes – green, white and orange.  

Republic of Ireland Flag

 

What is the capital city of the Republic of Ireland?

Dublin is the capital city of the Republic of Ireland with a population of around 1.2 million people.

Facts about the Republic of Ireland - capital city Dublin

This is a picture of Dublin, the capital city of the Republic of Ireland.

Dublin is built on the River Liffey. The bridge you can see in the picture is the Samuel Becket Bridge, a famous landmark named after the great playwright.

Other famous landmarks in Dublin include:

Dublin Castle, Trinity College, The Book of Kells (in Trinity College), The Spire of Dublin, The Statue of Molly Malone, The Famine Memorial, The Ha’penny Bridge and The Mansion House.

What is the longest river in the Republic of Ireland?

River Shannon

This is a picture of the River Shannon, the Republic of Ireland’s longest river. It is 360.5km (224 miles) long.  The building shown on the river is a hydro-electric power station that produces electricity for the surrounding area.

What is the highest mountain in the Republic of Ireland?

Carrantuohill

This is a picture of the Republic of Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrauntoohil. It is 1038 metres high (3,406ft). It is in County Kerry in the south-west.

Lakes are called loughs in the Republic of Ireland and the largest is Lough Carrib. It is 43.5km (27 miles) long and 16.1km (10 miles) wide.

What is the Republic of Ireland famous for?

Green fields of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland is famous for its green unspoilt countryside and rugged coastline.

Irish Potato Famine memorial

The Great Famine of 1854, also known as the Irish Potato Famine, is one of the saddest events in Irish history. Thousands of people died of starvation when their main food crop, the potato, failed. Those that were able to, left Ireland for other countries, particularly America and Canada.

The picture shows a memorial on the Dublin quay. The thin figures carrying their meagre possessions are walking towards the emigration ships.

What other things are associated with the Republic of Ireland?

Guiness

Guinness – a popular Irish dark beer.

Leprechaun

Leprechaun – A mythical Irish fairy. Usually depicted as an old man wearing a green or red jacket. It is considered lucky if you see one.

Irish Dancing

Irish Dancing – a traditional dance where the emphasis is on the movement of the lower body. The arms do not move but stay at the side of the body.

 

Can you name some famous Irish people?

Here are Tiffany’s top 20 famous people from the Republic of Ireland:

Barry McGuigan, Bob Geldolf, Bono, Dara ó Briain, Enya, Ernest Shackleton, George Bernard Shaw, Graham Norton, James Joyce, Jonathan Swift, Louis Walsh, Mary Robinson, Michael Collins, Michael Gambon, Oscar Wilde, Pierce Brosnan, Samuel Becket, Shane MacGowan, Sinéad O’Connor, Terry Wogan

Pierce Brosnan

 

As you can see Tiffany has discovered a lot of facts about the Republic of Ireland. She summed up her visit with the following keywords:

Bagpipes, Blarney Stone, Celtic, Cork, Dublin, Emerald, Gaelic, Green, Guinness, Harp, Legends, Leprechaun, Liffey, Limerick, Luck, Peat, Potato Famine, Pubs, Saint Patrick, Shamrock, Stew, Whiskey