Ireland -- School-age

Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland

Things to Know

Official Name: The Republic of Ireland
(Southern Ireland)

Capital: Dublin

County's inhabitants: Irish

Government Type: Parliamentary Republic

Abbreviation: IE, IRL

Currency: Euro

Official Language: English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard.

Religion: Mainly Christian with 78% Roman Catholic

Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle for its beautiful lush green fields.

Ireland

Part of Western Europe, the Republic of Ireland occupies five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean. The other sixth is called Northern Ireland. Ireland is the continent's second largest island (after Great Britain).

History

The Irish people are of Celtic origin.

Celtic tribes arrived on the island of Ireland from between 600 and 150 BC. In the 8th century began invasion by Norsemen. King Brian Boru defeated the Danes in 1014. More Norman invasions began in the 12th century with more than seven centuries of struggle, fierce rebellions and harsh repressions.

The Irish famine (potato famine, great famine) in the 19th century led many people to emigrate. The Irish population dropped by more than a quarter through starvation, disease, and emigration.

The modern Irish state gained its independence in 1921 from the UK with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treat and the creation of the Irish Free State, now the Republic of Ireland. The treaty solidify the partition of Ireland with the Irish Free State made up of 26 counties out of the 32 counties on the island of Ireland

Ireland was neutral in World War II.

The Republic of Ireland is part of the European Union.

History of Ireland

Government

The Prime Minister (Taoiseach) is the head of government. The President is the head of state and the commander in chief of the armed forces.

The political power is vested in the Prime Minister. The Presidential post is mostly ceremonial.

The legislature of Parliament (Oireachtas) consist of two chambers, the Senate (Seanad Eireann) and House of Representatives (Dail Eireann). The legislature is empowered to make laws, amend laws, amend laws , or terminate existing laws.

The highest court is the Supreme Court of Ireland that resolves issues of law and issurs pertaining to the interpretation of the constitution. The is the Court of Appels looks at appeals. The circuit, district, and criminal courts resolve matters including criminal and civil issues.

Flag of Ireland

The flag of the Republic of Ireland frequently referred to as the Irish tricolor, is vertical tricolor of green, white, and orange.

Green is a color long associated with the side fighting for Irish independence.
White is for peace.
Orange is the color that came to represent the Protestant British unionist.

Between the green and orange colors, white is a hope for peace between the two sides.

Land

Ireland's terrain is mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast. The greater part of Ireland is covered by grassland or peat bogs. One of Ireland's most characteristic features is the bog. Covering 1,200,000 hectares (1/6th) of the island.