Ireland

By, Tyler Kenny and Nicholas Fowler

Education

Education in Ireland is pretty much the same as the education here in America. There are 3 classes of schools. They are primary, middle, and higher education. You may attend all schools for free there– even college! College is only free for students applying from the EU. There are Student Services Fees (up to €825 in 2007) which students are required to pay on registration, to cover examinations, insurance and registration costs.

Land Forms/ Geography

Landforms Ireland's central lowlands of flat rolling plains are dissected by bogs, loughs (lakes) and rivers, and surrounded by hills and low mountains. Also the Irish sea is a landform of Ireland. The major mountain ranges include the Blackstairs, Bluestack, Comerag, Derryveagh, Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Nephinbeg, Ox, Silvermines, Slieve, Mish, and Twelve Pins.

Imports/ Exports• Medicinal, dental and pharmaceutical preparations• Household goods like clocks• Soft beverages and processed coffee, soft drinks• Industrial organic chemicals • Other scientific, medical and hospital equipment• Computer accessories, peripherals and parts• Computers • Semiconductors • Alcoholic beverages (excluding wine) • Wine and related products

Government

The Government of Ireland is basically the executive branch that has executive authority in Ireland. The entire government is lead by a prime minister called the Taoiseach and a deputy prime minister called the Tánaiste. The prime minister is appointed by the president-such as the supreme court here in America. The president then appoints the remaining members of government. The Government must enjoy the confidence of the Dáil if it is to remain in office.

Climate

The average climate of Ireland is, overall, temperate, moist, and changes due to much rainfall and extremes in the temperature. Ireland gets it’s warm temperatures from the warm winds blowing in all year from the Gulf stream. It is defined as temperate oceanic climate or Cfb on the Köppen climate classification system. Ireland gets pretty much warm summers and cold winters and is much warmer than most other areas on the same latitude.

People/ Languages

The population in Ireland is 4,015,676 people with a population growth rate of 1.16%. The median age of Ireland is about 33.7 years old. Ireland’s life expectancy at birth is 77.5 years with a death rate of 7.85 deaths/ 1,000 population. The nationality there is Irishmen, Irishwomen, and Irish. There are two major ethnic groups in Ireland-they are Celtic and English. There are many religions there, including Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, other Christian, other, unspecified, and none. Christianity subsumed the indigenous Celtic religion by the year 600. The languages are English(official), which is the most commonly used language, and Irish(Gaelic or Gaeilge(official).

History

Ireland’s history began with the first known settlement in Ireland around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers came from Europe and decided to stay. There are almost no traces left of the European hunter-gatherers, but their decedents and Neolithic arrivals, especially from the Iberian Peninsula, were responsible for many Neolithic sites, such as Newgrange. From around AD 800, more than a century of Viking invasions, some of the fiercest warriors and savages in history, brought havoc upon the monastic culture and on the island's various regional dynasties, yet both of these institutions proved strong enough to survive and assimilate the invaders. Today, Ireland is a very peaceful and prosperous country.

Agriculture/ Resources • Did you know that 80% of Ireland is

covered in agriculture? Some of it is dairy farms, sheep and cattle farms, and cattle farms. Almost all the rest is crops and farms.

Landmarks• St. Patrick's Catherdral opened in 1192, is a beautiful Gothic structure that is

dominated by a powerful, square-based tower.• Dunluce Castle• Perched on a promontory along the northern coast of the island, one can still see the

grey walls of Dunluce Castle.  Built in the 14th century, this castle has been uninhabited since 1641.

• Kilkea Castle

• The county of Kildare still contains many traces of those ancient peoples and adventurers who dominated Ireland before A.D. 100 as shown in this photo of Kilkea Castle.

• Celtic Crosses

• A small cemetary near Kilcullen, in county Kildare, which, alongside the more recent gravesites, also contains stone crosses dating back to the Middle Ages.

• Ashford Castle

• Ashford Castle stands out amid the greenery of Connemara like an austere fortress decorated with towers and battlements.  The castle was recently transformed into a hotel whose rooms contain authentic masterpieces of art and antique furniture.

Transportation

• Most of Ireland’s Transportation is like the United States. They have cars, buses, planes, and one of the most common types of transportation is walking.