52 Facts About Ireland

The Republic of Ireland controls the majority of the island of Ireland, which lies off the coasts of England and Wales.

Dublin, Ireland's capital, is the birthplace of writers such as Oscar Wilde and the home of Guinness beer.

The Book of Kells and other illustrated manuscripts from the ninth century are on display at Trinity College Library in Dublin.

The country, dubbed the "Emerald Isle" due to its lush landscape, is dotted with castles such as mediaeval Cahir Castle.

There were no snakes in Ireland.

Around 78% of the Irish are Roman Catholic.

Outside of Ireland, there are more Irish than inside.

Because of its lush green appearance, Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle.

In Ireland, rural areas are home to more than 30% of the population.

Gaelic football is the most popular sport in Ireland, closely followed by Hurling, another ancient Gaelic sport. Both sports are indigenous to Ireland.

Although English is the most widely spoken language in Ireland, it is not the first language.

The Tailteann Games, which originated in Ireland around 1600 BC, are its own version of the Olympics.

Ireland has had two female presidents, more than most other countries. In 1990, Mary Robinson became Ireland's first female president. In 1997, she was succeeded by Mary McAleese.

The Titanic's final port of call was Ireland. Belfast, Northern Ireland, was the site of the Titanic's construction.

The Titanic was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland, over the course of three years by 15,000 Irishmen. Its massive hull was held together by three million rivets. In today's currency, a first-class ticket would have cost at least €89,000 ($106,000).

Ireland has one of the youngest populations in the world.

Every day, 10 million pints of Guinness are produced in Dublin.

Irish surnames beginning with 'Mac' mean'son of' and Irish surnames beginning with 'O' mean 'grandson of'.

Because of the low tax rates, many multinational corporations have established offices in Ireland.

Summers in Ireland are notoriously wet. In Ireland, it rained for 40 days straight during the summer of 2007.

Ireland ranks sixth in the world in terms of beer consumption per person. By 2021, the Irish will have consumed an average of 98.2 litres of beer per year.

Many common animal species, such as moles, weasels, polecats, and roe deer, are absent from Ireland.

Ireland is the only country in the world whose national symbol is a musical instrument.

In Ireland, there are more Polish people than native speakers.

The President of Ireland has few powers, which are limited to being the "head of state" and performing ceremonial duties.

On their 100th birthday, citizens receive €2,540 from the President.

In Ireland, being drunk in public is a crime.

The Irish harp is Ireland's official national symbol and emblem, and it appears on the front of Irish passports.

Ireland has the world's second highest per capita tea consumption.

Nigerians consume more Guinness than Irish people.

An Irishman designed the White House.

An Irishman founded Argentina's Navy. Admiral William Brown founded the Argentine Navy and became its first admiral in the nineteenth century.

Cedric Gibbons, an Irishman, designed the iconic golden Oscar statuette in 1928.

Color photography, whisky distillation, the ejector seat, the guided missile, the hypodermic syringe, the modern tractor, flavoured crisps, the portable defibrillator, rubber-soled shoes, and many other groundbreaking inventions can be attributed to Ireland.

In the late 1800s, an Irish engineer named John Philip Holland created the world's first submarine.

Shannon Airport in Ireland has had the world's first Duty Free stores since 1947.

In 2004, Ireland became the world's first country to outlaw smoking in public places.

Halloween began in Ireland.

Ireland has one of the world's oldest lighthouses, the Hook Lighthouse in Wexford, which was built in 1172.

Irish hurling dates back over 3,000 years.

The Woodenbridge Hotel in Wicklow is Ireland's oldest hotel, having opened in 1608.

Over 1 million Irish died during the Great Famine of 1845-1852, also known as the Irish Potato Famine, and nearly 2 million emigrated as a result, reducing the population by about 25%.

Cork was once the world's largest butter exporter.

Before it was used in France, the guillotine was used in Ireland.

Dublin once had Europe's largest red-light district.

Since 2018, abortion up to the first twelve weeks of pregnancy has been decriminalised in Ireland.

There are an estimated 30,000 castles and ruins scattered throughout Ireland, many of which are quite picturesque and some of which are open to tourists for overnight stays.

The Cliffs of Moher are well-known to tourists in Ireland, and they have appeared in films such as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Princess Bride, and The Mackintosh Man.

Sean's Bar holds the Guinness World Record for "The Oldest Pub in Ireland" as well as "The Oldest Pub in Europe," having served its first drink in 900 AD.

The Craoghaun Cliffs on Achill Island are Europe's second highest cliffs. The cliffs reach a height of 688 metres above the Atlantic Ocean.

The Céide Fields in County Mayo are the world's most extensive Stone Age site. It has the world's oldest known field systems (6,000 years old) and Europe's largest stone enclosure (48 miles long) (77km).

With 1,552 miles in length, the Wild Atlantic Way is the world's longest coastal driving route.