1. Ireland

2. provinces There are four provinces in Ireland.
Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. The largest province is Munster.

4. Wildlife
There are no snakes in Ireland. The only reptile in Ireland is the common lizard.

5. Religion 88.4% Roman Catholic 2.95% church of Ireland (Anglican)
0.53% Presbyterian
0.26% Methodist
Less than 0.05% Jewish

6. Information Capital: Dublin Largest city: Belfast
Population: 6,000,000
People: Traveller

7. Legend
According to legend if you kiss a Blarney stone you will have good luck.

8. Blarney Castle

9. Banshees curse
The Ban Sidhe (Banshee) If your surname begins with O' , Mc' or Mac' you may have your very own family harbinger of death. The ban sidhe is always female and can be heard wailing in the hours of darkness. If you hear the unearthly cry likened to a child or a cat's rest assured the death will not be your own. The warning is that a family member is close to death. The ban sidhe is a shy creature. She can take the form of a bent over tortured hag wrapped in rags or that of a beautiful young woman but the cry and the long flowing hair are the same. My granda told of such an old woman who fortold of the loss of 300 men on the 14th Dec 1811 when the British warship HMS Saldanha was shipwrecked.

10. Irish Blessing
Near a misty stream in Ireland in the hollow of a tree Live mystical, magical leprechauns who are clever as can be With their pointed ears, and turned up toes and little coats of green The leprechauns busily make their shoes and try hard not to be seen. Only those who really believe have seen these little elves And if we are all believers We can surely see for ourselves. (Irish Blessing)

11. When Irish eyes are smiling, Tis like a morn in spring
When Irish eyes are smiling, Tis like a morn in spring. With a lilt of Irish laughter You can hear the angels sing When Irish hearts are happy All the world is bright and gay When Irish eyes are smiling Sure, they steal your heart away.

12. May your blessings outnumber The shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you Wherever you go.

13. These things I warmly wish to you- Someone to love Some work to do A bit o' sun A bit o' cheer And a guardian angel always near.

14. Leprechauns
Leprechauns are Irish fairies taking the appearance of a miniature old men, about two feet tall. They are known to live in remote places.

15. Fairies
Fairies are said to be those left from the ancient “ Tuathade-Dannans” who once ruled Ireland. They are friendly and spend their time making music and feasting.

16. St. Patrick
Patrick lived in the 5th Century but exactly where he was born is unknown but it is thought he came from Britain somewhere near the sea. His father Calpurnius was an important man in his area who made sure laws were kept and taxes paid. He had many servants. It was a Christian household and Patrick had a comfortable life.Many ships crossed the Irish sea to trade and there was also pirates who raided the coast of Britain. Just before his 16th birthday Patrick was captured with many others, tied up and taken away to Ireland He was sold and ended up working on farms. It was a hard life and quite a change from his easy childhood. In his loneliness he turned to God for comfort. He felt he had not been a good enough Christian before. Patrick started to have visions and felt that God had chosen him to carry out important work. One night he heard a voice saying "Your ship is ready" Although he had been in slavery for six years he had never tried to escape. But now the voice was so compelling he started on a 200 mile journey to Irelands east coast. He eventually arrived at the sea and there before him was a ship about to leave. He asked for passage but the captain refused. Patrick left the ship and began to pray. The captain began to have second thoughts thinking bad luck would befall the ship and called for Patrick to join them. The journey took three days and by the time they reached their destination they whole crew including the captain came to  admire Patrick and left with him, they had many adventures. Eventually Patrick arrived home and his family were delighted to have him back. But Patrick was very different from the boy who had left.  He still had vivid dreams and in one a voice he knew to be the people of Ireland called "Holy boy, we ask you to come back and walk among us".  it is believed Patrick went to France for further religious training. Ireland was ruled by about 100 chieftains and kings who were heavily influenced by druids. Patrick challenged the druids and using only the power of love he won over many of them who listened to his teaching. Thousands flocked to him during his travels throughout Ireland, they were a simple people and Patrick's simple message of Gods love won their hearts. Patrick is said to have  used the three leafed Shamrock as a way of explaining that although there was only one God there were three divine beings, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. Croagh Patrick is one of the places he is said to have visited and spent 40 days and nights on the summit praying and fasting. It is traditional to make a pilgrimage to the top of the mountain and thousands gather every "last Sunday in July" to make the climb. Although there were some Christians in Ireland before Patrick it was his work that eventually converted the whole island to Christianity.  It is also said he drove all the snakes form Ireland Many parts of Ireland claim Patrick as their own but he is said to have died on March 17th and is buried in Downpatrick. Ireland has since sent many missionaries world-wide helping to further Patrick's message. Her people have helped fill the world with song, poetry, literature, dance and music and descendants. Wherever they went they celebrated the 17th of March, Saint Patrick's Day.

18. This Place Called Ireland
"So peaceful and calmly this place it seems to be,
Yet I stare at it sadly for its thru a picture I see,
this land far,far away from mine
I watch the clock in patient time
for someday soon I'll touch the sand
of this calm place called Ireland.
I can hear the Atlantic pounding so hard
I can see the sun set by a still grave yard.
I can feel the mist of a small seaport.
I can feel the awe of Powerscourt*.
I can feel the releif of the dew-settled field
that in due time its crops will yield.
I can hear the wolves crying out on the moor.
I can taste the taste of the streams so pure
So, someday soon, (I'm hoping) I'll be able to stand,
and say I've finally made it to this place called Ireland."
Copyright © Chantal O'Connor

19. Maps and pictures

23. Insults in Irish
Oscar Wilde the master of the insult was being given flowers from fans on the first night of one of his plays. One of his rivals gave him a rotten cabbage: "Thank you my dear fellow," says Oscar, "everytime I smell it I shall be reminded of you"
"To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune, to lose both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde ( ) The Importance of being Earnest
A notorious bore once commented to Oscar Wilde that he had passed Oscar's house that day: Oscar replied "Oh, thank you so much."
Oscar defined a cynic as "The man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing"
Oscar described the English country gentleman galloping after a fox "The unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable"