The Celt lived in a number of small chiefdoms, loosely united by four large provinces: Ulster in the far north, followed by Connacht, Leinster, and Munster in the southwest. Christianity was quickly accepted by the Celts after the arrival of St. Patrick in the 5th century AD. With the new religion came a period of prolific scholastic advancement in newly built monasteries, the ruins of which are still standing. The Christian artifacts and manuscripts are in better shape (some of them anyway); the best are on display at the National Museum in Dublin and Dublin’s Trinity College.

Throughout the 9th century Viking marauders ransacked the island. They didn’t stay long, but they did establish settlements that became important port cities. The Anglo-Normans that followed managed to settle more permanently in the 12th century. After English noblemen established themselves around the country, King Henry II of England declared himself Lord of Ireland in 1172, erasing the boundaries of the four provinces and establishing the county system still in place today. Nobody was too pleased with the new arrangement but over the centuries the English monarch’s area of influence was reduced to a small area on the east coast around Dublin.

In the 1540's English monarch Henry VIII disbanded Ireland’s monasteries after his own break with the Catholic Church, then promptly named himself King of Ireland. By this point Ireland was both very Catholic and very angry. It was only after 150 years of rebellion—by both native Irish and English immigrants opposed to English rule, that the English won out.

A period of oppression followed, as English noblemen were given large tracts of land worked by the Irish who once owned it. This continued until the Great Famine of 1845-1848. The aftermath of the famine brought strengthened demands for Irish Home Rule.

Though delayed by World War I, the Irish didn’t give up and the Easter Rising in 1916 lit a new fire that led to war and finally to the partition of the island in 1921. The south gained its independence but the north remains a part of the United Kingdom. In recent times the Irish Republic joined the European Union, and both Northern Ireland and the Republic have modernized and industrialized, but the essential rural character of the island and its friendly culture remain the same.

 The Irish have managed to maintain their Celtic heritage despite many challenges over the years, and today are even enjoying a resurgence of interest in Gaelic traditions and language. Gaelic was spoken in Ireland until the 1700's. Today, English and Gaelic are both official languages of the Republic, but Irish culture is still alive and well even outside the relatively small population of Gaelic speakers.

Ancient folklore and mythology still enchant the countryside populated by much more than just leprechauns. Stories of epic battles won by men of superhuman strength and skill have been around for over two thousand years, and many myths create ties that link the people of Ireland to the other Celtic tribes across Europe.

 Ireland is a small island separated from the northwest coast of England by the narrow Irish Sea. The southern 85% percent of the island makes up the Republic of Ireland, while Northern Ireland occupies the rest. The capital of the Republic, Dublin, is home to about one third of the population, and Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, is highly industrialized.

Rural areas (which make up most of the island) are sparsely populated, preserving the natural landscape that is Ireland’s major draw for travelers. The land varies from the rocky cliffs of the west coast to the central wetlands of the Connemara and even boasts a few mountains. But, being a small island, the weather doesn’t tend to change drastically from place to place. The west tends to get a bit more rain than the rest of the country, but it rains fairly steadily everywhere at any time of year—they don’t call it the Emerald Isle for nothing.

  Literature and music, both very significant aspects of ancient Celtic culture, are still today the most celebrated aspects of Irish art. Traditional music always starts with an Irish harp, which is joined by violins, flutes, and different types of accordions and bagpipes. Though performances are easily found in the cities, the true home of the music is the countryside, in pubs and town squares, paired with the spirited dances that first sprang up in rural villages in the 17th century.

A passion for language, wit and a good story is a central feature of the Irish, and they have an impressive literary history to prove it. Gaelic folklore and sagas like that of the giant warrior Cúchulainn make up the oldest literature in Western Europe that was written in a language still spoken today. And they didn’t stop there. From the 18th century satire of Jonathan Swift to the plays of Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, and Samuel Beckett, Irish writers caught the attention of the world again and again.

The early 20th century poetry of William Butler Yeats revealed the nationalist sprit of a country trying to emerge from foreign influence. James Joyce’s Ulysses is so beloved it has its own holiday, June 16, to commemorate the single day in Dublin traversed in the epic novel. 

Irish food is borne of the stick-to-your-ribs style of cooking favored by cold, rainy, agricultural societies. But remember that traveling burns a lot of calories, so feel free to dig in. You can keep it light with salmon or oysters pulled fresh from the Atlantic, or a bowl of jewel-like strawberries in summertime. But sometimes it is good to go whole hog—sausage, bacon, and ham, specifically. Add potatoes served any number of ways (and often all on the same plate), and you’ve got yourself a meal. Irish stew made from lamb is a favorite, as is the dense and delicious soda bread that accompanies it. Raising sheep also lends itself to fantastic, locally made cheeses. 

All these options are often available in pubs, and if they are, that’s where you should have them. The food is hot, the beer is fresh, and the whisky is aged, but none of those fine reasons explain the magic of the pub. It’s all in the atmosphere. As much a way of life as an actual place, a pub is respite from the cold, a place to revive yourself with a warm fire and even warmer companions. It is Ireland at its best, and you don’t even have to drink to enjoy the spirit of community and conviviality that fills you when you walk in, though you are more than welcome to do so.

 * July and August are the most popular months to visit Ireland, but even visiting at the peak of summer won't keep you from getting rained on. Pack for the possibility of wet weather.

* Spring and summer are also good times to visit because the combination of the influx of travelers and the warmer weather means there is more going on—from festivals to small museums and cultural sights waking up from a long winter's nap. 

 * DK Eyewitness Travel Guides: Ireland.

* The Most Beautiful Villages of Ireland by Christopher Fitz-Simon, photography by Hugh Palmer, published by Thames and Hudson, 2000.

* The Traveler’s Guide to Sacred Ireland: A Guide to the Sacred Places of Ireland, Her Legends, Folklore and People. By Cary Meehan, published 2002 by Gothic Image. 

* Ireland: 2nd Edition: A Short History by Joseph Coohill, new revised edition published by Oneworld in 2005.