IrelandBy Ultán Casserly

Fact File (Republic)

Population: 4 million.Area: 70,000 squared kmCapital: DublinHighest point: 3400 feetCurrency: Euro

SportsSports in Ireland is very popular. Ireland has sports of it’s own mainly hurling and gaelic. Rugby and soccer are also big in Ireland. Ireland have been more successful in rugby than soccer but has never beaten New Zealand. Ireland have never won a world cup in either sport.

St. Patricks DaySt. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He brought the catholic religion to Ireland. He was originally from wales but was brought as a slave to Ireland he escaped from Ireland but came back.

Although St. Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland. It’s celebrated in America. After he became a priest. St. Patrick shown the shamrock as a symbol of the cross. He taught us Christianity.

The Great Irish FamineThe Great Irish Famine was when the potatoes in Ireland got a thing called blight. Blight made the potatoes inedible. People started starving and couldn’t get much food. Many people went to America to look for good work. They got sent on “coffin ships” to America. Many people died

Music and Dancing In IrelandMusic in Ireland is not as big as sport but still very much liked the harp is Irish and the hardest instrument to play. River dancing is Irish as well. Music is very good although there is not much played in Ireland.

Irelands WondersNewgrange: Newgrange is a cave like structure which on one day of the year light will go straight down to the end that day being 21st of December. We do not know who made this but would of taken them a long time

Giants Causeway: The Giants Causeway is an incredible structure of separate stones again no one knows who made it but there is a tale where a giant made it. This is in Northern Ireland and one Irelands Wonders

GeographyIreland is the second largest island in Europe. It’s nickname is the Emerald Isle. About 15,000 years ago Ireland was completely covered by glaciers. Irelands highest peak is around 3400 feet high.

HistoryArchaeologists think the first people to settle in Ireland was around 6000 BC to 3500 BC. thousands of years later they started using stone tools. In the ninth century vikings came and made the first city in Ireland, Waterford. Soon Ireland broke into loads of different kingdoms

AnimalsThere are no wild snakes in Ireland. The sea has stopped many animals from reaching Ireland. There are only one type of lizard, and just three kinds of amphibians in Ireland as well.