Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Until a few years ago, Ireland had the most liberal citizenship laws in the European Union,
granting Irish citizenship to anyone born on Irish soil (even if neither parent had an Irish
passport). This led to a flood of pregnant immigrant women arriving from Eastern Europe
and Africa to give birth in Ireland so their children would gain EU citizenship. Families
withachildborninanEUcountryfacedfewerborderrestrictions,increasingtheirchances
of moving into one of the EU nations. In 2004, the Irish people closed that legal loophole
in a referendum vote.
While the Irish are embracing the new economies and industries of the 21st century,
many still see their island as an oasis of morality and traditional values when it comes
to sex and marriage (homosexuality was decriminalized only 25 years ago). The Catholic
Church continues to exert influence on Irish society. But since the Church no longer con-
trols the legislature, the Irish government—driven by the popular demands of the youngest
population in Europe—will undoubtedly push for some changes on the following issues.
Birth Control:
People in the US take for granted that birth control is readily available.
But Ireland only began allowing the widespread sale of condoms in 1993. Today it's es-
timated that a third of the births in Ireland occur out of wedlock.
Abortion:
Abortion is still illegal in Ireland. Women who choose to terminate their
pregnancies must go to England for help—and counseling Irish women to go to England
for abortions has only been legal since 1993. This was a big issue in 2001, when a Dutch
nonprofit anchored its “abortion ship” in Dublin's harbor, and again in 2002, when a refer-
endum legalizing abortion was narrowly defeated. Watch for more referendums proposing
the legalization of abortion. Many Irish refer to this as their next civil war.
Divorce:
Prohibited by the Irish Constitution in 1937, divorce was finally legalized in
a 1995 vote—but only under very strict conditions: It's only allowed for couples who have
been separated for four of the previous five years. Little compensation is offered to Irish
women who work as homemakers.
Megalithic tombs, ancient gold- and metalwork, illuminated manuscripts, high crosses
carved in stone, paintings of rural Ireland, and provocative political murals—Ireland
comes with some fascinating art. To best appreciate this art in your travels, kick off your
tour in Ireland's two top museums, both in Dublin: the
National Museum of Ireland
and
the
National Gallery.
Each provides a good context to help you enjoy Irish art and archi-
tecture—from ancient to modern and both rural and urban. Here's a quick survey.
Megalithic Period:
During the Stone Age, 5,000 years ago, farmers living in the
Val-
ley of the Boyne,
northofDublin,builta“cemetery” ofapproximately 40
burial mounds.
The most famous of these mound tombs is the passage tomb at Newgrange (part of Brú
