Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Flag:
The Republic of Ireland's flag is made of three vertical bands of green, white,
and orange.
The Average Irish:
A typical Irish person is 5'6”, 35 years old, has 1.85 kids, and
will live to be 80. Every day, he or she drinks four cups of tea and spends $5 on
alcohol.
Still, aspects of modern life continue to make inroads in traditional Ireland. In 2003,
shops began charging customers for plastic sacks for carrying goods (the surcharge is cur-
rently €0.22), which has cut down on litter. In 2004, smoking was banned in all Irish pubs.
Some pubkeepers initially grumbled about lost business, but the air has cleared. And you
can't drive too far without running into road construction, as the recently affluent Irish
(for a decade flush with Celtic Tiger money) try to cope with more cars crowding their
streets. New motorways are making travel between bigger cities faster, but the country is
still laced with plenty of humble country lanes perfect for getting scenically lost.
At first glance, Ireland's landscape seems unspectacular, with few mountains higher
than 3,000 feet and an interior consisting of grazing pastures and peat bogs. But its seduct-
ive beauty slowly grows on you. The gentle rainfall, called “soft weather” by the locals,
really does create 40 shades of green—and quite a few rainbows as well. Ancient, moss-
coveredringfortscrouchinlushvalleys,whilestone-strewnmonasticruinsandlonecastle
turrets brave the wind on nearby hilltops. Charming fishing villages dot the coast near
rugged, wave-battered cliffs. Slow down to contemplate the checkerboard patterns created
by the rock walls outlining the many fields. Examine the colorful small-town shop fronts
that proudly state the name of the proprietor.
The resilient Irish character was born of dark humor, historical reverence, and a
scrappy, “we'll get 'em next time” rebel spirit. Though the influence of the Catholic
Church is less apparent these days, it still plays a part in Irish life. The national radio and
TV station, RTE, pauses for 30 seconds at noon and at 18:00 to broadcast the chimes of the
Angelus bells. The Irish say that if you're phoning heaven, it's a long-distance call from
the rest of the world, but a local call from Ireland.
