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Ireland
• 32,591 sq miles
– 1/5 the size of CA
• 4 provinces
• 32 counties
– 26 in the Republic
– 6 in Northern Ireland
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~ 6 million population
– 4.25m in the Republic
• 1.7m in Dublin area
– 1.75m in Northern Ireland
• 0.6m in Belfast area
ECONOMY*
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Nominal GDP (2006): $180.7 billion.
Real GDP growth (2006): 6%.
Nominal GDP per capita (2006): $44,500.
Natural resources: Zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone,
dolomite, peat.
Agriculture (3% of GDP): Products--cattle, meat, and dairy products; potatoes;
barley; hay; silage; wheat.
Industry (32% of GDP): Types--food processing, beverages, engineering,
computer equipment, textiles and clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
construction.
Trade (2006):
– Exports--$119.8 billion (excluding services): machinery, transport equipment,
chemicals, food, live animals, manufactured materials, beverages
– Imports--$87.4 billion (excluding services): grains, petroleum products, machinery,
transport equipment, chemicals, textile yarns.
– Major suppliers-Great Britain and Northern Ireland 31%, U.S. 11%, Germany 8%,
China 7%, Japan 4%, France 3%, rest of the world (including other EU Member
States) 36%.
History of Ireland
• Under ice up until 9k years ago – part of European continent before
breaking off
• 1171 Pope Adrian IV assigned King Henry II of England to be the
overlord
• English law introduced in the 13th century and fluctuated until
complete conquest of Ireland was accomplished in 1603 – nearly half
the Irish population (600k) died during the Cromwellian conquest
• 1801 Ireland became part of the extended United Kingdom and was
ruled directly by the UK Parliament in London
“A TERRIBLE BEAUTY”*
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1845 – 1849 the Great Famine (potato)
– 1m Irish died; 1m emigrated – ½ to the U.S.
– Pre-famine pop peak >8m – it has never returned to that level
Early 20th century saw the rise of Irish Nationalism (mostly Catholic)
1916 Easter Rising – armed rebellion
1921 – a treaty recognized 2-state solution (now the Irish Republic and
Northern Ireland) but still caused an Irish civil war until 1923.
IRA continues violence throughout the 20th century
1990’s began an unprecedented economic success “Celtic Tiger”
By early 2000’s it has become one of the richest countries (GDP per capita) in
the European Union and by 2006 ranked # 2 in the world (behind Japan)
In 2005, Ireland was ranked “the best place to live in the world” for “quality of
life”: health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political
stability/security, gender equality, family/community life.
Went from net emigration to net immigration
Ashford Castle
Lakes of Killarney
Jaunting Car
ADARE MANOR & GOLF COURSE
LAHINCH GOLF COURSE
WATERFORD CRYSTAL
Super Bowl XL Trophy
• mouth blown
• hand cut
• engraved
• $30,000
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Belleek China
CLADDAGH
FRIENDSHIP – LOVE - LOYALTY
TRINITY COLLEGE
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Founded 1592
Notable graduates:
– Jonathan Swift
– Bram Stoker
– Oscar Wilde
– Samuel Beckett (Nobel
Laureate poet)
– Ernest Walton (only Irish
Nobel Laureate in Physics)
– 3 holders of office of President
of Ireland
William Butler Yeats
James Joyce
BOOK OF KELLS
MUSIC, ARTS & NOTABLES
• AKA
– The Emerald Isle
– Eire
• No snakes
• St. Patrick not Irish
• Artistic income tax
free
• Music artists
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Van Morrison
U2
Enya
Sinéad O’Connor
Irish Tenors
Celtic Women
• Step dancing Riverdance