Introduction – Visiting Ireland

If you are considering planning a visit to the beautiful island of Ireland, then this article is worth reading.

Many people think of coming to Ireland and luckily many do. Others are scared by what they have seen in the last 30 years. Fortunately, things have changed and although there are still some sporadic incidents, it is now generally safe to visit Ireland. The crime rate in Ireland is low, in fact one of the lowest crime rates in Europe and lower than the US.

History

I could write books on Irish history, but I’ll try to do a potted version as a background medium. Ireland is a small island essentially surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and has a total population of approximately 6 million people. It is about 300 miles from north to south and 100 miles from east to west. For such a small island, it has had a turbulent history and no books have yet been written about what can happen.

Christianity arrived in Ireland around AD 450 and at that time it was divided into four provinces, Ulster, Munster Leinster and Connacht. Ireland was at that stage, and indeed for the next few hundred years it was ruled by kings and high kings, many of whom fought for supremacy. It was around 750 AD when the Vikings arrived and Dublin became a major port.

There’s always been a big debate about the English invading Ireland, but it’s more complex than that. The King of Leinster was essentially banished and turned to Henry II in France for help. He agreed to help and sent Strongbow, a Welsh baron, who effectively took control of Ireland. He had been promised the King of Leinster’s daughters’ hands in marriage and that he too would become the King of Leinster’s heir.

This was seen as a threat by Henry II of England and he mounted a campaign and took control of Ireland, establishing Ireland as a Kingdom in 1199. However this weakened and once again the Norman barons took control and adopted a culture irish It was not until the Tudor period that this battle would resume once more with Henry VIII and his own personal views on his marital status. It was his actions then that have sown the seeds of the conflict that exists to this day. Henry got the Irish Parliament to elect him King of Ireland and, because of his falling out with the Catholic Church, he created plantations and gave land to his Protestant supporters as a reward for his support.

In the 1640s Oliver Cromwell Ruthless attacked anyone who did not support the Protestant cause and Catholics were essentially exiled to the barren lands of the West Coast. Irish Catholics supported James II when he fled England, William of Orange having taken the throne from him.

The famous Battle of the Boyne occurred in 1690 and William’s victory established the Protestant victory which is still celebrated on July 12 each year. In 1800 an Act of Union was passed making Ireland part of the United Kingdom. The Great Famine then decimated Ireland in 1841 with over a million people dying and a million more emigrating, mostly to the US. Ireland became a place of wilderness and death and in truth no one had any real key interest to rule that place.

Emigration continued into the early 20th century and it was then that many young activists began a plan to reclaim Ireland for the Irish. Many Protestants wanted to remain aligned with the UK and this led to the famous Easter Rising in 1916. A bloody civil war ensued and in 1921 the Irish Free State was declared separating Ireland. Six counties in what is now known as Northern Ireland remained with the United Kingdom and the remaining 26 counties formed an Irish Republic in 1948.

In the 1960s civil law began to gain momentum around the world and Northern Ireland was no exception. Some young Catholics were allowed to attend college for the first time, and many college students began civil rights campaigns with the slogan “one man, one vote.” At that time, voting rights were assigned by status and ownership of land and business. Even in areas where there was primarily a Catholic population, Protestants sat on all councils as they owned the land and had great power in allocating housing, schools, and work. Problems arose at these marches when the unionist government tried to suppress these marches and violence broke out. In 1969, the British Army was sent in to protect Catholics who were being burned outside their homes, a strange quirk if there ever was one.

The violence continued and Catholics quickly turned against the army when internment was introduced as a measure to stop the re-creation of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). This violence continued for more than thirty years with countless atrocities and the loss of more than 3,000 lives. This lasted until 1998 when the Good Friday agreement was signed and ceasefires took place. As of 2009 there is a power-sharing local government with the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein in control. It’s hard to think that Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness ever formed a government, but miracles seem to happen.

So, for the purpose of your holidays, there is still a Northern Ireland with six counties that are part of the United Kingdom and use the pound sterling as their currency. The other 26 counties make up Southern Ireland and use the euro as their currency. Make sure to bring both if you plan to take a tour of Ireland. At this time one pound sterling will buy one euro and ten cents.

ATMs are available, but if you are staying in a rural area they are very limited. When in doubt, stop in a city and get your money there, as prevention is always better than cure.

things you have to know

Time

Spring time starts around March and lasts until June and you can expect temperatures of around 10-15 degrees during this period. Summer is from July to September and temperatures are usually around 15-22 degrees, and you might get lucky and have a freak heat wave when temperatures can reach 25 degrees. Autumn begins from October to December and temperatures drop significantly to a few degrees above freezing and it gets chilly at night, often reaching zero degrees overnight. Winter begins in January through March, and temperatures rarely exceed a few degrees above freezing. At some point, we usually get a few slugs of snow, but never more than a few inches, although we do get a big flurry from time to time that can be up to a foot deep.

Regardless of the time of year, you can almost always guarantee rain, so always come prepared. A light rain jacket is strongly recommended in spring and summer.

airports

There are twelve airports in Ireland and they vary greatly in their choice of destinations. They can include local, European and international flights and it is always best to check individual airports as flight destinations and arrivals can change. The two largest Irish airlines are Aer Lingus and RyanAir.

• Belfast City Airport
• Belfast International Airport (International)
• Cork Airport
• Derry Regional Airport
• Donegal Regional Airport
• Dublin Airport (international)
• Kerry International Airport (International)
• Ireland West Airport Knock
• Galway Airport
• Shannon Airport
• Sligo Regional Airport
• Waterford Regional Airport

Car, taxi, bus and train rental services are available at the larger airports. Depending on where you are visiting in Ireland, it is always best to decide which airport services are in that area and check the availability of flights from your place of departure.

accommodation

We have a wide range of accommodation from hotels, Bed and Breakfast, rental of apartments or houses, Caravaning, camping, hostels, boat rental, etc. Once you have decided what type of accommodation you need, there is a wide selection of options available to you. The only words of caution I’d offer is to check the festivals in a particular area at any given time. For example, trying to book a hotel in Dublin on March 17th would be quite difficult as it is Saint Patrick’s Day and rooms are very expensive.

Car rental

In Ireland, driving is on the left hand side of the road and all cars are right hand drive as standard. There are hundreds of roundabouts and they are always difficult for visitors. They allow traffic to divert in different directions without the need for traffic lights and when you approach them you should always look to your right and if a vehicle is coming you should stop and yield, otherwise it is safe to continue without stopping. We also have traffic lights and they work in a red amber green. Red is to stop, amber is to prepare, and green is to continue. Always check with your insurance company if you plan to drive your own car when you visit, as we are two different countries. If you rent a car, make sure the insurance covers all of Ireland if you plan to travel all over Ireland.

Petrol and diesel cost around £1 a liter and a typical car hire costs around £20 per day for a small car and around £45 per day for a family car. Generally all road signs are written in English. In purely Irish speaking areas (a very small number) you may find some writing in Irish only.

The use of seat belts is mandatory for everyone in the car. Lastly, be very careful as many of the roads are narrow and windy, so you need to be very careful when driving.

tuxedo

Smoking is prohibited in all public buildings, restaurants and pubs. Some hotels have smoking rooms, but if you are a smoker be sure to ask first. Be careful if you smoke in certain towns as they have litter guards who will fine you £60 if you drop your butt on the street. That’s around US$90, so be careful. A pack of cigarettes will set you back £5-6, making it an expensive habit.

Health insurance

Always check with your travel insurance before you come that you are covered in Ireland. Both Northern and Southern Ireland are in the EU, so make sure you’re covered.

What to do when you’re finally here?

Golf, fishing, water sports, sightseeing, hiking, walking, beaches, historic buildings, churches and the list is truly endless. There really is something for everyone to do and see. The common language spoken throughout Ireland is English and everyone will always welcome you. Tourist offices are located in all major towns and cities and will provide you with a wealth of things to do and see.

Be sure to see the famous Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Bushmill Distillery, Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and the North Antrim coastline, all of which can be seen in a day or two. Then there’s the haunted Ballygalley House Hotel and some of the world’s most scenic golf courses. A trip to Belfast and a city tour are highly recommended.

Then we have the kiss of the Blarney stone, or go to Dublin and see the Book of Kells, Trinity College and the famous Guinness Brewery. Go running for a day and good luck with your luck. I’m pretty sure if this is a vacation for those of you who just want to kick back and relax, or those of you who want an activity packed vacation, you’ll find it here on the Emerald Isle.