Ireland is an island in Northwestern Europe. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Channel, the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea.
Five sixths of this island comprises the Republic of Ireland. The other one sixth is a part of the United Kingdom. In the Stone and Bronze Ages, Ireland was inhabited by people called Picts in the north and Erainn in the south.
Around 4th BC tall, red-haired Celts arrived from Gaul. Saint Patrick introduced Christianity in AD 432, and the country developed into a center of Gaelic and Latin learning. Irish monasteries attracted intellectuals as well as the pious.
These monasteries also sent out missionaries to many parts of Europe and even, it is believed, to North America. Ireland is an island of lush vegetation, thick woods, low mountains, and a mild climate. Peninsulas and lakes, breathtaking monuments dating from prehistoric times, as well as fabulous ruins of castles and monasteries, all make Ireland a tourist’s dream.
