I R E L A N D

BROUGHT TO YOU BY… & Wikipedia

Ireland 32,591 sq miles –1/5 the size of CA 4 provinces 32 counties –26 in the Republic –6 in Northern Ireland ~ 6 million population –4.25m in the Republic 1.7m in Dublin area –1.75m in Northern Ireland 0.6m in Belfast area

ECONOMY* 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 13 th 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”* 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 20 th 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 IRA continues violence throughout the 20 th 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.

Belleek China

CLADDAGH FRIENDSHIP – LOVE - LOYALTY

TRINITY COLLEGE 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 –Van Morrison –U2 –Enya –Sinéad O’Connor –Irish Tenors –Celtic Women Step dancing - Riverdance