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Off the nOrthwest cOast of europe lies one of the most
beautiful islands in the world. for centuries, writers and singers
have praised the lush countryside and wild mountains of Ireland.
Despite its beauty, Ireland is not a rich country and has few natural
resources. It has no coal, no iron ore, and no vast reserves of oil.
nevertheless, Ireland’s influence has been far-reaching, for the
country is rich in its people and their distinctive Gaelic culture. few corners
of the world lack an Irish community whose members keep alive the
memory and customs of their homeland. In 1973, Ireland (eire) joined the
european economic community (now the european Union). Until then,
its powerful neighbor and former ruler, the United Kingdom, had always
dominated the country’s economy. as a member of the Union, eire has
become more prosperous and economically independent of the United
Kingdom. new high-tech industries are replacing
traditional agriculture and textiles as
the main sources of employment.InDUstry
Once renowned
for its traditional
industries of glass, lace,
and linen, Ireland now
also produces medicine,
electronics, and other
modern goods. Many
people work in the
tourism industry.DUblIn
the capital city of Ireland
is Dublin. It lies on the
liffey river not far from the
Irish sea. the Vikings founded
Dublin in the 9th century,
and the city has many historic
buildings and beautiful town squares.MUsIc
Ireland has a strong musical tradition. Irish rock and
classical artists are well known internationally. the
corrs, U2, and the cranberries
are all very successful Irish bands.
traditional Irish music and
dancing is also very important
to Ireland’s cultural heritage.celts
europe
trade and industry
United kingdom
United kingdom, history of
VikingsPipes, fiddles,
and banjos
are all used
in traditional
Irish music.cOUntrysIDe
wet west winds blow across Ireland from the atlantic Ocean,
soaking parts of the country with more than 80 in (200 cm)
of rain each year. this makes the farmland very productive;
about 15 percent of the people work
in farming and food
processing industries.GeOGraphy
Mountains to the south,
west, and north surround
Ireland’s large central
plain. the plain is marshy
in places, and there are
many lakes, called loughs.
lough neagh (right) in
northern Ireland, the biggest
lake in the british Isles, is famous
for its wildfowl and salmon.Blocks of peat—carbon-rich soil
consisting of decomposed plant
life—are dug up from the marshy
countryside and left to dry
before being used as fuel.The Ha’penny
Bridge, which
spans the Liffey
River, is accepted
as the symbol of
Dublin. Opened
in 1816, its name
comes from the fee
once charged
to use it.Ireland 284-
Ireland is the smaller of the two
main british Isles. the other—
britain—is to the east, and the
atlantic Ocean is to the west.
Ireland is divided into Ireland
(eire), which is independent, and
the province of northern Ireland,
which is part of the
United Kingdom.Find out more
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