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Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, lying in the northeastern quadrant of the island of Ireland, on the western continental periphery often characterized as Atlantic Europe. Northern Ireland is sometimes referred to as Ulster, although it includes only six of the nine counties which made up that historic Irish province.

In proximity to Scotland and to sea channels leading to England and Wales, Northern Ireland has long witnessed generations of newcomers and emigrants, including Celts from continental Europe and Vikings, Normans, and Anglo-Saxons. In the 17th century, the period of the so-called Ulster plantation, thousands of Scottish Presbyterians were forcibly resettled and English military garrisons built, arrivals that would institutionalize the ethnic, religious, and political differences that eventually resulted in violent conflict.

Since the 1920s, when Northern Ireland was officially separated from Ireland, it has been tormented by sectarian violence. Notwithstanding the peacemaking efforts that began in earnest in the mid-1990s, Northern Ireland is still best navigated by those who are skilled in the shibboleths and cultural codes that demarcate its peoples, governing which football (soccer) team to cheer for, which whiskey to drink, and which song to sing. The complexity of those political markers is captured in a graffito once scrawled on Belfast walls that read "If you are not confused you don't understand the situation." But, Northern Ireland's political fortunes subsequently have changed for the better, and with that change has come a flourishing of the arts, so that increasingly outsiders associate the country not with violent politics but with the poems of Seamus Heaney, the music of Van Morrison, and other contributions to world culture.

The capital is Belfast, a modern city whose historic centre was badly damaged by aerial bombardment during World War II. Once renowned for its shipyards-the was built there-Belfast has lost much of its industrial base. The city-as with Northern Ireland's other chief cities Londonderry (known locally and historically as Derry) and Armagh -is graced with parks and tidy residential neighbourhoods. More handsome still is the Northern Irish countryside-green, fertile, and laced with rivers and lakes, all of which have found lyrical expression in the nation's folk and artistic traditions.

Land

Northern Ireland occupies about one-sixth of the island of Ireland and is separated on the east from Scotland, another part of the United Kingdom, by the narrow North Channel, which is at one point only 13 miles (21 km) wide. The Irish Sea separates Northern Ireland from England and Wales on the east and southeast, respectively, and the Atlantic Ocean lies to the north. The southern and western borders are with the republic of Ireland.

Relief

Northern Ireland can be thought of topographically as a saucer centred on Lough (lake) Neagh, the upturned rim of which forms the highlands. Five of the six historic counties- Antrim, Down, Armagh, Tyrone, and Londonderry-meet at the lake, and each has a highland region on the saucer's rim. To the north and east the mountains of Antrim (physiographically a plateau) tilt upward toward the coast. They reach an elevation of 1,817 feet (554 metres) at Trostan, with the plateau terminating in an impressive cliff coastline of basalts and chalk that is broken by a series of the glaciated valleys known as glens, which face Scotland and are rather isolated from the rest of Northern Ireland. The rounded landscape of drumlins-smooth, elongated mounds left by the melting ice of the final Pleistocene glaciation-in the southeast is punctuated by Slieve Croob, which rises to 1,745 feet (532 metres), and culminates in the Mourne Mountains, which reach an elevation of 2,789 feet (850 metres) at Slieve Donard (Northern Ireland's highest point) within 2 miles (3 km) of the sea. This impressive landscape of granite peaks is bounded by Carlingford Lough to the south.

The scenery to the south of Lough Neagh is gentler, but the land rises to 1,886 feet (575 metres) in Slieve Gullion near the border with Ireland. West of Lough Neagh the land rises gently to the more rounded Sperrin Mountains; Sawel, at 2,224 feet (678 metres), is the highest of several hills over 2,000 feet (610 metres). The far southwest, the historic County Fermanagh, is focused geographically on the basin of Lough Erne, in a drumlin-strewn area ringed by hills more than 1,000 feet (300 metres) high.

Drainage

Much of the landscape of Northern Ireland is gentle, and in most low-lying areas it is covered with swarms of drumlins that have played havoc with the local drainage and are interspersed with marshy hollows. Glaciation also gave the land its main valleys: those of the River Bann (which drains Lough Neagh to the Atlantic Ocean) in the north, the River Blackwater in the southwest, and the River Lagan in the east. All these valleys have been important routeways, but none have been more important than the Lagan, penetrating from Belfast Lough to the very heart of Ulster.

Soils

Soils are varied. Although much glacially transported material covers the areas below 700 feet (215 metres) in elevation, the nature of the soil is predominantly influenced by the underlying parent rock. Brown earth soils, forming arable loams, are extensive and are derived from the ancient Silurian rocks of the southeast-some 420 million years old-and from the more recent basalts of the northeast. There are peaty gleys and podzols in the Sperrins, and the impeded drainage of much of the southwest gives rise to acidic brown soil. Peat soils are common, particularly in the hollows lying between the drumlins, and hill peat is widespread throughout Northern Ireland. Although it is of no great commercial value, peat traditionally has been a source of fuel for the peasant farmer and is still cut extensively.

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Northern Ireland | History, Population, Flag, Map, Capital, & Facts

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Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, lying in the northeastern quadrant of the island of Ireland, on the western continental periphery often characterized as Atlantic Europe. Northern Ireland is sometimes referred to as Ulster, although it includes only six of the nine counties which made up that historic Irish province.

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Audio File: National anthem of Ireland

Head Of Government:

Prime Minister: Leo Varadkar
...(Show more)

Capital:

Dublin
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Population:

(2023 est.) 5,203,000
...(Show more)

Currency Exchange Rate:

1 USD equals 0.939 euro
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Head Of State:

President: Michael D. Higgins
...(Show more)

Ireland, Irish Éire, country of western Europe occupying five-sixths of the westernmost major island of the British Isles.

The magnificent scenery of Ireland's Atlantic coastline faces a 2,000-mile- (3,200-km-) wide expanse of ocean, and its geographic isolation has helped it to develop a rich heritage of culture and tradition that was linked initially to the Gaelic language. Washed by abundant rain, the country's pervasive grasslands create a green-hued landscape that is responsible for the popular sobriquet Emerald Isle. Ireland is also renowned for its wealth of folklore, from tales of tiny leprechauns with hidden pots of gold to that of the patron saint, Patrick, with his legendary ridding the island of snakes and his reputed use of the three-leaved shamrock as a symbol for the Christian Trinity. But while many may think of Ireland as an enchanted land, the republic has been beset with perennial concerns-emigration, cultural and political identity, and relations with Northern Ireland (comprising the 6 of Ireland's 32 counties within the province of Ulster that remain part of the United Kingdom). At the beginning of the 21st century, Ireland's long-standing economic problems were abating, owing to its diverse export-driven economy, but calamity struck again in 2008 when a new financial and economic crisis befell the country, culminating in a very costly bailout of the Irish economy by the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund.

The emergence of Ireland as an independent country is a fairly recent phenomenon. Until the 17th century, political power was widely shared among a rather loosely constructed network of small earldoms in often-shifting alliances. Following the so-called "Flight of the Earls" after an unsuccessful uprising in the early 17th century, Ireland effectively became an English colony. It was formally incorporated into the United Kingdom in 1801. A 1914 Home Rule Act was passed but never implemented due to pro-union militancy in the north, the onset of World War I, and the subsequent Irish War of Independence. In 1920 the island was effectively partitioned with the creation of Northern Ireland, a six-county area with devolved powers within the United Kingdom, whereas under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 6, 1921, the other 26 counties became the Irish Free State, a self-governing dominion within the British Commonwealth and Empire. In 1937 the southern state passed a new constitution that offered a more robust expression of sovereignty, and in 1949 it formally left the Commonwealth as the Republic of Ireland.

Since then Ireland has become integrated with the rest of western Europe. It joined the European Economic Community (forerunner of the EU) in 1973. Though the country generally retained a neutral role in international affairs, in 2008 Ireland became an impediment to the enactment of the Lisbon Treaty -an agreement aimed at streamlining the EU's processes and giving it a higher international profile-when the Irish voted against the passage of the treaty in a national referendum. The treaty, however, was approved by Irish voters in a second referendum, held the following year.

Dependent on agriculture, Ireland was long among Europe's poorest regions, a principal cause of mass migration from Ireland, especially during the cycle of famine in the 19th century. Some 40 million Americans trace their ancestry to Ireland as a result of that traumatic exodus, as do millions of others throughout the world. Every year members of this diaspora visit their ancestral homeland and forge connections with long-lost family.

Ireland's capital is Dublin, a populous and affluent city whose metropolitan area is home to more than one-fourth of the country's total population. The city's old dockside neighbourhoods have given way to new residential and commercial development. Cork, Ireland's second largest city, is a handsome cathedral city and port in the southwest. Other principal centres include Waterford, Wexford, and Drogheda on the east coast, Sligo in the northwest, and Limerick and Galway in the west.

Although Ireland is now both urbanized and Europeanized, its culture retains many unique characteristics, and its people prize folkloric and social traditions that largely derive from and celebrate the country's rural past. In "Meditations in Time of Civil War" William Butler Yeats, perhaps Ireland's best-known poet, evokes the idyllic and idealized countryside, a place central to the memories of the country's millions of expatriates and their descendants:

An acre of stony ground,

Where the symbolic rose can break in flower,

Old ragged elms, old thorns innumerable,

The sound of the rain or sound

Of every wind that blows;

The stilted water-hen

Crossing stream again

Scared by the splashing of a dozen cows.

Land

The republic of Ireland occupies the greater part of an island lying to the west of Great Britain, from which it is separated-at distances ranging from 11 to 120 miles (18 to 193 km)-by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St. George's Channel. Located in the temperate zone between latitudes 51°30′ and 55°30′ N and longitudes 6°00′ and 10°30′ W-as far north as Labrador or British Columbia in Canada and as far west as the West African state of Liberia-it constitutes the westernmost outpost of the Atlantic fringe of the Eurasian landmass (the absolute extreme of which is Tearaght Island, the westernmost member of the Blasket Islands, which lie off the Dingle Peninsula and are part of County Kerry). Ireland, which, like Great Britain, once formed part of this landmass, lies on the European continental shelf, surrounded by seas that are generally less than 650 feet (200 metres) deep. The greatest distance from north to south in the island is 302 miles (486 km), and from east to west it is 171 miles (275 km).

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Ireland | History, Map, Flag, Capital, Population, & Facts

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Ireland, country of western Europe occupying five-sixths of the westernmost major island of the British Isles. The country is noted for a rich heritage of culture and tradition that was linked initially to the Gaelic language. Its capital city is Dublin.

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Archaeologists think the first people to settle in Ireland arrived around 6000 B.C. By 3500 B.C., settlers were using stone tools to clear farmlands. Around 700 B.C., a diverse and technologically advanced culture from central Europe called the Celts began to settle the island. They would thrive there for nearly 2,000 years.

In the ninth century A.D., Viking invaders began raids into Ireland. They established settlements that later became some of the country's main cities, including the capital, Dublin. The Vikings and Celts fought often for 200 years until a battle in 1014 united the country. Peace broke down quickly though, and Ireland was divided into many kingdoms.

In 1170, Norman Vikings who had taken control of England invaded Ireland and made it an English territory. In the early 1600s, England's official religion became Protestant while most Irish remained Roman Catholic. This would create tensions that would eventually lead to revolution and Ireland's independence.

By the 1820s, British laws unfair to Catholics had sparked a mass movement for Irish sovereignty. In 1829, many of those laws were overturned, but Ireland still wanted freedom. In 1922, after violent uprisings, the Irish Free State was created within the British Empire.

Ireland became a fully independent republic in 1937. By 1949, they had no ties to the United Kingdom.

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Ireland Country Profile - National Geographic Kids

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Archaeologists think the first people to settle in Ireland arrived around 6000 B.C. By 3500 B.C., settlers were using stone tools to clear farmlands. Around 700 B.C., a diverse and technologically advanced culture from central Europe called the Celts began to settle the island. They would thrive there for nearly 2,000 years.

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Archaeologists think the first people to settle in Ireland arrived around 6000 B.C. By 3500 B.C., settlers were using stone tools to clear farmlands. Around 700 B.C., a diverse and technologically advanced culture from central Europe called the Celts began to settle the island. They would thrive there for nearly 2,000 years.

In the ninth century A.D., Viking invaders began raids into Ireland. They established settlements that later became some of the country's main cities, including the capital, Dublin. The Vikings and Celts fought often for 200 years until a battle in 1014 united the country. Peace broke down quickly though, and Ireland was divided into many kingdoms.

In 1170, Norman Vikings who had taken control of England invaded Ireland and made it an English territory. In the early 1600s, England's official religion became Protestant while most Irish remained Roman Catholic. This would create tensions that would eventually lead to revolution and Ireland's independence.

By the 1820s, British laws unfair to Catholics had sparked a mass movement for Irish sovereignty. In 1829, many of those laws were overturned, but Ireland still wanted freedom. In 1922, after violent uprisings, the Irish Free State was created within the British Empire.

Ireland became a fully independent republic in 1937. By 1949, they had no ties to the United Kingdom.

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Ireland Country Profile - National Geographic Kids

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Archaeologists think the first people to settle in Ireland arrived around 6000 B.C. By 3500 B.C., settlers were using stone tools to clear farmlands. Around 700 B.C., a diverse and technologically advanced culture from central Europe called the Celts began to settle the island. They would thrive there for nearly 2,000 years.

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BBC News | Quick Guide | Northern Ireland conflict

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Top 10 traditional Irish foods to try | BBC Good Food

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Taking a trip to Ireland? Make sure you try our top 10 favourite Irish foods including smoked salmon, soda bread and fabulous seafood.

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Going all the way to the Emerald Isle and walking into an Irish pub only to order a Bud Light hardly seems worth the trip. Pub culture is a major part of life in Ireland, and yes, there are plenty of Irish drinks consumed between the live music and fun banter. We recommend the following ten drinks the next time you find yourself in Ireland, or even at your favorite neighborhood Irish pub, or while hosting your next St. Patrick's Day party. From the venerable Guinness to Craft Beer and delicious cider, the choice of the best Irish drinks is yours.

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Going all the way to the Emerald Isle and walking into an Irish pub only to order a Bud Light hardly seems worth the trip. Pub culture is a major part of life in Ireland, and yes, there are plenty of Irish drinks consumed between the live music and fun banter.

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Sweet-treats, local craft beers and some of the world's best seafood, Northern Ireland's menus are made to be savoured by everyone.

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From the birthplace of the Titanic to our iconic City Hall, youll find a cornucopia of historic landmarks and world-class visitor attractions in Belfast.

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The view from the summit of Cave Hill (368m) takes in the whole sprawl of the city, the docks, Belfast Lough and the Mourne Mountains - on a clear day you can see Scotland. Cave Hill Country Park spreads across the ...

Guided tours of Belfast's notorious Crumlin Road Gaol take you from the tunnel beneath Crumlin Rd, built in 1850 to convey prisoners from the courthouse across the street (and allegedly the origin of the judge's phr...

Farmhouses, forges, churches, mills and a complete village have been reconstructed at this excellent museum, with human and animal extras combining to give a powerful impression of Irish life over the past few hundr...

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Attractions in Belfast, Northern Ireland

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The view from the summit of Cave Hill (368m) takes in the whole sprawl of the city, the docks, Belfast Lough and the Mourne Mountains - on a clear day you can see Scotland. Cave Hill Country Park spreads across the ...

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Once a powerful ship-building center, Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the birthplace of the famous doomed ocean liner, The Titanic. Mention Belfast, and, to a certain generation, images of conflict may spring to mind. It would be wrong, however, to jump to such conclusions these days. In recent years, the peace process and power-sharing government mean that Belfast, along with the rest of Northern Ireland, has undergone a rebirth and remarkable transformation. Visitor numbers continue to increase year-on-year and with good reason. Expect a warm welcome, a wicked sense of humor, and an enthralling history including the impressive must-see Titanic Quarter. Excellent shopping can be found at Victoria and Donegal Squares. Other tourist attractions include superb Victorian architecture and noteworthy museums.

1 Editor's Pick Titanic Belfast

Billed as "the world's largest titanic visitor attraction," this distinctive landmark building is a tribute to the story of the Titanic and Belfast's interesting maritime history. Nine interactive exhibitions show how Belfast has developed from a city that once boasted the most powerful ship building industry in the world into a reborn visitor destination. More than a century ago, the infamous and ill-fated ocean liner, Titanic, was built at this precise spot. There are guided tours around the slipway and gigantic dry-dock. The building, which is star-shaped to represent the logo of the White Star Line, houses a number of fascinating artifacts including letters, brochures, and menus. A particular treat is the fully restored tender to the Titanic, the SS Nomadic, which visitors can board and explore for an additional charge.

Hours: Daily June-August and April 9am-7pm, May & September 9am-6pm, October-March 10am-5pm

Admission: Adults £15.50, child (5-16) £7.25, child (under 5) free, family (2 adults, 2 children) £39.00, senior (over 60) Monday-Friday £11.00, senior (over 60) Saturday & Sunday £13.00, student £10.00

Address: 1 Queens Road, Titanic Quarter, Belfast

3 Ulster Museum

A five-six-minute drive from the Waterfront Hall will bring you to The Ulster Museum. Having undergone a major refurbishment in recent years, it's now one of Belfast's must-sees. This impressive national museum should be high on the list for any visitor for a number of reasons, not least of all that it doesn't shy away from the city's recent troubled past. Exhibits include a 2,500-year-old Egyptian Mummy (Princess Takabuti - unwrapped in Belfast in 1835), the Armada Room, modern masterpieces, ancient relics, and a richly diverse collection of art, history, and natural science exhibits spread over several floors.

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm

Admission: Free

Address: Botanic Gardens, Belfast

6 Grand Opera House

West of the City Hall on Great Victoria Street, the highly ornate Grand Opera House is well worth visiting to take in a show. Dating from 1895, it has seen its share of troubles over the years. In 1972, at the height of conflict in Northern Ireland, the building was sold to property developers and nearly demolished. Thankfully, due to a campaign, this didn't happen. Between 1976 and 1980, the structure was extensively restored, including the restoration of the ceiling panels in the main auditorium. A large extension was added in 2006. These days it hosts musicals, operas, and live performances and is one of the city's true landmarks. Guided tours are available.

Address: Great Victoria Street, Belfast

9 Belfast Zoo

Around three minutes' drive from Belfast Castle is Belfast Zoo, set on 55 acres with views over Belfast Lough and home to more than 140 species of animals. Dating from 1934, this is one of the oldest tourist attractions in Northern Ireland and has been extensively upgraded in recent years. Nowadays in excess of 300,000 people visit annually. Highlights include the ring-tailed lemurs, Asian elephants, monkeys, Malayan sun bears, Sumatran tigers, and Barbary lions. The rainforest exhibit brings together tropical plants with fascinating animals such as sloths and fruit bats.

Hours: Open summer (April-September) 10am-7pm, winter (October-March)

10am to 4pm

Admission: Adults £8.20, children (4-17), senior citizens & students £4.10, children under 4 free, family day ticket (2 adults & 3 children) £22

Address: Antrim Road, Belfast

Where to Stay in Belfast for Sightseeing

We recommend these great hotels in the center of Belfast close to the top attractions:

Merchant Hotel: luxury heritage hotel, sophisticated style, Art Deco wing, rooftop gym, upscale restaurant, pampering spa, turndown service.

Europa Hotel - Belfast: mid-range pricing, well-appointed rooms, piano lounge, modern bistro.

Holiday Inn Belfast City Centre: affordable rates, on-site mini gym, ample breakfast buffet, multilingual staff.

Premier Inn Belfast City Centre (Alfred Street) Hotel: budget hotel, central location, quiet street, spotlessly clean.

Belfast Map - Attractions

More on Northern Ireland

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10 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Belfast | PlanetWare

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Once a powerful ship-building center, Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the birthplace of the famous doomed ocean liner, The Titanic. Mention Belfast, and, to a certain generation, images of conflict may spring to mind. It would be wrong, however, to jump to such conclusions these days.

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We use different types of cookies for various purposes including to measure our audience, enhance your browsing experience and provide you with advertising based on your browsing activities and interests on this and other sites. By continuing to navigate this site without modifying your browser settings or preferences, you agree to our use of cookies.

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Titanic Belfast is a visitor attraction and a monument to Belfast's maritime heritage on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard in the city's Titanic Quarter where the RMS Titanic was built. It tells the stories of the ill-fated Titanic, which hit an iceberg and sank during her maiden voyage in 1912, and her sister ships RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic .

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Titanic Belfast is the world's largest Titanic visitor experience, with interactive galleries exploring the history and heritage of Titanic plus guided tours.

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The Giant's Causeway is Northern Ireland's most famous landmark and a World Heritage Site. It takes its name from the legends of Finn MacCool.

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Discover the amazing stones at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland with the National Trust

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1 THE GUINNESS STOREHOUSE

It takes a LOT to become iconic, but Guinness has done it. The "Black Stuff" may be famous the world over, but this slow-settling porter started off life in St James's Gate at the heart of old Dublin. Back in 1759, an enterprising brewer by the name of Arthur Guinness took out a 9,000-year lease on the brewery here for an annual rent of £45. A couple of centuries later, the Storehouse was born. Built in the style of the Chicago School of Architecture 1904, it was originally used as a fermentation house. Today it's Ireland's number one visitor attraction - a gleaming, multimedia exhibition on everything from retro advertising to the craft of brewing, topped off with a pint in the 360-degree Gravity Bar. When you get there, don't forget to raise your glass to Arthur's wonderful creation!

When life looks black as the hour of night, A pint of plain is your only man

Irish writer Flann O'Brien toasting Guinness

2 ST PATRICK'S AND CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRALS

Ancient, dramatic and intriguing, Dublin's two cathedrals make a striking pair. Built beside a well where Ireland's patron saint baptised converts, St Patrick's dates back to 1220 and is filled with monuments, 19 th-century stained glass and a beautiful Lady Chapel.

Just a 10-minute walk away, Christ Church has attracted pilgrims for almost 1,000 years, and today one of its biggest attractions is its medieval crypt. There are plenty of other reasons to visit, but some may be fascinated by the Chapel of St Laurence O'Toole... a heart-shaped shrine contains the saint's embalmed heart.

One of the things that I love about Ireland is that nearly everywhere you visit there is something unexpected. Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin is no exception.

Cindy Thompson, Irish Fireside

3 THE BOOK OF KELLS AND TRINITY COLLEGE

With a backstory that includes monks, Vikings and remote Scottish islands, the Book of Kells will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. This glorious Early Christian illuminated manuscript is quite simply a masterpiece. Located within Trinity College's Treasury, the tour here includes a visit to the Long Room library, one of Europe's most magnificent libraries housing over 200,000 of Trinity's oldest books.

Afterwards, wander around the charming campus of Trinity, which dates back to 1592 and boasts an impressive list of alumni including Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift. The Front Square and Campanile are a delight, while the college also houses the modern Science Gallery, and the Douglas Hyde Gallery, with changing contemporary art exhibitions.

4 EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum

Located in the historic vaults of the CHQ Building at Custom House Quay, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum delves into the past of Ireland's diaspora in brilliant interactive detail. The state-of-the-art visitor experience explores the inspiring journeys of over 10 million people who left Ireland's shores throughout history. Fancy learning more about your Irish ancestry? The Irish Family History Centre is also located here, where you can access valuable records, speak with a genealogy expert and join the online community of people on a quest to learn about their Irish roots.

If you're looking for another location laden in lineage, Glasnevin Cemetery is a treasure trove of records accounting for 1.5million burials - in fact, you could say a visit here will give you an intriguing look into the birth of the nation.

A high-tech treasure... Simply too good of a story to miss.

National Geographic Traveler

5 DUBLIN CASTLE

Perched on the site of a Danish Viking fortress from 930AD, and with its first stone cast by King John of England in 1230, Dublin Castle's historical significance did not stop there. Under British rule from that point until 1921 (it was a key target during the 1916 Easter Rising), it has been a court, a fortress, even a site of execution in its time, and its architecture has evolved and grown with each metamorphasis.

In truth, it feels more like a rambling campus than an actual castle - not many turrets in sight - but it's the setting for every big state event, including presidential inaugurations. Wander the grounds, or take a guided tour to the state apartments, medieval undercroft and the Chapel Royal.

Did you know?

Dracula author Bram Stoker worked as a civil servant in Dublin Castle.

6 KILMAINHAM GAOL

There's a real "wow" moment that comes with walking into the East Wing of Kilmainham Gaol. Eerie, vast and deserted, the gaol is the largest unoccupied prison in Europe and holds countless tales within its thick, cold walls.

By the time it had closed in 1924, many of Ireland's foremost political figures had passed through its cells, including Robert Emmet, Charles Stewart Parnell, President Eamon de Valera, and the leaders of the 1916 Rising (14 of whom were executed in the stonecutter's yard). The tour here gives a dramatic insight into the history of this forbidding prison, with its overcrowding, hardship and brutal conditions. A definite don't miss.

Did you know?

What is now the Phoenix Park used to be a Viking burial ground and is the largest Viking cemetery outside Scandinavia.

7 DUBLIN'S FREE MUSEUMS

Gaze at one of the largest and most spellbinding gold collections in Europe; come "face to face" with the incredible preserved bodies of Iron Age people; and look in wonder at a 4,500-year-old log boat from County Galway. The National Museum Dublin is just one of the city's must-visit museums, housed within a lovely Palladian building from 1890.

And it doesn't stop there. The National Gallery of Ireland includes wonderful European and Irish fine art, with an acclaimed collection of works by Irish painter Jack B Yeats. Soak up the past and see Irish design through the ages at the National Museum of Decorative Arts and History in Collins Barracks, and head to the Hugh Lane Gallery to see the world-renowned Francis Bacon Studio. And the really good news? Admission is free!

8 CITY PARKS

Whether you want to spend the evening watching a retro film in a leafy Georgian square or potter around a lunchtime farmers' market, Dublin's parks will fit the bill. Cherished and adored, the city's green spaces include the hidden oasis of Iveagh Gardens (perfect for afternoon picnics) and the city centre gem of St Stephen's Green, which was used for public executions until the 1770s.

Make like a local by spending an afternoon cycling through the Phoenix Park, one of Europe's largest enclosed city parks - with a large herd of fallow deer for company; seek out the statue of Oscar Wilde in Merrion Square; or take time out at Dubh Linn Gardens, tucked just behind Dublin Castle. Urban bliss.

9 LITTLE MUSEUM OF DUBLIN

Tucked away on St Stephen's Green is the Little Museum of Dublin, an eccentric collection of fascinating items donated by Dubliners themselves. Intricately curated and thoughtfully displayed, the museum is a delightful place to spend an unhurried afternoon, uncovering a more intimate history of Dublin in the 20 th century through photography, letters, advertising and art. Music fans will particularly enjoy the second-floor exhibition - U2 Made in Dublin, which starts the story of the city's most famous rock band from 1976 to the present day. Afterwards, head downstairs to the basement kitchen of Hatch & Sons for a hearty lunch of traditional Irish smoked fish.

Fancy some Coddle? Bacon and cabbage? Perhaps Irish Stew and a pint of Guinness? Come with us...

St Patrick's Day, traditional music celebrations, theatre extravaganzas and more: Dublin LOVES festivals.

Concierge of Dublin's Merrion Hotel, Sean Lally, gives us his 10-point guide to exploring Dublin City.

Lose yourself in some of Ireland's most inspiring countryside and vibrant cities.

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It takes a LOT to become iconic, but Guinness has done it. The "Black Stuff" may be famous the world over, but this slow-settling porter started off life in St James's Gate at the heart of old Dublin.

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Our travel recommendations are based on our personal experiences and research, written by locals and travel experts with deep familiarity with the destination. When you book a hotel or tour that we link to, we may earn a commission.

If the 'luck of the Irish' is on your side and you find yourself in the infamous city of Dublin, there will be countless things for you to do and see while you're there. Not only is Dublin deeply rooted in their incredible history, culture and - well, booze - the people of Dublin are all such characters, as well.

Whether they are sharing long-winded stories, singing local songs or telling the odd joke here and there to make you laugh, the locals never fail to put a smile on your face. And, because the city is located right on the east coast, day trips and excursions to the mountains or cliff sides are just a bus ride away, where you can witness some of the most vast and beautiful sceneries in all of Ireland.

Here's a list we compiled of the top 25 things to do in Dublin:

1. Party like the Irish at The Temple Bar

The Temple Bar is quite possibly one of the most iconic bars in all of Dublin, with tourists flocking from all over the world to have a drink inside its famous walls.

Although the history of the bar dates back to the early 1300s, it still remains popular to this day due to its famous red exterior, its great location in the heart of the city, as well as being a huge part of Dublin's central nightlife scene.

At present, The Temple Bar is the most popular bar frequented by young tourists - and even some locals alike - looking to have a glass (or two, or three) of strong Irish whiskey and enjoy a hell of a night.

2. Drink Inside a Restorxed Cathedral at The Church

One of the most unique and beautiful bars in the city, The Church is not what its name may make it seem. In fact, The Church used to originally be called St. Mary's church; however, it closed in 1964 and was eventually restored and converted into a popular bar and nightclub in 2007.

On the main floor, you can find a magnificent island bar that almost spans the length of the church, complete with booths, tables and bar stools for guests and a small stage that plays live traditional Irish music from 7pm - 9pm on Sunday - Wednesday. Downstairs, you can find the nightclub - open every Friday & Saturday night from 10pm until 3am - with a resident DJ that plays all the latest popular music and Rn'B tracks.

3. Visit the Guinness Storehouse Factory

Located in the heart of St. James' Gate Brewery, the Guinness Storehouse is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Ireland. In fact, the interior is designed to look exactly like a pint of Guinness itself and is known to be the largest pint in the world.

A ticket to the Guinness factory will take you on a tour through seven floors of Irish brewing history, where you will learn all about the Guinness family, as well as how the beloved stout beer is meticulously crafted to perfection. At the end of the tour, you will be dropped off at the Gravity Bar on the 7th floor, where you can enjoy a refreshing pint of Guinness with a 360 degree view of the Dublin skyline.

Book online: Guinness Storehouse: Entrance Ticket

4. Take a Tour of the Old Jameson Distillery

Another historical gem is the Old Jameson Distillery, located just off Smithfield Square. This location previously used to be the original site where Jameson whiskey was manufactured and distilled until it stopped production in the early 1970s.

A tour of the old distillery will take you through the history and process of creating the refined whiskey, along with the unique opportunity to take part in a comparative whiskey-tasting experience.

At the end of the tour, you will be given an exclusive Whiskey Taster Certificate to officially certify your knowledge in traditional Irish whiskey that you will be able to show off to your family and friends back home.

Book online: Jameson Whiskey Distillery Tour with Tastings

5. Take a photo with The Spire of Dublin

One of the easiest monuments to spot from afar, The Spire stands proudly in the center of O'Connell street towering approximately 120 meters above ground. This completely stainless-steel structure is about 3 meters in diameter at the base and 15 centimeters at its apex.

On sunny days, you can notice its exterior being gently illuminated by the sun - lighting up the monument for all to see. The tip of the structure is also lit up by an external light source at nighttime in order to act as a beacon in the night sky.

6. Marvel at the Beauty of St. Patrick's Cathedral

Known as the largest church in all of Ireland, St. Patrick's Cathedral is actually one of two cathedrals that were built on Dublin soil.

However, St. Patcrick's Cathedral still remains the most popular of the two when it comes to tourists.

The cathedral was originally founded in 1191 and is rife with over 800 years of Irish history and culture.

A brilliant architectural wonder, its beauty can be noticed both inside and out. It is also the final resting place of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's travels and Dean of the Cathedral.

7. Go Back in Time to Dublin Castle

Take a trip back to prehistoric Dublin by visiting the famous Dublin Castle.

With over 800 years of Irish memories encapsulated within its walls, this incredible structure has borne witness to some of the most pivotal events in all of the country's history.

Spanning an area of over 11 acres, the Castle stands proudly on the highest ridge in the locality and offers self-guided and guided tours of the grounds, including the Castle's many rooms, gardens and museums such as the Chapel Royal, the Chester Beatty Library, the Garda Museum and the Revenue Museum.

Recommended tour: Fast-Track Access Book of Kells and Dublin Castle Tour

8. Take a Walk over Ha'penny Bridge

A strikingly unique white-picketed beauty, the Ha'penny Bridge is famously known as the first pedestrian bridge to span over the river Liffey.

Its name was derived from the price pedestrians had to pay (a "halfpenny") to cross the bridge back when it was built in 1816.

Today, it has become one of the main "monuments" or structures that identify Dublin - appearing on postcards, tourism brochures, books and memorabilia.

9. Visit Christ Church Cathedral

The second of Dublin's medieval cathedrals, Christ Church Cathedral, is yet another of Dublin's architectural wonders.

More formally known as The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, this fully-operational church is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough.

Although it is open to tourists who wish to marvel at its Romanesque interiors, the staff of the cathedral do charge admission and ticketing fees, as the building receives no support from the state.

However, the fee is definitely worth the visit and will help contribute to maintaining this beautiful piece of Irish history.

Tickets are available here: Christ Church Cathedral Entrance Ticket & Self-Guided Tour

10. Have a Picnic in Phoenix Park

A humongous walled park (about 1,700 acres) that lies just about 2 miles from downtown Dublin, Phoenix Park is more than just your ordinary park.

In fact, aside from the long stretches of green and multitude of incredible trees and plants, it is also home to the Dublin Zoo, a sports field, the Wellington Monument, and both the Presidential and US Ambassador's Residences.

With so much to do and see, you can easily spend the entire day relaxing, sightseeing or simply roaming the grounds.

11. Read a Book at Trinity College Library

An incredible architectural wonder, and a room most bibliophiles would only dream of finding themselves in, the Trinity College Library is the largest library in all of Ireland.

It is also home to the famous Book of Kells - an ornate, beautifully-illuminated manuscript containing all of the four Gospels of the New Testament that's over 1000 years old.

Its most famous section, known as The Long Room, has been known to resemble the Jedi Archives in Star Wars.

Unfortunately, the main library is only open to staff, graduates and students of the university, but that doesn't stop tourists from taking a gander at the Old Library that's open to visitors and located within its quarters.

12. Go for Lunch at Avoca Wool Shop & Café

Aside from the stout beer and whiskey, one of the finest (and most famous) goods that come out of Ireland is their wool and mohair products made from the local sheep scattered around the hills and valleys of Ireland.

Although the actual wool mill is located just outside of Dublin in the small town of Avoca, the company also sells their wool at various Avoca shops around Dublin.

For those who can't get out of the city, stop by the shop near the Dublin City Center to purchase some original handwoven luxurious scarves, sweaters or blankets made out of local Irish mohair. Make sure you go upstairs to visit their café, where you can enjoy a light lunch, tea or dessert of local Irish cuisine.

13. Learn about the Abandoned Prison of Kilmainham Gaol

An absolute must-see destination for all history lovers, Kilmainham Gaol is an abandoned prison that offers guided tours of its restored quarters.

With a cheap ticket fee of €4 per person, each tour includes a 45-50 minute tour of the facilities where your knowledgeable guide will take you through the history of the jail, detailing the extremely poor treatment of inmates during that time, along with countless other interesting facts about the politics and restoration of the prison.

You will leave this tour with a much broader understanding of this devastating time in Irish history.

14. Go on a Trip to Wicklow Mountains

One of the best day trips out of the city - and a must-see during your trip to Dublin - is a tour of Wicklow Mountains.

Famously known for the filming location of the popular romance film, P.S. I Love You, this unbelievably beautiful landscape looks even more magnificent in person than it does on-screen.

Recommended tour: Day Tour of Wicklow Mountains National Park

15. Visit the Dublin Zoo

Located within Phoenix Park, the Dublin Zoo is an excellent addition to your day.

With a huge variety of animals to see and a very well laid-out map, this excursion is great for individuals or groups of all ages. Not only are the animals at the zoo incredibly cared-for, but they all have spacious habitats for them to roam and play, making each encounter as close to the real thing as possible.

Be sure to visit the Meerkat Café, where you can look at the meerkats up close while you are enjoying a drink or bite to eat.

Included in: The Dublin Pass with Entry to Over 35 Attractions

16. Take a Day Trip to The Cliffs of Moher

Another spectacular trip that awaits you just beyond the city is a tour of the marvelous Cliffs of Moher.

These natural wonders have also been used for various film shoots, such as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and The Princess Bride, and are an absolute breathtaking experience to view in person.

You can visit any tourism center in Dublin to arrange a day tour to the Cliffs of Moher, which will cost anywhere between €15 to €40. A must-see.

17. Discover the Unique Doors of Dublin

Since most of the housing complexes are built to look the same (and each individual house has little room in between each other), most home owners will paint their door an original color in order to set them apart from their neighbor's house.

Although it was previously used to identify the home, it has now become a significant characteristic of Dublin itself. Photos of these colorful, unique-looking doors can be found on postcards and calendars in souvenir shops around the city.

Related tour: Walking Tour of Dublin

18. Wander through the Graveyards at Glasnevin Cemetery Museum

Rated #1 on TripAdvisor's list for Top Things to Do in Dublin, the Glasnevin Cemetery Museum is an atypical, but thoroughly interesting way to take in some Irish history.

During your tour, you'll get to wander through some of the various graveyards of famous Irish political figures, poets, writers and other people of interest, along with hearing some very informative commentary about each person, and the political history of Ireland.

Tickets range from €6 to €25, depending on the type of package.

19. Learn to Play the Irish Way at Experience Gaelic Games

Another incredibly unique and fun way to experience the true Irish culture and heritage is to take part in Experience Gaelic Games' traditional Irish recreational sports lessons.

Located just 10 minutes away from Dublin City Center, Experience Gaelic Games gives you the opportunity to learn some of Ireland's most famous sporting games - such as the world-famous stick and ball field sport, "hurling" or Gaelic Football (a combination of soccer, rugby, basketball all rolled into one), and many more.

Great for groups, this experience is incredibly team-building and is a skill you can take home with you for life.

Book online: Gaelic Games Experience

20. Relax at St. Stephen's Green

Another popular Dublin park to relax in is St. Stephen's Green, filled with lush green grass, a variety of plants and flowers and some marvelous bodies of water.

If that's not enough, there are even some monuments scattered around for you to see and many paths for you to walk, bike or jog.

Bring a book, a packed lunch, or stop at a café before heading to St. Stephen's Green to enjoy a brisk, beautiful day at the park.

Book the tour: St Stephen's Green Park Walking Tour

21. Stop to Smell the Roses at Dublin's National Botanic Gardens

The National Botanic Gardens is such great place to visit - both with families or as a solo traveler.

With so many plants, flowers and other special things to see, you can easily spend an entire day getting lost roaming throughout these lush gardens.

Make sure to bring your camera, as some of the most beautiful parts of your visit includes a sculpture garden, a vegetable garden designed to look like an old castle or the glass houses.

Entry is completely free to visitors, but a guided tour is €5.

22. Visit the Little Museum of Dublin

The Little Museum of Dublin is the perfect way to get a little bit of all types of history mashed up into one excellent and informative tour.

As most of the artifacts and ephemera are donated by people in Dublin, every object in the museum has its own unique story.

Admission to the museum costs €7, with exhibitions ranging from films to music to politics, history and culture.

Although the museum may be 'little', it is definitely packed with enough knowledge and history to stand up to one of the bigger museums in the city.

Skip the line: Skip-the-Line Little Museum of Dublin Ticket

23. Have a History Lesson at the National Museum of Ireland

One of the best free museums in all of Dublin is definitely the National Museum of Ireland.

Some of the most notable exhibits in the museum include the Viking exhibit, the exquisite gold artifact display or the remarkable collection of "bog men" - bodies found and recovered from bogs all over Ireland.

Each body comes with a story that will give you spectacular insight into the lives of these men who once lived in the country and have now become a permanent part of Irish history.

Recommended tour: Irish History & Treasures Tour with National Museum

24. Drink in the Knowledge at the Irish Whiskey Museum

A great combination of Ireland's best traits - history and booze - the Irish Whiskey Museum has everything you could possibly want in one great place.

Located in the popular Grafton street area, the museum tour gives you a detailed history of all types of whiskey (not just Jameson).

At the end of the tour, you get to taste three unique types of whiskey as celebration.

Plus, if you purchase the VIP package, you get an exclusive 4th whiskey and a unique shot class to take home with you.

Party like the Irish at The Temple Bar

Drink Inside a Restorxed Cathedral at The Church

Visit the Guinness Storehouse Factory

Take a Tour of the Old Jameson Distillery

Take a photo with The Spire of Dublin

Marvel at the Beauty of St. Patrick's Cathedral

Go Back in Time to Dublin Castle

Take a Walk over Ha'penny Bridge

Visit Christ Church Cathedral

Have a Picnic in Phoenix Park

Read a Book at Trinity College Library

Go for Lunch at Avoca Wool Shop & Café

Learn about the Abandoned Prison of Kilmainham Gaol

Go on a Trip to Wicklow Mountains

Visit the Dublin Zoo

Take a Day Trip to The Cliffs of Moher

Discover the Unique Doors of Dublin

Wander through the Graveyards at Glasnevin Cemetery Museum

Learn to Play the Irish Way at Experience Gaelic Games

Relax at St. Stephen's Green

Stop to Smell the Roses at Dublin's National Botanic Gardens

Visit the Little Museum of Dublin

Have a History Lesson at the National Museum of Ireland

Drink in the Knowledge at the Irish Whiskey Museum

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25 Best Things to Do in Dublin (Ireland) - The Crazy Tourist

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If the 'luck of the Irish' is on your side and you find yourself in the infamous city of Dublin, there will be countless things for you to do and ... Read more

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Discover the best attractions in Dublin including Old Library & Book of Kells, National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History, Trinity College.

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Originating in Ireland, Irish dancing is a traditional dance form that includes both social and performance opportunities. It encompasses a wide variety of styles for solo, pair, and group dances. Many people think of step dancing, such as that associated with the popular Riverdance, when they think of Irish dancing. However, this type of dancing includes many dances and variations of these dances that can be enjoyed and mastered beginning at a very young age.

Social Irish dancing can be divided into two styles, céilí and set dancing. Irish set dances are danced by four couples, or quadrilles, in a square formation. Céilí dances are danced by groups of dancers consisting of two to 16 members in various formations, or ceili. Social Irish dancing is extremely traditional, with variations of the dances found throughout the Irish dance communities.

Traditionally referred to as "stepdance," performance Irish dancing became popular in 1994 with the creation of the world-famous show "Riverdance." Performance Irish dancing is recognized by rapid leg movements accompanied by stationary upper bodies and arms. In competition, most performance stepdances are danced solo, characterized by a controlled upper body, straight arms, and precise movements of the feet. Performance Irish dancing can be performed in either soft shoes or hard shoes.

Traditional solo Irish dancing is commonly referred to as Sean-nos. Closely related to casual Irish stepdancing, Sean-nos is recognized by extremely low to the ground footwork, free arm movements, and battering steps that accompany the accented beats of the music. Sean-nos is usually danced by only one person, but can be danced in pairs or small groups. However, being a freeform dance style, there is no physical contact between the dancers and no set choreography or routines to follow.

Ceili Irish dancing is a popular form of folk dancing in Ireland. The term "ceili" refers to a social gathering featuring Irish music and dancing. Ceili Irish dancing can be performed in lines facing each other, circular formations, long line formations, and quadrilles. A ceili dance may be performed with only two people, or as many as 16. Ceili Irish dancing closely resembles Irish stepdancing, with dancers performing on their toes. Unlike square dancing, ceili dances are generally not called by a caller.

Made popular by the world-famous show "Riverdance," Irish stepdancing is characterized by a stiff upper body and quick, precise movements of the feet. Stepdance competitions are very popular throughout the world. Most competitive stepdances are solo dances, but many stepdancers perform and compete in large or small groups. Solo Irish stepdances can be divided depending on the type of shoe worn: hard shoe and soft shoe dances. Irish stepdances include reels, slip jigs, hornpipes, and jigs. Traditional Irish costumes are worn by both social and competitive stepdancers.

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Learn About Traditional Irish Dance - Social, Performance and More

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Originating in Ireland, Irish dancing is a traditional dance form that includes both social and performance opportunities. It encompasses a wide variety of styles for solo, pair, and group dances. Many people think of step dancing, such as that associated with the popular Riverdance, when they think of Irish dancing.

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Irish culture as a whole is very unique, complex, and of course, interesting! Although there are many aspects to Irish heritage, traditions and culture, music is a very important one. In previous centuries, music and storytelling were the only forms of entertainment on an island that had no electricity and where only a small minority of the population were literate. On cold, dark evenings, villages would crowd together into their local pub to share a warm fire, hear stories and listen to music played by the local musicians (of course there was usually dancing too, which is where our traditional dancing originates from). It started a tradition that has been kept alive since then, as music is still a very important part of life in Ireland.

A quintessential experience for any visitor to the Emerald Isle, particularly rural Ireland or anywhere along the west coast, is participating in what is locally known as a 'trad sesh', or a session of traditional Irish music in a local pub. This usually involves a handful of musicians all playing old folk songs on native instruments, ranging from slow, melancholy singing to the energetic and very fast paced type of music that most people around the world know to be 'Irish'. Basically, it's the modern version of the villagers crowding around the fireplace listening to the local musicians. It's still equally as fun and spirited an affair, however; in fact, it may even be more rowdy now than it was then!
Origins of Irish music
Music has been in Ireland for thousands of years. The first inhabitants of the island used very primitive forms of musical instruments, mostly pipes and horns. Rather than being used to make melodies or as a form of art, instead they were most likely used as signallers, to warn others of danger or to summon people from an area for whatever reason. Over time as these people became more skilled, the instruments became more complex as well as more durable; although whether they became more tuneful or not is anyone's guess. Among other instruments, a set of six hand-carved cylindrical wooden pipes dating from around 2000 BC have been found in Wicklow. Made from yew wood and resembling a larger set of pan pipes, they are said to resemble similar objects found in Scandinavia around the same time period. Two other prime examples are the Dord Iseal and the Dord Ard. Both are cast bronze horns that are around 3000 years old, from the west and north of Ireland respectively.

Like most other aspects of Irish culture and traditions, the beginning of Irish music as we know it today can be traced back to the arrival of the Celts. Having spread from central Europe all the way to the shores of the Atlantic, they picked up a few skills along the way, and using musical instruments was one of them. In particular, they had one significant instrument; the harp. This was the most dominant sound in Ireland long after the Celts had made way to the Vikings and the modern era, enjoying popularity from the 10 th right up until the 17 th centuries. While not a whole lot is known about how exactly the Celts used music or expressed themselves through it, we do know that it had already become an important part of life by the Middle Ages. Anyone proficient in the harp could earn themselves a very nice living playing in the courts of the chieftains, as the harp and harpists were held in very high regard along with poets and other artistically inclined people.
Traditional Musical Instruments
From there, other instruments joined the fray, most of which are earlier versions of present day traditional instruments, which are...

Bodhrán (pronounced bow-rawn): The bodhrán is a simple handheld drum, used - obviously - as a percussion instrument. It usually measures around 35 - 45cm in diameter with goatskin stretched across to make up the drumming surface. The interior will sometimes have a wooden cross bar for the musician to hold onto. His/her other hand will hold a tipper, a short wooden stick used to beat the bodhrán in a fluid, shaking sort of motion. The bodhrán is always played vertically, resting on the musician's knee. They will place their 'free' hand on various parts of the interior of the drum to control the pitch and timbre.

Fiddle: The fiddle is now the primary instrument of most traditional Irish music. Despite the name, there is no difference between a fiddle and a violin (except the name of course); the difference comes with the type of music each instrument plays. A classically trained violinist is unlikely to play folk music, and a folk musician is equally as unlikely to play classical music!

Tin Whistle: A tin whistle is another simple instrument that requires a surprising amount of skill to master. It's the cheapest Irish instrument around starting at around €10, and has a range of around two octaves with six holes and a mouthpiece. It's very similar to a recorder, although more slender, and has many variations in this part of the world. The Scottish penny whistle and English flageolet are essentially the same instrument with a different name.

Uilleann Pipes: Again, this is much the same as the more well known Scottish bagpipes, although in fact there are several forms of the instrument. Uilleann pipes are much quieter than their Scottish cousins, with a range of two octaves. They usually have keys, drones and regulators along with a few extra pipes to play chords.

Concertina; Although not strictly Irish in origin - it was developed in both England and Germany, not Ireland - the concertina makes a regular appearance in traditional Irish music these days. It is a small hexagonal accordion with a keyboard on both ends and no bass. It became popular at the beginning of the 20 th century in Irish music because of its rich, multi tonal sound, and was especially prevalent in county Clare, where female musicians were said to be particularly skilled in playing it.

Harp: Last but not least is Ireland's national instrument, the harp. It appears on our coins, all government documentation, and just about any other official symbol in the country. There are many different types of harp that vary in size, shape, sound, and virtually everything else. However, they all have multiple strings with a neck and resonator. Depending on the size, a harp can be played while held in the hand, or standing on top of a table or the floor. It is always played vertically and has a beautiful, fairytale like sound.

You may also be interested in reading our blog post on 10 Great Irish Musical Acts
Types of Songs
Traditional Irish songs can be broken down into two very general categories; the slow ballad songs and the fast paced dancing songs, both of which have several subcategories. There is a song for just about every eventuality in Irish music; laments, drinking songs, rebel songs, love songs, humorous songs, and of course, dancing songs.

Sean Nós is an especially famous type of Irish song. Sean Nós songs are always sung unaccompanied by a single person in the Irish language. The words and music are of equal importance, and were passed down orally from generation to generation. Songs are sung with free rhythm, speeding up and slowing down according to the words and their expression. It has a nasal tone quality and due to its slow, melodic style, songs are usually about miserable topics like death, famine and oppression. Needless to say, they don't exactly get the party started!

Dancing songs are infinitely more popular than Sean Nós songs, and are almost always accompanied by a ceilidh (a group of dancers who dance in a simple formation that interchanges partners and directions at various intervals), so they're not only a lot of fun, but can get somewhat chaotic too! There are three main subcategories of dancing music; jigs, reels, and hornpipes.

The reel is the most common form of irish dance tune, said to be brought to Ireland from Scotland in the 18 th century. They are quite fast paced with 4/4 or 2/2 timing. Jigs are even faster in tempo, with 6/8 or 12/8 timing and some varieties are usually danced by women. Hornpipes are slower than jigs and reels, usually played to give musicians a bit of a rest after the vigorous faster songs! They begin with an upbeat rhythm and then even out into a dotted rhythm with triplets. The dancing that accompanies hornpipe songs is very intricate. Dancers wear hard shoes as this type of song was originally adapted purely as a show piece.

As well as dancing music, which is almost exclusively instrumental, there are plenty of songs that include lyrics too, some of which are world famous while others are only known in certain parts of Ireland. Some of the more popular songs include;

The Green Fields of France

Dirty Old Town

The Wild Rover

The Fields of Athenry

Whiskey in the Jar

The Rose of Tralee

Spancil Hill

Danny Boy

The Rare Old Times

Carrickfergus

Modern Irish Music
These days, the music you'll hear around Ireland does not often feature bodhráns, harps and tin whistles. There are plenty of Irish music groups keeping the traditional style alive - The Dubliners and The Pogues to name just two - but Irish music has definitely moved with the times and produced some world class acts along the way. Just some of Ireland's most famous musical exports include U2, Van Morrisson, Thin Lizzy, Sinead O'Connor, Bob Geldof, and more recently, Damien Rice, The Frames, The Script, and one quarter of everyone's favourite boy band of the moment, Niall Horan from One Direction. The live music scene in Ireland is booming, be it traditional or modern music that is played, and more and more talented new musicians are coming up the ranks all the time. It may have changed a lot over the centuries, but one thing has stayed the same; Irish music is still bringing people together, and making them dance.

Here at Claddagh Design, our Irish Jewelry Designs are inspired by the past.

Follow this link to view our handcrafted Contemporary & Traditional Jewelry

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Traditional Irish Music: A Brief Guide | Claddagh Design

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Irish culture as a whole is very unique, complex, and of course, interesting! Although there are many aspects to Irish heritage, traditions and culture, music is a very important one. In previous centuries, music and storytelling were the only forms of entertainment on an island that had no electricity and where only a small minority of the population were literate.

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Ireland is know throughout the world for its dancing. Here at Claddagh Design we are much better with hammers rather than hornpipes. And the only Irish dancing we do these days is the occasional 'Siege of Ennis' at a wedding. So we thought it would be a good idea to share everything you need to know about Irish dancing!

Irish dancing is a very important part of the heritage and culture of Ireland; just like the Irish language, native sports like Gaelic Football or Hurling, and traditional Irish music. In the past few decades Irish dancing has seen a huge revival, partly because of the worldwide success of Riverdance. However, it was around long before Michael Flatley and Riverdance. Learning Irish dancing is a regular extra curricular activity of many Irish children, and it always features prominently at Irish themed events like St. Patrick's Day. It's not exactly comparable to modern dancing, but that's what makes it so special. Here is a complete guide to everything you could ever want to know about this wonderful part of Irish life.
History
The roots of Irish dancing come from the Celts and the druids who roamed the island before the onset of Christianity and outside influences came along. Many of the druids' religious rituals involved dancing, usually in a circular fashion around sacred trees. The Celts had their own folk dances with similar formations. This type of dancing was common around much of the European mainland at the time, and although it wasn't really anything like what traditional Irish dancing became, remnants of the formations and patterns can be seen.

Naturally, the dancing was accompanied by music or singing and usually took place at religious celebrations or other special occasions. The 'feis' was a big local celebration held by Celtic communities. It was all about their art, culture and music as well as an opportunity for discussing politics, trading, playing sports and storytelling. Dancing was an integral part of the feis. At the Hill of Tara, then the seat of the High King of Ireland and the epicentre of Celtic life, a huge feis known as the 'Aonach' (great festival), was held once year, apparently beginning over a thousand years ago. Feiseanna are still held today in many communities, but these days they are usually just a showcase for Irish dancing and music, where dancers compete for medals and trophies.

When the Normans invaded Ireland in the twelfth century, they settled in the country and brought with them their native customs, dance being one of them. The 'Carol' was a popular Norman dance that was soon performed in conquered Irish towns and villages. The Carol dance involved one singer placed in the centre of a circle of dancers who then followed his singing and danced accordingly. It is the first historically recorded dance in Ireland. For the next few centuries dancing naturally evolved. Three types of dance emerged; the Irish Hey, the Rinnce Fada (long dance) and the Trenchmore. Instead of circular formations, line formations became common. These in turn became more complicated with female dancers weaving between males, or interchanging couples. Bagpipes and harps became the most common musical accompaniment. The tradition of dancing at religious ceremonies still continued however - it was not unusual to dance in a circle around a coffin at a wake!

It wasn't until the 18 th century when Irish dancing became more disciplined and the styles and formations we know today came about. This was all down to the emergence of the Dancing Master, a teacher who travelled between villages and towns holding lessons for peasants. This is how group dances came to the fore; it was a simple way to have all pupils in a class involved in one dance. The best dancers from each community where given the status of 'soloists', i.e they were given special sections of the song to show off their talents and dance alone in the spotlight. When this happened, doors would be placed on the floor to give the dancer a makeshift stage and a solid platform to perform on. There was stiff rivalry between dancing masters from different territories, which is what gave rise to the modern dance competitions that take place today.

In 1893 the Gaelic League was founded as an organisation to promote and encourage all aspects of Irish culture in Ireland. It organised formal competitions, lessons and rules for Irish dancing, and this further developed into the launch of the Irish Dancing Commission in 1930 to regulate the now immensely popular past-time. Irish dancing really took off once it had its own governing body, and over the following decades it spread to the vast Irish diaspora around the world.

Visit our Online store Claddagh Design Handmade Fine Irish jewelry & Irish gifts where we celebrate all things Irish
Routines
There are three main types of Irish dancing routines; set dancing routines, social or céilí routines and sean nós or step routines. In all cases, the style is relatively formal and regimented, with little upper body movement, precise and quick foot movement and a strict number of steps to be completed. This was mostly because of the limited space performers would have had in the 18 th and 19 th centuries; small rural pubs or barn dances crowded with locals didn't afford much room for arm movement or for dancing around the floor.

Céilí routines were the most popular form of Irish dancing, and a standard component of any social occasion. They're performed with a minimum of two and a maximum of sixteen people (or sometimes an unlimited number of people!). Set dance routines are based on the French quadrille dances, i.e 'squares' of four couples who complete several different figures of the routine which are repeated throughout the song. Among other steps, dancers swap sides and swap partners - it can get extremely chaotic if you don't know what you're doing!

You may also be interested in reading our article on the Meaning of The Celtic Knot

Step routines descend from the old-style sean nós dancing, and are what the Irish Dancing Commission has adopted as the flagship Irish dancing style. Each step is danced twice, once with each foot, with arms slightly less rigid than other styles. Percussive sounds are made with the feet to add to the rhythm of the music. In the 18 th and 19 th centuries these dances were often performed on top of barrels or tables.

Each type of dance falls into one of two categories; soft shoe or hard shoe. Soft shoe dances include reels, slips, light jigs and single jigs; these are all classified by the time signature of the music and the steps taken in each dance. Hard shoe dances include the hornpipe, treble jig, and treble reel. Some of the more popular sets have been given names, like the St. Patrick's Day set, the King of the Fairies Set, or the Tree Sea Captains set.
Music
Historically the traditional accompaniment for Irish dancing was a harp, bagpipe, or just singing. As the dances got more complex however, so did the music. Nowadays, Irish dancing and traditional Irish music go hand in hand, and in the same way that there are a variety of different dances and routines, there is a variety of music and instruments to go with it. Some typical Irish instruments include the fiddle (pretty much a violin, just played differently), the bodhran (a hand held drum made of goatskin and played with a special wooden beater called a tipper), the tin whistle, the concertina (similar to an accordion), and the uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes). When solo dancers take to stage, a solo instrument will also generally play with them.
Clothes
Ornate and sometimes ostentatious costumes can be common in overseas Irish dancing competitions and showcases, but in both historic and modern Irish dancing, more modest and flexible costumes are used. Soft or hard shoes are used depending on the style of dance; hard shoes have tips and heels of fiberglass to add percussion noises and rhythm, while soft shoes are leather lace ups, also known as ghillies. Boys have their own version of the soft shoe, known as 'reel shoes', which still have a hard heel and produce noises, but not to the same extent as the hard shoes do.

Male dancers generally just wear a shirt, vest and tie with dark trousers, while female dancers wear specially made dresses. Each Irish dancing school has their own specific dress uniform. The dresses are just above the knee and pleated, with long sleeves and more often than not some sort of Celtic-inspired design or embellishment on the chest and back. In the past girls were required to curl their hair into ringlets or wear wigs, but this is slowly becoming less common. Dresses have become more and more flexible and breathable compared to decades past, when tough material and elaborate decoration was the name of the game. Outside of competitions you're more likely to see dancers in simple, plain dresses with straight hair, so that the footwork and movement of the dance is given complete focus.
Competitions
Outside of performances, the best way to see some Irish dancing is by attending a competition or feis. In Ireland there are several levels of competition divided by age and location, ranging from county to regional and national competitions. The annual regional championship is known as the Oireachtas, which also happens to be the name given to the Irish government! Dancers are scored on technique, timing, and sounds made from their shoes. All contests have very rigid regulations and criteria for qualifications, and the whole process is very competitive between both dancers and teachers.

The Irish Dancing Commisson began holding an annual World Championship in 1970, and they still take place each year in a different corner of the globe. They feature over 6,000 dancers from 30 countries all over the world.
Riverdance
No article about Irish dancing would be complete without mentioning Riverdance, the theatrical show which brought the art to a worldwide audience and boosted its popularity around the world. Riverdance is twenty years old this year, having made its debut at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. It started out as just a seven-minute long interval act featuring Irish dancing champions Jean Butler and Michael Flately, who choreographed much of the show. The accompanying music was played by the RTE Concert Orchestra.

The interval act was so well received that the BBC commissioned a repeat performance at the Royal Variety Show that year and the audio recording stayed at number one on the Irish singles chart for 18 consecutive weeks. The next natural step was to create a full length stage show expanding on the original interval act. The production team did just that and debuted the show in Dublin in November 1994, just six months after the Eurovision performance. It sold over 120,000 tickets and immediately went further afield to the UK, Europe, an New York.

The original show went on to play all over the world for fifteen years, before a final farewell tour in 2011. There are still several smaller productions touring all over the world and a number of spin off shows, ensuring that Irish dancing has a place on the world stage for years to come.

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Irish Dancing: A Brief History and Guide | Claddagh Design

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Ireland is know throughout the world for its dancing. Here at Claddagh Design we are much better with hammers rather than hornpipes. And the only Irish dancing we do these days is the occasional ' Siege of Ennis ' at a wedding.