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Part 1

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Location: Ireland is an island off western Europe in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. The Republic of Ireland (also called Ireland or Eire) occupies most of the island of Ireland; it is an independent country. The northern portion is Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom.
Capital of the Republic of Ireland: Dublin is the capital city of the Republic of Ireland.

Official languages: English and Gaelic.

Size: The Republic of Ireland covers 27,135 square miles (70,280 sq km). It occupies about 5/6 of the island of Ireland.

Population: The population of Ireland is about 3,689,000 (as of 2000).

Flag: Ireland's flag is made of three equal-sized rectangles of orange, white and green. The green is by the flagpole.

Climate: Ireland has a cool, often-cloudy climate.

Major Rivers: Major rivers in Ireland include the Shannon River, the Blackwater River, the Suir River, the Lee River, and the Inny River.

Highest Point: The highest point in Ireland is Carrauntoohil, which is 3,414 feet (1,041 m) tall. Carrauntoohil is located in southwestern Ireland, near Killarney.

Lowest Point: The lowest points in Ireland are at sea level (the level of the Atlantic Ocean).

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St. Patrick's Day Printable Books:

St. Patrick's Day Words Mini Book
A Printable Writing Book
A tiny, printable book about simple words related to St. Patrick's Day-- for early readers and writers. The book has 2 pages to print and makes 8 pages for the student to cut out, color, and write in. The words are: shamrock, Ireland, rainbow, pot, gold, harp, and "Can you think of something green?

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ireland irish map republic ireland geography population eire dublin

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Advertisement. EnchantedLearning.com is a user-supported site. As a bonus, site members have access to a banner-ad-free version of the site, with print-friendly pages. Click here to learn more. (Already a member? Click here.) Location: Ireland is an island off western Europe in the Northern Atlantic Ocean.

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Part 2

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Provides an overview of Ireland, including key dates and facts about this west European country.

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Part 1

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Name of State
The Constitution provides (Article 4) that the name of the State is ire, or in the English language, Ireland. Normal practice is to restrict the use of the name ire to texts in the Irish language and to use Ireland in all English-language texts, with corresponding translations for texts in other languages. The Republic of Ireland Act of 1948 provides for the description of the State as the Republic of Ireland but this provision has not changed the usage Ireland as the name of the State in the english language.

The etymology of the name ire is uncertain and various theories have been advanced. There is no doubt but that it is a name of considerable antiquity. It first appears as Ierne in Greek geographical writings which may be based on sources as early as the 5th century BC. In Ptolemys map (c AD 150) the name appears as Iouernia; some such form was transliterated into Latin as Iuverna. The standard Latin form, Hibernia, first appears in the works of Caesar, who seems to have confused it with the Latin word hibernus (wintry). riu, the Old Irish form of ire, was current in the earliest Irish literature. The modern English word Ireland derives from the Irish word ire with the addition of the Germanic word land.

In mythology, riu was one of three divine eponyms for Ireland, together with Banba and Fodla. The idea of Ireland as a heroine reappears as a common motif in later literature in both Irish and English.

Flag
The national flag is a tricolour of green, white and orange. The tricolour is rectangular in shape, the width being twice the depth. The three colours are of equal size, vertically disposed, and the green is displayed next to the staff. The flag was first introduced by Thomas Francis Meagher during the revolutionary year of 1848 as an emblem of the Young Ireland movement, and it was often seen displayed at meetings alongside the French tricolour.

The green represents the older Gaelic and Anglo-Norman element in the population, while the orange represents the Protestant planter stock, supporters of William of Orange. The meaning of the white was well expressed by Meagher when he introduced the flag. "The white in the centre", he said, "signifies a lasting truce between the Orange and the Green and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholic may be clasped in heroic brotherhood."

It was not until the Rising of 1916, when it was raised above the General Post Office in Dublin, that the tricolour came to be regarded as the national flag. It rapidly gained precedence over any flag which had existed before, and its use as a national flag is enshrined in the Constitution.

Emblem
The harp has been regarded as the official symbol or coat of arms of Ireland since medieval times. As such it is depicted alongside the coats of arms of a dozen or more medieval European kingdoms on a single folio of the Wijnbergen roll of arms compiled about 1270. The harp is found on the banners of the Irish brigades, which were formed in the armies of continental European countries during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

The heraldic harp is invariably used by the Government, its agencies and its representatives at home and abroad. It is engraved on the seal matrix of the office of President as well as on the reverse of the coinage of the state. It is also emblazoned on the distinctive flag of the President - a gold harp with silver strings on an azure field.

The model for the artistic representation of the heraldic harp is the 14th century harp now preserved in the Museum of Trinity College Dublin, popularly known as the Brian Boru harp.

Anthem
The text of The Soldiers Song (Amhrn na bhFann), consisting of three stanzas and a chorus, was written in 1907 by Peadar Kearney, who also composed the music together with Patrick Heeney. It was first published in the newspaper, Irish Freedom, in 1912. The chorus, of which the words and music are given above, was formally adoptedas the National Anthem in 1926, displacing the earlier Fenian anthem, God Save Ireland. A section of the National Anthem (consisting of the first four bars followed by the last five) is also the Presidential Salute.

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Information about Ireland Site

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The Irish State -Name, Symbols and National Day

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Name of State The Constitution provides (Article 4) that the name of the State is ire, or in the English language, Ireland. Normal practice is to restrict the use of the name ire to texts in the Irish language and to use Ireland in all English-language texts, with corresponding translations for texts in other languages.

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Part 2

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The Celtic harp is the official symbol of Ireland, but the three-leaf shamrock is the unofficial symbol, more widely recognized worldwide than any other. Though there are many species of clover, the shamrock is "white clover" or Trifolium repens, a flowering vine with white blossoms. The Gaelic word for shamrock is seamrog.

The earliest written mention of shamrocks is not until 1571, even though Saint Patrick's legendary use of a shamrock predates this by over a millennium. It is said that he preached to the pagan Celts by using the three-leaf clover to illustrate the Christian trinity of a united Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Since there is no written record of the Trinity legend until 1727, many suspect this to be an 18th century myth that has been backdated.

Whether the legends surrounding the shamrock are fact or fiction is hard to say today, but the shamrock was an important plant to the Druids prior to Saint Patrick. It was believed to have medicinal properties and its association with the number three had significant meaning in ancient numerology, in which three was a sacred number with mystical powers. The shamrock might even have been thought to have prophetic properties, as some say an upward direction of its leaves foretold grave weather. The Druids also believed the shamrock could ward off evil spirits.

Whatever its ancient associations, it's clear from more recent history that the shamrock continued to be a potent icon. It was held as a symbol of rebellion and independence from the British crown during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). So powerful was the sign of the shamrock that to wear it on a military uniform was a crime punishable by death. This oppression only emblazoned the shamrock in Irish culture and "the wearing of the green" became a point of pride. Shamrocks appeared on everything from clothing to masonry to personal affects. It transcended its spiritual roots, alchemizing into a political symbol of national pride.

Today the shamrock remains a quintessential icon associated with all things Irish. With its rich mythology and political history, it promises to remain an enduring and beloved symbol of the green rolling hills of Ireland.

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The Celtic harp is the official symbol of Ireland, but the three-leaf shamrock is the unofficial symbol, more widely recognized worldwide than any other. Though there are many species of clover, the shamrock is "white clover" or Trifolium repens, a flowering vine with white blossoms. The Gaelic word for shamrock is seamrog.

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Table of Contents

What is St. Patrick's Day?

When is St. Patrick's Day celebrated?

What is the origin of St. Patrick's Day?

This article was most recently revised and updated by

St. Patrick's Day, feast day (March 17) of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped but returned about 432 ce to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. Many legends grew up around him-for example, that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Ireland came to celebrate his day with religious services and feasts.

It was emigrants, particularly to the United States, who transformed St. Patrick's Day into a largely secular holiday of revelry and celebration of things Irish. Cities with large numbers of Irish immigrants, who often wielded political power, staged the most extensive celebrations, which included elaborate parades. Boston held its first St. Patrick's Day parade in 1737, followed by New York City in 1762. Since 1962 Chicago has coloured its river green to mark the holiday. (Although blue was the colour traditionally associated with St. Patrick, green is now commonly connected with the day.) Irish and non-Irish alike commonly participate in the "wearing of the green"-sporting an item of green clothing or a shamrock, the Irish national plant, in the lapel. Corned beef and cabbage are associated with the holiday, and even beer is sometimes dyed green to celebrate the day. Although some of these practices eventually were adopted by the Irish themselves, they did so largely for the benefit of tourists.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Meg Matthias.

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Saint Patrick's Day | History, Traditions, & Facts

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Saint Patrick's Day, feast day (March 17) of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. People of that country celebrate the day with religious services and feasts, but Saint Patrick's Day has transformed into a largely secular holiday of revelry in other parts of the world.

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Great Famine | Definition, Causes, Significance, & Deaths

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Great Famine, famine that occurred in Ireland in 1845–49 when the potato crop failed in successive years. The Irish famine was the worst to occur in Europe in the 19th century: about one million people died from starvation or from typhus and other famine-related diseases.