The nature of Ireland is unique and filled with stunning landscapes marked by crude cliffs and soft slopes, green and blue.
In culture and history, Halloween traces back its origins to the Gaelic festival of Samhain. Saint Patrick’s Day is the biggest festival of the year, which falls on March 17th. Music, festival and religion goes hand in hand the whole year round.
Ireland is a country with a fairytale and colorful history, pubs with live Irish music and black Guinness beer.
Weather and Climate
Best time to visit Ireland is from April to October.
Ireland has an heavy rainfall and temperate maritime climate with mild winters. It is far from common for the temperature to drop below freezing and snowfall is rare. The average temperature in January is 4° to 7°C (39° to 45°F) and warmest in the southwest towards the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic. In July, the temperature is usually between 14° to 16°C (57° to 61°F) and warmest in the southeast. The annual rainfall decreases from west to east, from 1.530 mm. (60 in.) to 760 mm. (30 in.) in Dublin.
Ireland consists of a large central, low-lying area, which is surrounded by low mountains all the way to the coasts. The mountains are typically below 450 metres; highest mountain is Carrauntoohill with a height of 1.041 metres (3.415 ft.) The central area has an even surface of 60-120 metres. (200-400 ft.) above sea level, and consists of a large eroded limestone surface. Ireland’s largest river, the Shannon, and its tributaries drain this wet surface.
Coastal mountains in the northwest was formed during the Caledonian orogeny. The coast is heavily indented with deep bays into the underlying lowland. In the southwest, the mountains were formed during the Hercynian orogeny and extends all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Between the mountains, deeply incised bays form natural harbors.
Logging followed by overgrazing until 1921 destroyed the natural forest. Today only 3% of Ireland is covered by forest.
5 things Ireland is known for, outside Ireland
- Saint Patrick’s Day (Priest, 385-461)
- William Butler Yeats (Poet, 1865-1939)
- U2 (Rock band, formed in 1976)
- Guinness (Beer brewery, founded in 1759)
- Bram Stoker (Author of Dracula, 1847-1912)