IRELAND
- Capital: Dublin
- Form of Government: Republic
- Area: 70 280 km2
- Religion: Catholics 92%
- Phone: +353
- Languages: English, Irish
- Time zone: UTC
- Population: 6,572,728 (2016)
- Currency: Euro (Eur)
Finland‘s Embassy, Dublin
Address: Russell House, Stokes Place St. Stephen’s Green – Tel: 353-(0)1-478 1344
E-Mail: sanomat.dub@formin.fi – website: www.Finland.ie
Ireland’s mean airports: Dublin Airport (DUB), Cork Airport(ORK), Shannon Airport(SNN),Waterford Airport(WAT).
There are direct flights from Helsinki to Dublin with KLM, SAS, Finnair, Norwegian airlines.
A flight to the Dublin Airport is the easiest way to get to Ireland from most places in the world. Its flights can be found here. For example Shannon Airport also
has plenty of international flights, but international airports can be found over the island like in Cork and Knock, near Charlestown.
Ferries take passengers from the UK to Ireland.
Ireland: Travel bulletin from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs: Safe tourist destination. Normal care should be pursued.
DUBLIN (CAPITAL)
Dublin is Ireland’s vivid and exuberant capital on the estuary of the River Liffey, being located in the province of Leinster on Ireland’s east coast. It has appr. 530,000 residents.
Today it is thought that the Viking settlement was preceded by a Christian ecclesiastical settlement known as Duibhlinn, from which Dublin took its name. Beginning in the 9th and 10th century, there were two settlements where the modern city stands, Viking and Gaelic. City remained largely under Viking control until the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. The city is known as the site of Irish independence struggle and James Joyce’s classic novel Ulysses as well as Guinness beer.
Guinness Storehouse
Address: St. James’s Gate, Dublin 8, D08 VF8H, Ireland
This lovely Guinness-themed museum is located at the St. James’s Gate, and its exhibition covers seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness. The ground floor introduces the beer’s four ingredients and the brewery’s founder, Arthur Guinness. Other floors feature the history of Guinness advertising. On the seventh floor, resides the famous Gravity Bar with a panoramic 360° view over Dublin.
Irish Whiskey Museum
Address: 119 Grafton Street, Dublin, D02 E620, Ireland
Irish whiskey is fast becoming one of the most popular spirits across the World. The Irish Whiskey Museum, based in the heart of Dublin City in a historic building on Grafton Street, tells the complete and unbiased history of Irish whiskey and its importance in Ireland’s turbulent past. The Irish Whiskey Museum is independent of all whiskey distilleries, offering its visitors the opportunity to taste and experience a huge selection of Irish Whiskey. Whether it’s Single Grain, Malt, Pot Still or a Blended Whiskey, the Museum’s whiskey experts will always be able to help you find the perfect whiskey to suit your palate.
The Little Museum
Address: 15 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Discover the amazing story of Dublin in this quirky museum on St Stephen’s Green. Our famous 29-minute guided tours are a celebration of great Irish storytelling. You will learn about our history, you will laugh a lot and you will meet some of the friendliest people in Ireland.
Kilmainham Gaol Museum
Address: Inchicore Rd, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, D08 RK28, Ireland
This bleak old jail was notorious in the 19th century for its harsh treatment of prisoners.
Trinity College
Address: College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Trinity College is Ireland’s oldest university and has 16,700 students. Its building complex is one of the most idyllic sites in Dublin. Its Old Library is known for the Book of Kells, a gospel book believed to have been created circa 800 CE. A national treasure of Ireland. Other attractions are the Geology Museum and the Douglas Hyde Gallery of art.
Guided student-led tours are available on the campus.
Cork
The charming City of Cork can be found in south-western Ireland. It is the second largest city in the country, with approx. 120,000 residents It is a cozy place to just hang around and feel the genuine Irish atmosphere. Notable attractions are e.g. the shopping area on St Patrick’s Street, St. Finbarre’s Cathedral and the covered English Market, a great place to buy good food.
Aran Islands
Location: At the mouth of Galway Bay, westcoast of Ireland.
This beautiful and stark archipelago consists of three islands: the largest Inishmore, the Inishmaan and the smallest island Inisheer. They are known for their primarily Irish-speaking residents and their unique islander culture. There are approx. 1,200 inhabitants on the islands. Cycling is considered the best way to see the islands. Notable attractions are the prehistoric fortress Dún Aonghasa on Inishmore, the stone fortress Dún Dúchathair on Inishmore and the 14-century O’Brien’s Castle on Inisheer.
Youghal
This seaside resort is one of the most beautiful places on the shores of Ireland.
It has been designated as an Irish Heritage Port by the Irish Tourist Board and is one of County Cork’s most popular tourist attractions. Among the notable sites of Youghal are the 18th century Clock Gate Tower, the 15th century Tyntes Castle and the Myrtle Grove built by Sir Walter Raleigh.
Great Skellig (UNESCO 1996)
Skellig Michael is a small twin island to the southwest of the Irish mainland. It is a beautiful and mysterious place with ruins from old monasteries. The name Michael comes from the Christian archangel, while Skellig comes from an Irish word approximately meaning “a steep rock”. The Irish name is well earned, considering how the main island towers out of the sea. The larger island is accessible to tourists in summer, but only a certain amount is allowed on the island at once to preserve this unique location that was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The smaller island is quite inhospitable and doesn’t have any landings. The main island is filled with structures from the monastic periods of the island’s history, and many visitors will probably recognize them from Disney’s new Star Wars trilogy as the home of the last Jedi. The island also features active animal life, with several species that are unusual for Ireland.
Waterford
Waterford is Ireland’s oldest city and the real pearl of western Irish coast. It is located in the south-eastern Ireland and is part of the province of Munster, straddling the River Suir. City has appr. 46,000 residents, the whole metropolitan area having around 68,000.
Vikings established first settlement on the site in 853, giving to city its name (Veðrafjǫrðr, ”ram port”). In 1171, Henry II of England came here, being the first English king to set foot in an Irish city. Waterford and Dublin were declared royal cities.
Hill of Tara
Address: Castleboy, Co. Meath, Ireland
This archaeological complex is one of the main historical sites of Ireland and was a sacred place in the Neolithic period. Attractions include the famous Lia Fáil, the coronation stone of the High Kings of Ireland, a small Neolithic passage tomb known as Dumha na nGiall as well as St. Patrick’s Church.
Grafton Street
The most famous shopping street of Ireland offers a variety of things to discover. It has plenty of retail stores including bars, cafés, restaurants and hotels. A must-see street for an urban explorer and a smart buyer.