Famous for: St. Patrick, Leprechauns & Guinness

Language:  English & Irish

The currency used is the Euro.

Geogrpahy:  Mostly level to a rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; there are sea cliffs on the west coast. Over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin.

Climate & Clothing:  Ireland has a mild, temperate climate with cool summers and mild winters. Average summer temperatures range from 60ºF to 70ºF (15ºC to 21ºC), July being the warmest month. Average winter temperatures range from 40ºF to 46ºF (5ºC to 8ºC). The most useful clothes are casuals, lightweight wools, sweaters for cold spells, comfortable walking shoes and a light raincoat.

Food & Clothes: In the last decade, Ireland has made a giant gastronomic leap. Common foods include smoked salmon, soda bread, and a variety of seafood, and game when in season. Traditional dishes consist of Irish stew, boxty (potato pancake) and coddle (boiled pork sausages). The country is best known for its stout and beer, the most famous being Guinness. However other, popular brands include Murphy's Irish Stout, Beamish, and Kilkenny beer. Whiskey is also renowned with the most famous distilleries being the Old Midleton Distillery in Cork, the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin, and the Bushmills Distillery in Antrim. Water across the Republic of Ireland is safe to drink.

Best Buys: Tweed clothing, traditional Aran knitwear from the Aran Islands (once handmade by fishermen featuring family patterns), Irish music, linen, pottery, Waterford crystal, Irish whiskey and basketry.

The gender signs on the doors in the republic may be printed in Gaelic, not English. Mna is Gaelic for Ladies and Fir means gentlemen.