History UsefulNotes / Ireland

It was also up until recently one of the poorest countries in Europe, but this has been completely reversed over the past decade and now the country is one of the richest states in the world. Irish economic success lead to the country being dubbed UsefulNotes/TheCelticTiger (like the Tiger economies of the Baltics, UsefulNotes/{{Slovakia}} and Asia) and is mostly derived from a lot of financial investment through Ireland's EU membership (and its low corporate tax). Ireland's reliance on foreign investment and large debts came back to haunt it during the international economic crisis, with Ireland being the first country in Europe to officially declare itself in recession, as well as being one of the [[FunWithAcronyms PIGS economies]] (along with UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}}, UsefulNotes/{{Greece}} and UsefulNotes/{{Spain}}).

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Northern European country[[note]]though some definitions, like the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, include it and the rest of the British Isles in Western Europe for cultural reasons[[/note]] that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Northern European country[[note]]though some definitions, like the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, include it in Western Europe for cultural reasons[[/note]] that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Western European country that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Northern European country that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Northern European country[[note]]Geographically, at least. Culturally, though, they are closer to Western Europe[[/note]], that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

* Brendan O'Carroll and family, the creators of MrsBrownsBoys.

* Far too many great writers and poets to list, including Creator/JamesJoyce, Creator/GeorgeBernardShaw, Creator/BramStoker, Creator/WilliamButlerYeats, Creator/OscarWilde, Creator/CSLewis, Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett, Flann O'Brien, Enda Walsh, Maeve Binchy, Edna O'Brien, Celia Aherne, Seamus Heaney, [[HandicappedBadass Christy Brown]] (played by Daniel Day-Lewis in ''Film/MyLeftFoot'', for which he got an Oscar)...

* Film directors Creator/LennyAbrahamson, Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan, Creator/MartinMcDonagh, John Michael McDonagh.

* Far too many great writers and poets to list, including Creator/JamesJoyce, Creator/GeorgeBernardShaw, Creator/BramStoker, Creator/WilliamButlerYeats, Creator/OscarWilde, Creator/CSLewis, Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney, [[HandicappedBadass Christy Brown]] (played by Daniel Day-Lewis in ''Film/MyLeftFoot'', for which he got an Oscar)...

* Film directors Creator/LennyAbrahamson, Neil Jordan and Jim Sheridan.

* Film director and writer Creator/LennyAbrahamson.

* Bands/singers including Music/{{U2}}, Music/ThinLizzy, Music/MyBloodyValentine, The Boomtown Rats, Music/TheCranberries, Music/VanMorrison, and Sinead O'Connor, Boyzone, The Script, Music/{{Westlife}} [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Jedward]].

* George Boole, the English-born mathematician whose algebra made transistors possible, lived most of his professional life as a professor in Cork.

* George Boole, father of the transistor.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Western European country[[note]]Though, there is no concrete consensus on whether Ireland and the British Isles in general are part of Western Europe or Northern Europe. They have historical and political ties with both regions, and are geographically Northern European, but are closer to Western Europe culturally. Because of those cultural ties, they are listed as Western European here, although the United Nations puts them in Northern Europe[[/note]], that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Western European country[[note]]Though, there is no concrete consensus on whether Ireland and the British Isles in general are part of Western Europe or Northern Europe. They have historical and political ties with both regions, and are geographically Northern European, but are closer to Western Europe culturally. Because of those cultural ties, they are listed as Western European here, although the United Nations puts it in Northern Europe[[/note]], that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Western European country[[note]]Though, there is no concrete consensus on whether Ireland and the British Isles in general are part of Western Europe or Northern Europe. They have historical and political ties with both regions, and are geographically Northern European, but are closer to Western Europe culturally. Because of those cultural ties, it's listed as Western European here, although the United Nations puts it in Northern Europe[[/note]], that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Northwestern European country that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Western European country that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Northern European country that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire'') is a medium-sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Western European country that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland (part of the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

* '''Highest point:''' Carrauntoohil (1038 m/3,406 ft) (166th)

* Sir Arthur Wellesley, UsefulNotes/TheDukeOfWellington (though he resented this characterization: "Being born in a stable does not make one a horse!")

'''Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Éire''), officially the '''Republic of Ireland''' ('''Irish:''' ''Poblacht na hÉireann''), is a medium sized, windy, [[RainRainGoAway rain-swept]] island on the northwestern fringe of Europe, which looks a bit like a teddy bear or koala (imagine it in the profile, looking away from Britain). It is also the name of the Western European country that covers four-fifths of that island, the rest being covered by Northern Ireland (part of the [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} UK]]). For Hollywood clichés about Ireland, see {{Scotireland}} and {{Oireland}}. For more about Northern Ireland, see UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.

The Republic of Ireland is the second most Catholic country in Europe after UsefulNotes/{{Poland}} (not counting [[UsefulNotes/VaticanCity the Vatican]], obviously), though the influence of the Church has waned in recent years, especially in the wake of a [[PedophilePriest sex abuse scandal]] and coverup, but it is still enough that Ireland got a special agreement in the Lisbon Treaty that its [[GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion ban on abortion]] would not be touched, though the constitutional amendment that covered this was repealed by a landslide in 2018. When the Taoiseach ("Tea shook" -- Prime Minister) Enda Kenny very publicly chewed out the Church over the sex abuse scandal, it was seen as rather earth-shattering.

It was also up until recently one of the poorest countries in Europe, but this has been completely reversed over the past decade and now the country is one of richest states in the world. Irish economic success lead to the country being dubbed UsefulNotes/TheCelticTiger (like the Tiger economies of the Baltics, UsefulNotes/{{Slovakia}} and Asia) and is mostly derived from a lot of financial investment through Ireland's EU membership (and its low corporate tax). Ireland's reliance on foreign investment and large debts came back to haunt it during the international economic crisis, with Ireland being the first country in Europe to officially declare itself in recession, as well as being one of the [[FunWithAcronyms PIGS economies]] (along with UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}}, UsefulNotes/{{Greece}} and UsefulNotes/{{Spain}}).

* '''Highest point:''' Carrauntoohil (1038 m/3,406 ft) (151st)

* '''Highest point:''' Carrauntoohil (1038 m/3,406 ft) (170th)

* UsefulNotes/ConorMcGregor, UFC fighter

* [=YouTuber=] and {{LetsPlay}}er LetsPlay/{{Jacksepticeye}}.

* Let's Player and voice actor LetsPlay/{{Jacksepticeye}}.