onstituent counties (county Tipperary is divided in two and county
Dublin in four). Each region has a directly elected Council which is responsible
for many of the issues of local government. These 30 divisions are shown on the
map on the left, with the numbers given in the key below. The counties
themselves were laid out several centuries ago by English settlers, and have
survived largely unchanged since then.
Claddagh Ring
Claddagh Ring — Symbol of Love, Friendship and Loyalty,
the Story...
[Pronounced? ... Clad-daw -or- Clad-ah -or- Clod-uh.]
An icon of Irish culture, the Claddagh ring design is attributed to the anient Claddagh fishing village. The Claddagh ring symbolizes friendship,
love and loyalty which, according to legend, originated in the 17th century. The ring includes a cluster of symbols: hands for friendship,
a heart for love, and a crown for loyalty.
The Claddagh, said to be the oldest fishing village in Ireland, was situated just outside the walls
of the city of Galway overlooking Galway Bay. The name came from the Irish word 'cladach, which means stony shore.' Over time as the walls came down and Galway grew into the
modern yet charmingly picturesque city that it is today, this ancient village grew and merged with the
rest of the town. Though even to this day just over the Wolfe Tone Bridge at the mouth of the Claddagh Quay,
there are a handful of houses proudly bearing the Claddagh insignia.
Wikipedia article on the Claddagh Ring
Dublin Viking Adventure
Visitors travel through time at Dublin's Viking Adventure which is an interactive experience of life in Viking Dublin. The Norse guide takes you on a journey to Viking Dublin. Walk the narrow streets of the Viking town of Dyflin. The Viking adventure also has a collection of artefacts discovered during the excavation of the site.Ireland Photo Library
Photo Gallery - IrelandDive Irish Isles
National Geographic feature articleUnderwater Ireland in a dry suit
National Museum of Ireland — Dublin
National Museum of Ireland — DublinFinding the National Museum of Ireland
Email: marketing@museum.ie
Bunratty Castle
Bunratty Castle Folk ParkA Celtic Journey
A Celtic Journey is the theme for your adventure through time., The story brings you into the magic and mystery of the Prehistoric, Celtic, Viking, Anglo-Norman and Native Irish Ancestries. Check out Shannon Heritage attractions.
Cliffs of Moher
Cliffs of MoherCiorcal Oidhreachta an Chláir — Clare Heritage Circle
Clare Heritage Circle Page
monastic site of Holy Island (Inis Cealtra) on Lough Derg
virtual reality cliff-face adventure
interpretaive center
Cliffs of Moher at Burren Page Cliffs of Moher, Doolin Co. Clare, West Ireland
Archaeological Stone Sites
Drombeg Stone Circle
Drombeg Stone Circle- bronze age Ireland, County CORK (Skibbereen/Glandore), — similar to deposits at the Scottish recumbent circle of Loanhead of Daviot.
dolmen
A dolmen is a megalithic tomb with a large, flat stone laid on upright ones, called a 'portal tomb' dating to 2500-2000 BC. There are said to be 366 in Ireland, and are linked to the legend of Diarmuid and Gráinne. See Diarmuid and Gráinne's Bed.Kenmare Stone Circle
The Kenmare Stone Circle of County Kerry, locally known as 'The Shruberries', is composed of 15 heavy boulders and may be the largest in SW Ireland.......
Creevykeel Court-Tomb
Creevykeel Court-Tomb County Sligo,
"massively impressive monument today after restoration ..."
Irish Gaelic Language
Irish is known as Irish, Gaelic or Irish Gaelic in English. The official standard name in Irish is Gaeilge /'geɪlɪk/. Before the 1948 spelling reform, this was spelled Gaedhilge. In Middle Irish the name was spelled Gaoidhealg, and it was Goídelc in Old Irish.
The 9th and 10th century Viking invasions of Ireland lead to the destruction of many early manuscripts,
so most surviving manuscripts were written later.
Irish Writing from omniglot.com