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The Island of Ireland

The island of Ireland is situated in the extreme north-west of Europe between 51.5 and 55.5 degrees north latitude and between 5.5 and 10.5 degrees west longitude. The Irish Sea to the east, which separates Ireland from Britain, is from 17.6 to 192 km (11 to 120 miles) wide and has a maximum depth of about 200 metres (650 feet). Around the other coasts the shallow waters of the Continental Shelf are rather narrow and depths increase rapidly into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Republic of Ireland covers 70,282 sq. km (27,136 sq.mi.) and consists of Munster, Leinster, Connacht and three counties of Ulster, making a total of 26 counties governed by The Republic.

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Topology

The island comprises a large central lowland of limestone with a relief of hills surrounded by a discontinuous border of coastal mountains which vary greatly in geological structure. The mountain ridges of the south are composed of old red sandstone separated by limestone river valleys. Granite predominates in the mountains of Galway, Mayo and Donegal in the west and north-west and in Counties Down and Wicklow on the east coast, while a basalt plateau covers much of the north-east of the country. The central plain, which is broken in places by low hills, is extensively covered with glacial deposits of clay and sand. It has considerable areas of bog and numerous lakes. The island has seen at least two general glaciations and everywhere ice-smoothed rock, mountain lakes, glacial valleys and deposits of glacial sand, gravel and clay mark the passage of the ice.

The highlands of the north, west, and south, which rise to more than 3,000 ft (914 m), are generally barren, but the central plain is extremely fertile and the climate is temperate and moist, warmed by southwesterly winds.

Ireland's greatest length is 485 km (302 miles) and it is 304 km (189 miles) at its widest point.

Among Ireland's natural advantages is 5,631 km (3,500 mi.) of coastline, so indented that you are never more than 70 miles from the sea. Add to this the 800 lakes and rivers of inland Ireland and you can be fairly certain of being in sight of some body of water anywhere in Ireland!

The highest mountain is Carrantuohill (1,040 metres/3'414 feet), near Killarney in County Kerry.

The longest river is the Shannon (370 km/230 miles, including estuary) which opens at the sea in county Limerick.

The largest lake is Lough Neagh (396 ssq km/153 ss.quare miles) in the North and is bordered by counties Armagh, Down, Antrim, Derry and Tyrone.

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Government

Ireland is a parliamentary democracy. The national parliament (in the Irish language, Oireachtas) consists of the President (an tUachtarán) and two Houses: a House of Representatives (Dáil Éireann) and a Senate (Seanad Éireann). The Committees of the State are exercised by, or on the authority of, the Government.

The Constitution provides that the Government shall consist of not less than seven and not more than fifteen members. The Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Tánaiste and Minister for Finance must be members of the Dáil. The other members of the Government may be members of the Dáil or Seanad, but not more than two may be members of the Seanad. The Government acts collectively and is responsible to the Dáil.

The Taoiseach is appointed by the President on the nomination of the Dáil. He must resign if he ceases to retain the support of a majority in the Dáil. The Taoiseach nominates one member of the Government to be Tánaiste.

The Tánaiste acts in place of the Taoiseach if the Taoiseach is temporarily absent or becomes incapacitated.

The Attorney General, while not a member of the Government, acts as legal advisor to the Government and may attend Cabinet meetings. The Attorney General's tenure of office is normally coterminous with that of the Government.

The Taoiseach assigns Departments of State to members of the Government. Usually, each member of the Government heads one Department of State, but occasionally a Minister is responsible for more than one Department.

Ministers of State, who are not members of the Government, assist Government Ministers in their Parliamentary and Departmental work. The maximum number of Ministers of State is fixed by law at seventeen.

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Famous People
What other country the size of Ireland can claim four winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature? Ireland has a long and rich tradition of great writing. Though W.B.Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney are our Nobel laureates, Ireland has even more world-famous literary names in James Joyce, Flann O'Brien, Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift.

Did you know that Ireland boasts the oldest vernacular literature in Europe? Or that Edmund Spenser wrote his epic poem, The Faerie Queene, honouring England's Queen Elizabeth the First, in Kilcolman Castle in County Cork? Or that after he wrote his famous account of Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, became a popular hero among the people of Dublin for attacking the English government in his Drapier's Letters? Or that Count Dracula, by origin of creation, is Irish?

The great tradition of poetry in Irish may have introduced rhyme to the rest of mediaeval Europe. In the Lament for Art O'Leary it produced what has been described as the greatest poem written anywhere in Europe in the Eighteenth century, and it survives still, with some of Ireland's present-day poets writing in Irish. And when the great English scholar of ancient Greece, George Thomson, sought out a culture and a literature to compare with that of Homer, he found it in the writings of the Blaskets, remote and desolate islands off the south west coast of Ireland, which developed its own distinct literature in the first half of the twentieth century.

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Holidays

January 1 New Year's Day
1st Monday in January Bank Holiday
February 1 St. Brigid's Day
February 14 Valentine's Day
March 17 St. Patrick's Day
March or April Good Friday, Easter and Easter Monday
1st Monday in May, June and August Bank Holidays
November 1 Day of the Dead/All Saints Day
December 25 and 26 Christmas, St. Stephen's Day

Valentine's Day
St. Valentine is known as the "Patron Saint of Lovers." And in Ireland ~ this love is honored in a very special way.

In the year 1836, Pope Gregory XVI sent a gift to the Carmelite Church on Whitefriar Street, Dublin. The gift was a relic of a Christian martyr: a small gold-bound casket containing the earthly remains of St. Valentine. The relic had been exhumed from the cemetary of St. Hyppolytus on the Tiburtine Way in Rome, placed in a golden casket, and brought to Dublin, where it was enshrined in the little Church with great ceremony.

Every year on February 14th, the casket containing Saint Valentine's mortal remains is carried in solemn procession to the high altar of the Carmelite Church for a special Mass dedicated to young people and those in love. This little known Dublin church also sells Valentine's Day cards, and those purchased there must truly be very special cards to receive.

For most it is celebrated the same as it is the world over, with cady hearts, chocolates, flowers and cards.

February 1 is St. Brigid's Day, a church festival and a school holiday. St. Brigid is considered Ireland's second patron saint. On this day, children make crosses from rushes and hang them in their homes for good luck.

Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland and the one credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. The celebration of his Day is the only national holiday in Ireland. It is celebrated by morning mass, then parades and partying with lots of music into the night. While American's traditionally cook corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day, in Ireland it is bacon and cabbage. In the end they both taste about the same!

True history and legend are intertwined when it comes to St. Patrick. It is known that he was born in Scotland and was kidnapped and sold in Ireland as a slave. He became fluent in the Irish language before making his escape to the continent. Eventually he was ordained as a deacon, then priest and finally as a bishop. Pope Celestine then sent him back to Ireland to preach the gospel. Evidently he was a great traveller, especially in Celtic countries, as innumerable places in Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and Ireland are named after him.

Patrick is most known the world over for having driven the snakes from Ireland. Different tales tell of his standing upon a hill, using a wooden staff to drive the serpents into the sea, banishing them forever from the shores of Ireland. One legend says that one old serpent resisted, but the saint overcame it by cunning. He is said to have made a box and invited the reptile to enter. The snake insisted the box was too small and the discussion became very heated. Finally the snake entered the box to prove he was right, whereupon St. Patrick slammed the lid and cast the box into the sea. While it is true there are no snakes in Ireland, chances are that there never have been since the time the island was seperated from the rest of the continent at the end of the ice age. As in many old pagan religions serpent symbols were common, and possibly even worshipped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice.

While not the first to bring Christianity to Ireland, it was Patrick who encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites. He converted the warrior chiefs and princes, baptizing them and thousands of their subjects in the Holy Wells which still bear that name.

According to tradition St. Patrick died on 17 March in A.D. 493 and was buried in the same grave as St. Bridget and St. Columba, at Downpatrick, County Down. The jawbone of St.Patrick was preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits and as a preservative against the evil eye. Another legend says St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Galstonbury Abbey. There is evidence of an Irish pilgrimage to his tomb during the reign of the Saxon King Ine in A.D. 688, when a group of pilgrims headed by St.Indractus were murdered.

The great anxiety displayed in the middle ages to possess the bodies, or at least the relics of saints, accounts for the many discrepant traditions as to the burial places of St. Patrick and others.

Mothering Sunday (Mother's Day)
Mother's Day, or Mothering Sunday, is quite different from the American Mother's Day and is not celebrated on the same day. The American celebration honouring mothers in May is not celebrated in Ireland or Europe.

Mothering Sunday is mid-Lent Sunday, the halfway point when the faithful were suffering under the rigours of the Lenten observance, therefore as a gesture of encouragement the church decreed the day as one of special relaxation. In Ireland this has migrated to St. Patrick's Day.

Mothering Sunday seems to spring from the medieval custom of visiting the mother church on mid-Lent Sunday while at the same time there were family reunions with special fare. Now Mother's Day is emerging more and more to honour Mothers and is celebrated much the same way as Valentine's day with flowers and chocolates.

Father's Day is celebrated on the same day as the US and in much the same ways.

Easter
Easter Sunday is celebrated with church services, followed by festive family meals. Children boil and decorate eggs and have contests to see who can eat the most eggs. Easter is also a special day for the military. The Armed Forces hold a parade to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising.

Halloween
The Celtic people feared the evening of October 31 more than any other day of the year. It was the eve of their festival of Samhain. Samhain was a joyful harvest festival that marked the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one.

The day itself was a time for paying homage to the sun god Baal who had provided the people with ripened grain for use in the upcoming winter.

Come evening evil spirits were everywhere. Charms and spells were said to have more power on the eve of Samhain. Several rituals were performed by the Celtic priests, Druids, to appease the Lord of the Dead.

In the 7th century the church celebrated All Saint's Day in May but by the 9th century the date had been changed to November 1. The original festival for the pagan Lord of the Dead became a festival of Christain dead. Still, people went on expecting the arrival of ghosts on October 31.

Another name for All Saint's Day was All Hollow's which later became shortened to Hallowe'en.

Today in Ireland children dress up in costume and tick or treat and Jack-O'Lanterns are seen lighting the way for the witches and ghosts.

Christmas
Traditionally the Christmas season begins on 8 December in Ireland and lasts until 6 January. Christmas is a wonderful time to be in Ireland. In Ireland there is still a deeper sense of the meaning of the season here. As you walk through the streets of cities like Cork you may hear choirs large and small singing on the sidewalks, street musicians with flutes, harps, violins or guitars playing the strains of familiar carols or favourite Christmas recordings wafting from the shops.While few private homes decorate outside beyond the festive wreath on the door, the towns, cities and shops go all out. The Christmas season doesn't really get into full swing in Ireland until December when streets are lined with lit decorations and live Christmas trees are often mounted like flag staffs from building fronts. Larger department stores and shops fill their windows with animated scenes and figures.?

Gifts for friends and from family members to each other pile up under the Christmas tree in the days before Christmas and as everywhere a lot of squeezing, shaking and guessing goes on, but in the back of everyone's mind is what Santa will bring on Christmas morning. And there is no peeking or opening any gifts until Christmas morning!

Santa Claus is a very popular fellow in Ireland too. He and his helpers can be found arriving at many malls and department stores by helicopter or fire engine to take Christmas wish lists or for the very lucky children a trip to visit his workshop in Lapland (the North Pole) can be arranged.

In Ireland Santa works a little differently than in the states. Instead of leaving everything under the tree he leaves each child's gifts in their room, often in a pillow case at the end of the bed, though sometimes a large gift may be left unwrapped under the tree. Christmas stockings are a tradition with some families and are hung Christmas Eve for Santa to fill. He arrives quite late as Midnight Mass on Christmas eve is still a strong tradition for many families and the chimney is his main entrance into most homes.

As with holiday traditions everywhere, food plays a big part of celebration in Ireland and, just like else where, there is some variation from family to family. A fairly traditional menu for Christmas dinner includes either a Goose or Turkey with stuffing (usually a sage and onion type), ham, roasted and boiled potatoes (Irish meals often include potatoes prepared several ways), brussel sprouts, carrots, califlower, parsnips and any other family favourites, followed by Christmas cake or a Christmas pudding. A favourite treat throughout the Christmas season are small mincemeat pies (in the states because of the size they would probably be called tarts). Candy canes are not very popular in Ireland nor wide spread but tons of chocolates is a must for Christmas.

Ireland, like most countries, has a number of Christmas traditions that are all of its own. Many of these customs have their root in the time when the Gaelic culture and religion of the country were being supressed and it is perhaps because of that they have survived into modern times.

TheTwelve Days of Christmas
This old and beloved carol is Ireland's very own. During the centuries when it was a crime to be Catholic and to practice one's faith, in public or private, in Ireland and England "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written as a "catechism song" to help young Catholics learn the beliefs of their faith. It was a memory aid-when being caught with anything in writing indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hung.

The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person.

• A Partridge in a pear tree - Jesus Christ, the son of God.
• Two turtle doves - The Old and New Testaments
• Three french hens - Faith, Hope and Charity, the theological virtues.
• Four calling birds - The four Gospels and/or the four Evangelists.
• Five golden rings - The first five books of the Old Testament (The Pentateuch).
• Six geese a-laying - Six days of creation.
• Seven swans a swimming - The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven Sacraments.
• Eight maids a-milking - The eight Beatitudes.
• Nine ladies dancing - The nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit (sometimes also listed as the nine classifications of angels).
• Ten lords a-leaping - The Ten Commandments.
• Eleven pipers pipering - The eleven faithful apostles.
• Twelve drummers drumming - The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed.

The Candle in the Window
The placing of a lighted candle in the window of a house on Christmas eve is still practised today. It has a number of purposes but primarily it was an symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph as they travelled looking for shelter. The candle also indicated a safe place for priests to perform mass as, during Penal Times this was not allowed. A further element of the tradition is that the candle should be lit by the youngest member of the household and only be extinguished by a girl bearing the name 'Mary'.

The Laden Table
After evening meal on Christmas eve the kitchen table was again set and on it were placed a loaf of bread filled with caraway seeds and raisins, a pitcher of milk and a large lit candle. The door to the house was left unlatched so that Mary and Joseph, or any wandering traveller, could avail of the welcome.

Decorations
The placing of a ring of Holly on doors originated in Ireland as Holly was one of the main plants that flourished at Christmas time and which gave the poor ample means with which to decorate their dwellings. All decorations are traditionally taken down on Little Christmas (January 6th.) and it is considered to be bad luck to take them down beforehand.

St. Stephen's Day
During Penal Times there was once a plot in a village against the local soldiers. They were surrounded and were about to be ambushed when a group of wrens pecked on their drums and awakened the soldiers. The plot failed and the wren became known as 'The Devil's bird'. Other lore suggests that a wren betrayed the hiding place of St. Stephen before he was stoned to death and became a martyr.

On St. Stephens Day (the day after Christmas) a procession, known as The Wren Boy Procession , takes place. A pole with a holly bush would be carried from house to house and families dressed up in old clothes and with blackened faces. In olden times an actual wren would be killed and placed on top of the pole. This custom has to a large degree disappeared but the tradition of visiting from house to house on St. Stephens Day has survived and is very much part of Christmas.

St. Stephen's Day is a national holiday in Ireland and most businesses remain closed until 27 December.

Bank holidays
Certain Mondays are designated 'Bank Holidays'. On these days banks, shops, schools and almost everything else is closed. This gives people several three day weekends throughout the year for a holiday.

Many people take advantage of these weekends and take short trips or plan other activities and you will often find 'Bank Holiday Weekend' specials being run by hotels and B&B's.

• 1 January
• 18 March
• 29 March
• 1 April
• 6 May
• 3 June
• 5 August
• 28 October
• 25 December
• 26 December

Best Time to Travel

Ireland is beautiful any time of year and the weather is never so extreme as to rule out any time over another. From late November to mid-March you are more apt to experience a cold snap and the rain can be much colder. The more northern areas may even experience a small amount of.

One of the most pleasant times to visit is late April through early June. The temperatures are moderate and the chances of some sun every day are a little higher. Summer months can be rainy but still quite nice and the temperatures rarely surpass the low to mid 70s (F).

Air fares and accommodations are usually reduced in 'off season' which is October to March with the exception of the Christmas season. If you don't mind cooler temperatures and a bit more rain it can still be a great time to visit Ireland.

Everyone should experience Christmas in Ireland at least once, especially if you remember how Christmas used to be and want to show your children another side of holiday spirit.

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Getting Around

Walking
Within the cities and towns the best and easiest way to get around is walking. There is so much to see and so many little side streets (many pedestrian only) that a car is hardly worth the trouble. Even in most neighborhoods the local shop and pub are an easy walk, usually less than a block or two. People are very friendly and don't mind giving you directions if you ask. One thing to keep in mind when walking - cars drive on the left side here therefore when you cross the street look RIGHT first. It does take some getting used to, almost more so than driving on the left! Luckily city officials realize this and "Look Right" is painted on the streets as you step off the curb.

Buses
Public transportation is very convienient and affordable. City buses cover wide areas and bus fare is only as low as 70 pence per person. Buses run frequently, beginning at 7 am until 11 pm, and bus stops are numerous.

Bus services in Dublin City and County are operated by Dublin Bus operating from 06.00 23.30 with a limited late night bus service (Nitelinks) on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays. Timetables for buses including details of various money-saving commuter and tourist tickets are sold in retail shops and other stores throughout Dublin City and County.

The Dublin Bus Information Office is located on O'Connell St and they also operate a desk in Dublin Tourism Centre. For information please telephone: 01 873 4222

Bus Eireann operates bus services from Dublin to all other areas throughout Ireland. The central bus station (Busaras) is located on Amiens Street. For information please telephone: 01 836 6111

Aircoach a private operator, runs its distinctive blue airconditioned luxury coaches between Dublin Airport and the centre and south of the city, servicing many of the hotels and B&Bs. The service runs from 05.30 to 23.30 everyday.

DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport)
The DART rail service operates between Howth and Bray taking you along the scenic eastern coastal strip. There are 25 stations in all along the route so feel free to enquire from any DART station about the variety of travel ticket options available.

Trains
Trains operate countrywide to all parts of Ireland. Train departures are from Connolly and Heuston Train Stations. Visitors travelling from the south and west will arrive at Heuston Station, from where it is a short hop into the centre by bus or taxi. Those arriving from the north, north west , and also from the south east, will arrive at Connolly Station, which is a short walk from O'Connell Street.

Taxis
You can call a taxi to pick you up where ever you are or catch one in town. Fares are reasonable and taxi drivers are very helpful, good guides for the most part and do not try to take advantage of you and your lack of knowledge of the area. Some taxi's do charge a small extra fee for baggage or extra passengers but it is not at all unreasonable.

Taxis can be hailed, hired at taxi ranks or booked by telephone. Three of the main taxi ranks in Dublin City centre are located on O'Connell Street, Dame Street and St. Stephen's Green.

Renting a Car
Renting a car may only be worth the expense if you plan on driving across country, and even that may not be worth while as buses and trains are much less expensive and quite comfortable. Some buses even show movies on longer trips.

There is a choice of local and international car rental companies in Ireland. You can easily arrange to have a hired car waiting for you when you arrive through your travel agent or local office and this is generally recommended during the high season.

You must produce a full valid driving license of your country of residence (which you must have held for at least two years without endorsements.) Owing to certain insurance restrictions usually only persons over the age of twenty three and under seventy are eligible to hire a car. The minimum hiring age varies with different companies and should be checked in advance.

Hire rate includes third party, fire and theft insurance, unlimited mileage, value added tax and usually also passenger indemnity insurance. If the hirer does not take out additional insurance (Collision Damage Waiver), he is liable for replacement of the car. In the unfortunate event of an accident always notify the car hire company immediately.

Tips on Driving
• Keep in mind that many Irish roads are very narrow and courtesy is a must.
• When going up a fairly narrow, steep road with cars parked on either side and a city bus coming at you it can get sticky! In general, drivers are used to give and take in these situation, and at times innovative to say the least.
• A note for American drivers in paticular - if someone flashes their lights at you it is not to warn you of police radar ahead! They are giving you the right of way.

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Dining

Traditional Irish food is good, farm style home cooking. Hearty soups and stews, home made breads and of course lots of potatoes, often prepared several ways with one meal.

Many common foods found on Irish tables are things you would not normally think of as Irish, such as lasagne, altered to Irish tastes. Where in America a dinner of lasagne would most apt be served with a green salad of some sort, in Ireland it is commonly served with a plate of chips (french fries to Americans). There are many foods here that would seem to be familiar but taste (and sometimes look) very different to what we would expect because they are the Irish version altered to local tastes or availability locally of ingredients.

Once in a while the reverse is true such as with corned beef and cabbage. In Ireland it is called bacon and cabbage and is a salted joint of bacon where in the states for some reason it has become a brisket of beef marinated in brine and seasoned. In the end both taste very similar even though one is beef and the other pork. Both are served with boiled cabbage, carrots and potatoes.

Most towns, large and small, offer a variety of good, local restaurants. Some areas, however, have specialities. For example, in Galway, you'll find plenty of oysters, in Bantry plenty of mussels. In Wicklow there's lamb to enjoy and Limerick has its unique ham. If you're here in September the Clarinbridge Oyster Festival or Bantry Mussel Festival should not be missed.

You'll find restaurants and cafes everywhere to suit your budget. And if you have particular tastes or needs, do ring ahead and ask. Most restaurants will be happy to offer vegetarian dishes and children's menus.

Ireland is famous for its unique drinks. Perhaps the most famous of all is Irish stout. Guinness, Murphy's and Beamish stouts can be found almost everywhere. Whiskey was first distilled in Ireland. But unlike Scotch whisky, Irish is distilled three times and is spelled with an 'e'. The Guinness Brewery in Dublin is open to the public, as is Bushmills Distillery, the oldest distillery in the world. Most hotels and restaurants offer a list of top international wines and vintages.

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Customs and Traditions

Wakes
Respect for the dead has always been a prominent feature of Irish culture. Traditions say a very special female spirit, the bean sí (banshee) is often heard to announce by her wailing the impending death of a member of a family.

A wide range of beliefs and practices were concerned with the issues of death and burial and, in former times, the waking of the dead was an important social occasion.

The practice of Waking the dead used to be the custom in most Celtic countries in Europe for mourners to keep watch or vigil over their dead until they were buried - this was called a 'Wake'. The wake of the past was an occasion for both sadness and merriment. Ireland appears to be the only country where the custom has survived as strong as it is, although it must be said that it is losing favour here too and the funeral parlour seems to be replacing the home as the venue for the traditional waking. More families too are beginning to wake their dead in private. Maybe in time the traditional public funeral which is seen as an expression of sympathy for the bereaved family will also have disappeared.

There was always a certain unwritten ritual that sympathisers observed when calling to the Wake house. First there was a visit to the room where the corpse was laid out to say a prayer and pass the usual compliments about how well he/she looked even in death. A quick look around took in the crucifix, lighted candles on a little table and the well laundered linen on the bed. In some families bed linen was kept specifically for this purpose and even though it might be a hundred years old it could be as white as the driven snow. In nearly every area there was a woman or two who washed and laid out the dead. They too came in for a word of compliment before leaving the room. 'Didn't Cassie make a great job of laying him out. What would the place do without her' was a statement rather than a question. Then came the expressions of sympathy. Every relative, even down to the most distant inlaw was given a perfunctory handshake and a muttered 'Sorry for your trouble'. The real sympathy was reserved for the spouse or immediate family. The caller was invited to sit down. If no seat was available some one would be sure to get up and offer one glad of the opportunity to get slipping out unobserved.Neighbours who had come in to help would go around offering snuff, plug tobacco and clay pipes. There was always a 'wee wan' for the men or a small port for the ladies. In more recent times these were replaced by tea, cake and sandwiches.

People kept calling into the Wake house all day and at mid-night the Rosary was recited. After the prayers all except those who were sitting up all night soon dispersed. Supper was served and the women usually went to the corpse room while the men remained in the kitchen. It was at this stage that the games and storytelling got under way. No doubt a stranger unaccustomed to the ways would look on this merriment as irreverent, or at the very least hypocritical, and consider it a contradiction of the real feelings of expressed sympathy. But this light relief had a certain therapeutic value for the grieving family while at the same time helping those who were keeping vigil to pass the night and so it was an accepted part of Waking the dead. There were certain games that were reserved for Wakes only; like 'Hide the Gulley', 'Priest of the Parish' and 'Riddle me Ree'. In the West of Ireland musicians used to play at Wakes, and caoiners (professional criers) were employed to display affected grief. All over the North-West, and possibly throughout the whole country, all servile work and entertainment ceased in a townland when someone died there. Up to about forty years ago dances would not be held in Donegal Town if there was a death in the vicinity and if they had already been arranged they were cancelled or postponed.

The funeral gave people who were unable to attend the Wake an opportunity to express their sympathy by attending Mass and, when the practice of giving Offerings was in existence, by walking up to the collection table and handing their two shilling piece or half crown - the usual offering - to a teller who called out the amount and the name of contributor. The name was mentally noted by the mourners who looked on this as a debt that must be paid back when a death took place in the contributor's family circle. The paying of Offerings, suspended about 35 years ago, had its origin in a practice that existed in penal days of giving a small offering to the priest when he came to bury the dead. The priest who would have been on the run from the English would not have had an income to support him and depended on small stipends like these from the people.

Honeymoon
The word for honey is meala in Irish. The word for honeymoon is mi na meala, the month of honey, and refers to how the bride and groom spend that period of time.

Irish monks first produced the fermented honey brew called mead for medicinal purposes, then found it could make well people feel even better.

Following the wedding, a sufficient amount of mead was given to the bride and groom, along with special goblets, so they could share the unique brew for one full moon after their wedding, thus the term honeymoon was coined.

It was believed that this delicate yet potent drink was the best way to ensure a good beginning for a new marriage, and was also believed to endow powers of virility and fertility.

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What to Wear

Prepare to dress in layers. Even in the summer it can seem chilly if you are used to warmer climes. A tee shirt, light shirt, sweater and light jacket are not too much to wear on some days. You can always remove a layer.

Some type of water resistant coat or jacket isn't a bad idea. This IS Ireland and it has been know to rain here - often. An umbrella is useful but tends to get cumbersome and much of the time the rain isn't that bad, or the sun pops out and you still have to carry the umbrella. Getting out of the rain is always a good excuse to pop into an enticing little shop you just happen to be passing or into a nearby pub.

Bring COMFORTABLE SHOES. This can not be stressed enough! Even if you use public transportation or hire a car you will still do a lot of walking. This is not the time to break in a new pair of footwear or show off those high heeled boots. Also be sure to bring warm socks. Cold, wet feet don't make for a pleasant outting.

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Shopping

Goods have 21% VAT, and so keep your receipts for refund.

Best Buy: The prices on leather goods is very, very reasonable and sweaters of Irish wool are unbeatable.

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Driving

Traffic Laws:
• Speed limits

• Freeways/Motorways 112 kph (80kph towing)
• Regular non-urban roads 100 kph (80kph towing)
• Urban areas 48/50 kph

• Caution should be exercised when driving under the influence of alcohol. The legal tolerance limit is 0.08%.
• Wearing of seat belts is compulsory in front and rear seats.
• Children under 12 years age not permitted in front seats.
• It is recommended to carry breakdown warning triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and spare bulb kit in vehicle. If you wear glasses, bring a spare pair in the car with you.
• Minimum Driving age: 17 years.
• Documents required when driving
• Valid drivers license
• Vehicle title document/registration certificate or vehicle rental agreement
• Insurance green card (not obligatory for vehicles registered in IRL or another EU state)
• National vehicle oval country of registration plate (not required for vehicles fitted with EU standard format license plates)
• Drive on the left and vehicle headlights should be focused accordingly.
• Avoid accidents at traffic signals by not braking suddenly when the lights turn to amber. This note particularly applies to drivers from GB who frequently create accident situations for themselves by not adopting to the driving style of the country they are driving in.
• Precedence Traffic coming from the right-hand side has precedence on roundabouts (traffic rotaries)
• Direction Sign Colo(u)rs Freeways/Motorways = Blue
• National Primary & Secondary routes = Green
• Regional and local routes = White

Tolls
Tolls are payable at two points in the Dublin area - M50 Ring Road between the N4 and N3 interchanges only and on the R131 East Link Bridge. In each case the toll is under IEP 1.00 for cars, with higher tolls for vans and trucks. There are no tolls on other motorways or national routes.
Automobile club breakdown services:

• AIT Tel 1-800 66 77 88 (0800 88 77 66 in NI)
• FIA Tel 1-800 53 50 05 (0800 82 82 82 in NI)

• Tips for North Americans driving in Ireland for the first time - Driving styles and regulations differ in every country. It usually takes between a few hours and a day to get used to a new driving environment, particularly if you have not driven in the country before.
• If you are used to an automatic, be sure to specify automatic when making your reservation. Most cars in Ireland are standards and that is what you will be given if you do not ask.
• When you drive the car for the first time, take it around the block at the airport a few times to get used to the controls and driving on the left-hand side of the road
• Try and avoid the narrower R roads for the first day or so until you are familiar with your car and the driving environment
Take your time - drive slowly at first until you gain confidence. Watch the signs carefully!
• If you cross the road to park or to visit a gas station, be sure to return to a driving position on the left-hand side after you exit the parking space!

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