16 Amazing Ireland Travel Facts for Your Next Adventure

Ireland is a beautiful country to visit with dozens of historical and cultural attractions, parks and protected lands, and traditional activities to experience. Even a two-week visit isn’t enough time to see all the sites in the centuries-old nation. As you prepare for your journey to the Emerald Isle, here are some fun facts about Ireland to get you in the mood.

Interesting Facts About Ireland – The Stats

• The official name of Ireland is Republic of Ireland. Éire in the Irish language
• Population of Ireland is 4.9 million people. But more than 80 million people with Irish roots and Irish passports are living abroad.
• Capital City of Ireland is Dublin. The Best Things to do in Dublin
• Ireland has two official languages: Irish and English
• Ireland is divided into 32 counties
• Irish Flag is green, white and orange.

1. Ireland’s Nickname is the Emerald Isle

The luscious rolling green hills that dot the island in the North Atlantic Ocean gave birth to its nickname—the Emerald Isle. Despite its central location to nations with chillier climates, the dense green landscape rarely sees more than a dusting of snow covering its green hillsides and jagged cliffs.

The small country bordering Great Britain enjoys a mild climate with comfortable and cool summers and moderate winters, making it an ideal place to visit year-round. Consequently, you will find it relatively humid and overcast 50% of the time with regular rain showers.

Ireland is located on the island of Ireland which consists of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

2. Thank Ireland for Halloween

Another fun fact about Ireland—Did you know that Halloween originated in Ireland? The basis for the fun holiday dates back over 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain. The ancient people of Ireland celebrated the day the dead would return to walk the Earth once yearly before the new calendar year began.

Travelers that visit Ireland in late October get a chance to experience the country’s largest all-hallows eve festival. The top destination in the world for celebrating the spooky holiday isn’t Salem, and it’s Derry. The Londonderry Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival offers a spooktacular four-day celebration during the last week of October every year. It features parades, bonfires, and of course, people of all ages dressed as their favorite ghosts, ghouls, and monsters.

3. Ireland is One of the Most Religious Nations in the Western World

Despite waning church attendance worldwide, Ireland is one of the most Christian countries around the globe. Four out of every five people in the Emerald Isles identify as Christian, with about 34 percent of Irish citizens attending church regularly.

Don’t skip a visit to one of the country’s most famous religious sites, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. The people of Ireland have been celebrating mass in the impressive house of worship for over 1,500 years.

4. Ireland is Home to Three Famous Breweries

The island nation is known for premium beer and liquor, and with good reason. The country’s brewing history goes back over 5,000 years. Today it’s home to three famous producers, Guinness, Smithwicks, and Harp Lager.

Another interesting fact about Ireland involves the beer. The Guinness brewery has a 9,000-year land lease. Founder Arthur Guinness signed the last at St. James’s Gate in 1759. The company exported its famed lager to England for the first time in 1769.

Today, the country’s home to around 75 independent breweries that bring unique craft beers to the nation’s thousands of pubs.

5. Guinness Beer

Guinness is very popular with 10 million pints of the delicious treat produced each day in Dublin. Pouring the perfect pint of Guinness is important and takes time. In fact, it takes 119.5 seconds of pouring at a 45-degree angle.

Interestingly, the Guinness Book of World Records was created by Sir Hugh Beaver in the 1950s. He was the managing director of Guinness at the time. After an argument about the fastest game bird in Europe, he realized there was no place to find the answer. This inspired the compilation of a book of facts and figures.

6. Famous Author Bram Stoker Was Irish

Another fun fact about Ireland involves Bram Stoker, the Irish author famous for his creation story of Count Dracula. He based the character on a friend and actor, Sir Henry Irving.

Although the story is written in England and the main character’s journey begins in Transylvania, Stoker’s story of the blood-draining creature of the night came from 20 years of Irish folklore. Consequently, Count Dracula is one of the world’s most iconic fictional characters to this day.

7. Ireland Facts: The Island’s Snake-Free

One of the more interesting facts about Ireland is that it is snake-free. Ireland is the perfect destination for people with a snake phobia or those who aren’t fond of the slithering creatures. You won’t find any native snakes in the country’s luscious rolling hills.

The tall tale explains the Emerald Isle’s lack of snakes from the 5th-century missionary who banished all snakes from the island. However, the real story about the snakeless destination is based on science.

8. St. Patrick Wasn’t Irish

St. Patrick is a famous 5th-century missionary that helped bring Christianity to Ireland. However, he wasn’t born in the religious nation. Instead, he was a Roman who arrived in Ireland as a slave when he was a young boy.

After six years, he escaped his captors, thanking his faith in God for helping him survive and gain freedom.

9. Irish Names Have Meaning

You probably know a few people with names that begin with “Mac” and “O”. These have meanings. Mac means “son of” and O means “descendant of.”

10. You’ll Never Visit All of Ireland’s Castles

Here’s an Ireland fact that might irk you. With at least 20,000 castles dotting the grassy green knolls, it could take a decade or more to see every castle in the Emerald Isle. However, you don’t have to see them all on your trip.

But there are some you can’t miss, such as the famous Blarney Castle in County Cork, where you’ll find the Blarney Stone and the Ashford Castle with a history dating back to 1228. Additionally, many of these destinations allow for overnight accommodations. Who doesn’t want to spend at least one night in a few-thousand-year-old castle?

11. The Northern Lights are Visible in Ireland

If you visit Ireland during the right time of year, which isn’t much earlier than the country’s Halloween celebrations in October, you can see the Northern Lights. On a clear night, they’re visible from dusk to dawn. To get the best view, choose the Northern coast, avoiding the artificial lights that can block the view.

12. The Tara Mine is the Largest Zinc Mine in Europe

Ireland’s also known for its zinc mines in Meath. There are three in operation, with the Tara going down 3,300-feet. The size and depth of the mine make it the largest in Europe that’s still operational.

The other two in operation include Tipperary and Drummond. Ireland is the largest supplier of zinc concentrate in the European Union. These massive mines have been operating for over 30 years.

13. There are Over 900 Pubs in County Cork Ireland

Despite what you may think, Dublin isn’t home to the country’s most pubs. Instead, that award goes to County Cork with over 900! Ireland’s 5,000-year brewing history includes nearly 400 independent breweries on top of the three largest. Therefore, there are thousands of establishments in the tiny island nation that serve alcohol.

14. Ireland Has Its Own Olympics

Yes, Ireland participates in the World Olympics. However, it also has its own that dates back to the Bronze Age. The Tailteann Games were held to honor a goddess from the country’s pagan days. They were named for the Goddess Tailtiu, who was the daughter of the King of Spain, marrying the High King of Ireland.

These games included running, long jumps, high jumps, spear throwing, and sword fighting, similar to the ancient Greek Olympics.

15. Hook Lighthouse is the Oldest in Europe

One Ireland fact you may not know is the Hook Lighthouse. It’s one of the oldest lighthouses in Europe that’s still functioning, dating back to 1172. Experts believe it’s possibly the oldest working lighthouse in the world.

16. National Symbol of Ireland

While many might think the shamrock is the national symbol of Ireland, in fact, it is the Gaelic harp. Ireland is the only country in the world with a musical instrument as its national symbol. When you visit The Book of Kells at Trinity College in Dublin, you’ll have the chance to see the Brian Boru harp, the oldest harp in Ireland, dating back to 1014.

These fun facts about Ireland should have you ready to explore the ancient country and experience these unique places. Make sure to dress for the weather. Although the sun shines beautifully on Ireland, the nation gets a fair amount of rain. However, all the moisture is responsible for the lush rolling green hills that make it the Emerald Isle.