Some Irish Facts. ~Irish Lass~

 Interesting Irish Facts.

First off, I know I am have added a few of these in the past already, but thought that I might add a few more here. Sorry if I repeated some that I already mentioned. Hope you all enjoy them :)

+The Island is known as 'Ireland' and is divided into two counties:
THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
NORTHERN IRELAND

The Republic, officially known as Eire, is comprised of 26 counties and is an independent country with its own government, administration, army, navy and air force. The country no longer has any political links with the UK - Irish Citizens are not subjects of the Queen of England.

Neutrality: The Republic has long maintained neutrality. During the second World War, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, requested that allied forces be allowed to use the Irish Western sea ports in the Battle of the Atlantic. This was refused although Ireland covertly co-operated with the allies during the war. To this day the Republic is not a member of NATO although its continued involvement within the EU may see neutrality eroded. It joined the EU/EEC in 1973.

+Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and consists of 6 counties. Up in 2002 it had its own administrative assembly ( Stormont) but it is currently suspended. References to "32" by nationalists refer to the total number of counties in Ireland, both North and South.
+There are four Irish Provinces:
- Ulster
-Leinster
-Munster
-Connaught.

Ulster includes the six Northern Irish counties and three now in the Republic - Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan. These provinces have little meaning in political or administrative terms nowadays. These divisions are quite ancient, dating from the period following the Norman invasion around the 13th century.
The prinical local administrative authorties are the 27 counties, each of which as a county council.
+Local authorities in Ireland do not control the police (Gardai) or military. This is done at national level; while there are regional centres for the Gardai, they are administered on a national level.
+Legal Face: The highest court in the land is the Supreme Court; the lowest are the District Courts.

Ireland was most recently ruled by the British and was previously invaded by the Normans (French) and Scandinavians (Vikings)
The Irish Free State was formed in 1921 leading to the withdrawal of Crown Forces in Ireland and civil war. The official truce was declared on 11 July 1921.

Senior Citizen perks: In Recent years Irish governments have given real support to the elderly. Everyone over 65 gets gree bus and rail travel in the Republic, as well as free bus and train tickets to Belfast. As well as teh expected old-age pension, there is a good health support system. Pensions do not get to pay a TV licence, there are also subsidies towards fuel. In addition they get free telephone line rental and a small concession towards phone costs.

The Irish Republic was delared on the 18 April 1949.

Children normally attend school from the age of four; it is compulsory between the ages of 6-14. The age of children attending second-level schools is usually 12-19. Vocational Schools, where students with skills relating to the trades are taught, were quite popular from the mid-1960s but have since declined. Having a stringent points system to attain university entry, the so-called "points race" ended in 2006 when supply for university places in the Republic had greatly exceeded economy where school leavers can obtain full-time employment with ease.

Dublin is very unusual in having more than one cathedral within its city limits. You might suspect it has two and would be wrong - there are three cathedrals. Why ? you may ask, the answer, unsurprisingly with anything Irish, is history and religion. In the medieval period, St.Patrick's Cathedrawl was built at the location where the great saint converted and baptised early Christians.

Divorce is now available in the Republic. Abortion is illegal and there have been referenda on both subjects in the last 15 years.

The Death penalty was abolished in the mid-twentieth century in the Republic. It was last used for the murder of a member of the Gardai.
The republic has never had conscription to its army. The Irish army has been integral part of the United Nations, despite its small size. It has been instrumental in peace-keeping in many troubled parts of the world.
.Irish emigrant face: Although there are over 5 million people living in present day Ireland, there are an estimated 20 million of Irish descent scattered throughout the world.
Thousands of Irishmen fought for foreign armies for the sixteenth century to the eighteen century. They fought in Spain, France Russia and Austria.

Wouldn't be Irish if it wasn't for these :)

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