An island of only 32,544 square miles, it has a landscape that is as rich and varied as its cultural heritage. From the rugged granite peaks of Donegal to the rolling sandstone hills of Kerry, the terrain varies greatly. The highest point is 3,414 feet at Carrantuohill, near Killarney in the southwest. There are a number of geological "oddities" to be seen. The limestone plate which forms The Burren, was once at the bottom of the sea but is now some 300 feet above the waves. The Giant's Causeway in the northeast is a collection of hexagonal columns of basalt, the core of an ancient volcano.


Though the island is only 302 miles long, it contains the River Shannon, which is 230 miles in length. There are some 800 lakes and rivers, and nowhere on the island ar you more than 70 miles from the sea. Large areas of the central plateau are covered in peat bogs. The climate is temperate, owing to the prevailing winds from the southwest. The "green-ness" of the isle is the result of frequent light rainfall, what the country-folk call "the soft weather". Fog and mist are a frequent occurrence, but a hard rain is extremely rare.


The cultural influences on Ireland are many and varied. According to their oral history, the island has been a place of one "invasion" after another. The first humans were mesolithic hunter-gatherers, who may have crossed via an ice bridge. These were displaced by the Partholonians, Nemedians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha De Danaan, and the Milesians (the first true Celts). Vikings came to raid and many stayed behind. Angles, Saxons and Normans also left their mark, as did the English in more recent years. For whatever reason, the Romans never mustered the strength, ambition, or courage, to attempt a conquest of Ireland. Perhaps they learned their lesson from their dealings with the Picts and Caledonians of northern Britian (Albion).


Today, the large cities such as Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Waterford, and Cork, are bustling places of business and commerce. However, in the "Ancient Times", during the golden age of the Celts, Éire was a pastoral place. There were four provinces, each with their own "Royal Site" and a fifth, carved out of the middle, where the High King (Ard Righ) sat at Tara. The names of those provinces were, Connacht, Leinster, Meath, Munster, and Ulster. The Kings had names like "Conn of the Hundred Battles" and "Niall of the Nine Hostages". Much time was spent in herding and planting, and in raiding into a neighbor's territory. Cattle were much prized, and were the measure of a tribe's wealth. Druids advised the kings, Brehons gave the laws, and the Bards memorized the histories in story and song. Battles were fought and festivals were held.