Area
70,182 sq km (27,097 sq miles).
Population
4,048,800 (2004).
Population Density
56.7 per sq km.
Capital
Dublin.
Population: 1,144,400 (2004).
Government
Republic.
Head of State: President Mary McAleese since 1997.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Bertie Ahern since 1997.
Language
Irish (Gaelic) is the official language, spoken as a first language by about 55,000 people (mostly in the west). The majority speak English. Official documents are printed in both languages.
Religion
Roman Catholic 77 per cent, the remainder being Protestant, with Jewish and Islamic minorities.
Time
GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before the last Sunday in October).
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs are in use.
Communications
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 353 followed by the area code, omitting the initial zero. Outgoing international code: 00.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900 networks cover the whole country. GSM 900/1800 networks operated by
O2 Communications (Ireland)
Ltd,
Meteor (website:
www.meteor.ie) and
Vodafone (website:
www.vodafone.ie). Handsets can be hired.
Fax
Facilities are widely available.
Internet
Public access is available free in libraries. Internet cafes exist in nearly every town. ISPs include
Ireland On-Line (website:
http://home.iol.ie).
Post
Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1730/1800, Sat 0900-1300. Sub-post offices close at 1300 one day a week. The Central Post Office is in O’Connell Street, Dublin.
Press
There are several daily newspapers published in Dublin including
Evening Herald, the
Irish Independent and
The Irish Times; and two in Cork (
Evening Echo and
Irish Examiner). British dailies and Sunday papers are available.
Radio
BBC World Service (website:
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website:
www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.
Public Holidays
Jan 1 2005: New Year’s Day.
Mar 17: St Patrick’s Day.
Mar 25: Good Friday.
Mar 28: Easter Monday.
May 2: Bank Holiday.
Jun 6: Bank Holiday.
Aug 7: Summer Bank Holiday.
Oct 31: Halloween Bank Holiday.
Dec 25: Christmas Day.
Dec 26: St Stephen’s Day.
Jan 1 2006: New Year’s Day.
Mar 17: St Patrick’s Day.
Apr 14: Good Friday.
Apr 17: Easter Monday.
May 1: Bank Holiday.
Jun 5: Bank Holiday.
Aug 7: Summer Bank Holiday.
Oct 30: Halloween Bank Holiday.
Dec 25: Christmas Day.
Dec 26: St Stephen’s Day.
Special Events
For full details, contact Fáilte Ireland (see General Info). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Ireland in 2005:
Jan 1:
Lord Mayor’s New Year’s Day Parade, Dublin.
Feb 9-13:
Chinatown Festival, Dublin.
Feb 25-Mar 5:
North Cork Drama Festival.
Mar 11-17:
St Patrick's Week Celebrations, nationwide.
Mar 29-Apr 3:
Pan Celtic International Festival, Kerry.
Apr 12-17:
Wexford Book Festival.
Apr 17:
Sliabh Beagh Walking Festivals.
Apr 29-May 1:
Bray Jazz Festival, Wicklow.
May 5-8:
Bantry Mussel Fair, Cork.
Jun 2-6:
The Murphy's Cat Laughs Festival, Kilkenny.
Jul 1-15:
Ballyheigue Summer Festival, Kerry.
Aug 10-12:
Puck Fair, Kerry.
Sep 22-24:
36th Ryder Cup Golf Tournament, Kildare.
Oct 7-10:
Harvest Moon Festival, Tyrone.
Nov 16-20:
Darklight Film Festival, Dublin.
Contact Information:
Location
Europe, off the west coast of Great Britain.
Country dialing code
353.
Fáilte Ireland
Baggot Street Bridge, Baggot Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Tel: (1) 602 4000. Fax: (1) 855 6821.
E-mail:
info@failteireland.ie
Website:
www.ireland.ie or www.failteireland.ie
Embassy of the Republic of Ireland
17 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HR, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 2171. Fax: (020) 7245 6961.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1700.
Passport and Visa office:Montpelier House, 106 Brompton Road, London SW3 1JJ, UK
Tel: (020) 7225 7700. Fax: (020) 7225 7777.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1630.
Tourism Ireland
Nations House, 103 Wigmore Street, London W1U 1QS, UK
Tel: (0800) 039 7000 (travel enquiries)
or (020) 7518 0800 (trade enquiries). Fax: (020) 7493 9065.
E-mail:
info.gb@tourismireland.com
Website:
www.tourismireland.com
British Embassy
29 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland
Tel: (1) 205 3700. Fax: (1) 205 3890 (consular section).
E-mail:
britishembassy@abtran.com (visa section)
or consular.dubli@fco.gov.uk.
Website:
www.britishembassy.ie
Embassy of the Republic of Ireland
2234 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 462 3939. Fax: (202) 232 5993.
E-mail:
embirlus@aol.com
Website:
www.irelandemb.org
Consulates in: Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco.
Tourism Ireland
345 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10154, USA
Tel: (212) 418 0800 (general enquiries)
or (800) 223 6470 (toll-free brochure request line)
or 669 9967 (toll-free for travel trade in USA and Canada). Fax: (212) 371 9052
or (800) 748 3730 (toll-free for travel trade in USA and Canada).
E-mail:
info@shamrock.org
Website:
www.tourismireland.com
Embassy of the United States of America
42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland
Tel: (1) 668 8777. Fax: (1) 668 9946.
Website:
http://dublin.usembassy.gov
Embassy of the Republic of Ireland
130 Albert Street, Suite 1105, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4, Canada
Tel: (613) 233 6281. Fax: (613) 233 5835.
E-mail:
embassyofireland@rogers.com
Website:
www.irishembassyottawa.com
Canadian Embassy
65 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Tel: (1) 417 4100. Fax: (1) 417 4101.
E-mail:
cdnembsy@iol.ie
Website:
www.canada.ie
Tourism Ireland
2 Bloor Street West, Suite 3403, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2, Canada
Tel: (416) 925 6368
or (800) 223 6470 (consumers)
or (866) 477 7717 (travel trade). Fax: (416) 925 6033.
E-mail:
info.ca@tourismireland.com
Website:
www.tourismireland.com
