Ireland is without doubt one of the finest destinations for the visitor in the world. In terms of culture, history, friendliness, countryside and coastline, Ireland is simply without parallel.

Known universally as the Emerald Isle due to its lush greenness, Ireland sits in the Atlantic Ocean, separated from the United Kingdom by approximately 50 miles and some 3,000 miles from the east coast of America. And while the island of Ireland may only be of similar size to Lake Superior, the Irish people and in particular the hoards of Irish emigrants, have profoundly influenced the cultural, political, historical, architectural and economical environs of the world today.

In terms of industry, agriculture has historically been the mainstay of the Irish economy and while the importance of agriculture is reducing relative to other sectors today, it remains a hugely important industry. Recent years have seen tourism grow in importance to the Irish economy and today is Ireland’s single largest industry. Technology too, has played an important role in the ever-increasing roar of what has become known as the Celtic Tiger, with Ireland ideally situated to act as a gateway between the US and mainland Europe.

It is said that Ireland, once visited, is never forgotten and for once the blarney rings true. And if Ireland isn’t quite the land of the little people, fairy forts and leprechauns (which some still insist it is by the way), there is still something magical about the place. Perhaps it’s the ghostly presence of castle ruins and ancient Celtic graves, perhaps it’s due to the impossibly lush countryside and magical coastline or maybe it’s the inherent gregarious nature of the people. Whatever the reason, Ireland remains a beauty to behold and a treasure to be remembered forever.