IRELAND

Ireland is an island off the western coast of Europe, small in geographical terms, but with a reputation which entirely belies its size. Famous for its uniquely beautiful scenery, the country boasts a huge variety of landscapes, from picturesque mountains and lakes to lush green pastures, to magnificent beaches which are often practically deserted. Influenced by the Atlantic Gulf Stream, the climate is temperate, with no extremes of heat or cold.

Ireland has a young population, and a sense of vibrancy in its cities and towns, which are a fascinating combination of old and new. Irish people are welcoming, friendly and outgoing and enjoy engaging visitors in conversation, or exchange views on a variety of topics.

This love of conversation, and also a characteristic love of the written word, is evidenced by a long tradition of great Irish writers – Joyce, Shaw, Wilde, W.B. Yeats, Beckett, Swift, to name but a few. Nowadays, Ireland is equally well known for its contemporary writers, for instance Roddy Doyle, and Nobel Prize winning poet Seamus Heaney.   

Dublin, Ireland’s capital city, is a rich cultural centre which is also a modern business city. Built over and around the remains of a Viking city a thousand years old, it has elegant streets and squares of Georgian architecture, in addition to well-preserved nineteenth century districts, and recently, an ultra-modern financial services area.

It is an ideal location for students wishing to study the English language. Its young population ensures that it has a vibrant and interesting atmosphere, while at the same time, its wide variety of historical monuments and its proximity to sea and mountains, ensures that the visitor will never be bored.