1. IRELAND
(4 CITIES MORE IMPORTANT OF THIS COUNTRY)
Ireland or also known as the Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann), is asovereign
state in western Europe occupying about five-sixths of the island of Ireland. The capital and
largest city is Dublin, located in the eastern part of the island, whose metropolitan area is home
to around a third of the country's 4.6 million inhabitants. The state shares its only land border
with Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom. It is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic
Ocean, with the Celtic Sea to the south, Saint George's Channel to the south east, and the Irish
Sea to the east. It is a unitary, parliamentary republic[10] with an elected president serving
as head of state. The head of government, the Taoiseach, is nominated by the lower house of
parliament, Dáil Éireann.
The Irish Free State was created in 1922 as aresult of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. It effectively became
a republic, with an elected president, under the constitution of 1937, in which it was named
"Ireland". It was officially declared a republic in 1949. Ireland became a member of the United
Nations in December 1955. It joined the European Economic Community (EEC), predecessor of
the European Union, in 1973. The state had no formal relations with Northern Ireland for most
of the twentieth century, but during the 1980s and 1990s the British and Irish governments
worked with the Northern Ireland parties towards a resolution to the "Troubles". Since the
signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the Irish government and Northern Ireland
executive have co-operated on a number of policy areas under the North-South Ministerial
Council created by the Agreement.
Ireland ranks among the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita.[11] After
joining the EEC, Ireland enacted a series of liberal economic policies that resulted in rapid
economic growth. The country achieved considerable prosperity from 1995 to 2007, during
which it became known as the Celtic Tiger. This was halted by an unprecedented financial
crisis that began in 2008, in conjunction with the concurrent global economic crash.[12][13]
In 2011 and 2013, Ireland was ranked as the seventh-most developed country in the world by the
United Nations Human Development Index.[14] It also performs well in several metrics of

2. national performance, including freedom of the press, economic freedom and civil liberties.
Ireland is a member of the European Union and is a founding member of the Council of
Europe and theOECD. The Irish constitution binds the country to a policy of neutrality through
non-alignment and the country is consequently not a member of NATO,[15] although it does
participate in Partnership for Peace.
1. - DUBLIN
Dublin is both the largestcityand capitalof Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's
east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region. Founded
as a Viking settlement, the city has been Ireland's primary city for most of the island's history
since medieval times. Today, it is an economic, administrative and cultural centre for the
island of Ireland and has one of the fastest growing populations of any European capital city.
The city has a world-famous literary history, having produced many prominent literary
figures, including Nobel laureates William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel
Beckett. Other influential writers and playwrights from Dublin include OscarWilde,Jonathan
Swift and the creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker. It is arguably most famous, however, as the
location of the greatest works of James Joyce. Dubliners is a collection of short stories by
Joyce about incidents and characters typical of residents of the city in the early part of the
20th century. His most celebrated work, Ulysses,is alsosetinDublin and full of topical detail.
Additional widely celebrated writers from the city include J.M. Synge, Seán O'Casey,Brendan
Behan, Maeve Binchy, and Roddy Doyle. Ireland's biggest libraries and literary museums are
found in Dublin, including the National Print Museum of Ireland and National Library of
Ireland.
There is a vibrant nightlife in Dublin and it is reputedly one of the most youthful cities in
Europe - with estimates of 50% of inhabitants being younger than 25. Furthermore in 2007,
it was voted the friendliest city in Europe. Like the rest of Ireland, there are pubs right across
the city centre. The area around St. Stephen's Green - especially Harcourt Street, Camden

3. Street, Wexford Street and Leeson Street - is a centre for some of the most popular
nightclubs and pubs in Dublin. The internationally best-known area for nightlifeis the Temple
Bar area just south of the River Liffey.
2. - GALWAY
Galway is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland. In Irish, Galway is also called
Cathair na Gaillimhe: "City of Galway". Galway city also has a reputation amongst Irish cities
for being associated with the Irish language, music, song and dancing traditions - it is
sometimes referred to as the 'Bilingual Capital of Ireland'.
The city takes its name from the Gaillimh river (River Corrib) that formed the western
boundary of the earliest settlement, which was called Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe, or the fort at
the bottom of the Gaillimh. The word Gaillimh means "stony" as in "stony river". (the
mythical and alternative derivations are given in History of Galway.) The city also bears the
nickname City of the Tribes / Cathair na dTreabh, because fourteen[1] “Tribes” (merchant
families) led the city in its Hiberno-Norman period. The term Tribes was originally a
derogatory phrase from Cromwellian times. The merchants would have seen themselves as
English nobility, and hence were loyal to the King. Their uncertain reaction to the siege of
Galway by Cromwellian forces earned them this label, which they subsequently adopted in
defiance. It is one of the constituent cities of the Cork-Limerick-Galway corridor with a
population of 1 million people.
Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe (“Fort at the Mouth (bottom) of the Gaillimh”) was constructed in
1124, by the King of Connacht, Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088-1156). A small settlement
eventually grew up around this fort. During the Norman invasion of Connacht in the 1230s,
Galway fort was captured by Richard Mor de Burgh, who had led this invasion. As the de
Burghs eventually became gaelicised, the merchants of the town - the Tribes of Galway -

4. pushed for greater control over the walled city. This led to them gaining complete control
over the city and the granting of mayoral status by the English crown in December 1484.
Galway endured difficult relations with its Irish neighbours. A notice over the west gate of
the city, completed in 1562 by Mayor Thomas Oge Martyn fitz William, stated “From the
Ferocious O'Flahertys may God protect us”. A bye-law forbade the native Irish (as opposed
to Galway’s Hiberno-Norman citizens) unrestricted access into Galway, saying “neither O’
nor Mac shallstrutte nor swaggerthrough the streets of Galway” without permission. During
the Middle Ages, Galway was ruled by an oligarchy of fourteen[1] merchant families (12 of
Norman origin and 2 of Irish origin). These were the “tribes” of Galway. The city thrived on
international trade. In the Middle Ages, it was the principal Irish port for trade with Spain
and France. Christopher Columbus is known to have visited Galway, possibly stopping off on
a voyage to Iceland or the Faroe Islands. He noted in the margin of one of his books that he
had found evidence of land beyond the Atlantic Ocean in or near Galway in 1477.[3] During
the 16th and 17th centuries Galway remained loyal to the English crown for the most part,
even during the Gaelicresurgence, perhaps for reasons of survival, yet by 1642 the city allied
itself with the Catholic Confederation of Kilkenny during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
During the resulting Cromwellian conquest of Ireland Cromwellian forces captured the city
after a nine month siege. At the end of the 17th century the city supported the Jacobites in
the Williamite war in Ireland (it supported King James II of England againstWilliamofOrange)
and was captured by the Williamites after a very short siege not long after the Battle of
Aughrim in 1691. The great families of Galway were ruined, the city declined, and it did not
fully recover until the great economic boom of the late twentieth century.
3. - GLASGOW
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, and the third largest in the United Kingdom. It is
situated on the River Clyde in the country's West Central Lowlands.
Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement on the River Clyde to become one of the largest
seaports in Britain. Expanding from the medieval bishopric and royal burgh, and the later
establishment of the University of Glasgow in the 15th century, it became a major centre of

5. the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century. From the 18th century the city also grew as
one of Great Britain's main hubs of transatlantic trade with North America and the West
Indies.
In Glasgow, Scotland’s city of style, you can find world-class attractions, museums and
galleries, stunning architecture, works by renowned designer and artist Charles Rennie
Mackintosh, and one of the best city centre shopping experiences in the UK. Beyond the city,
you’ll find lush countryside, great family days out and a wealth of fascinating history as you
follow the path of the River Clyde.
4. - WESTPORT
Westport is a town in County Mayo in Ireland. It is at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an
inlet of the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast of Ireland. Westport, designated one of Bord
Failte's Heritage Towns, is situated in the shadow of Croagh Park. One of the few planned
towns in the Country, Westport was designed in the 18th Century by James Wyatt. It has
become one of Ireland's established tourism centres.
The famous pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick, known locally as "the Reek" lies some
10km west of the town near the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. The mountain presents a
striking backdrop to the town. Croagh Patrick, one of Europe's best known places of
Pilgrimage, has provided a tough ascent for many pilgrims each year, climbing barefoot in
the memory of St. Patrick, who spent forty days and forty nights fasting on the summit more
than 1,500 years ago. A small church at the summit of the mountain welcomes penitents,
while magnificent views of Clew Bay, with an island for every day of the week and provides
inspiration for many walkers and visitors throughout the year.
Unique and charming, the heritage town of Westport is acaptivating blend of traditional and
modern. From the cosiest corner of an antique pub to state-of-the-art conference facilities
from the heart-stirring beat of traditional music to the cosmopolitan approach, contrast and
paradox are just part of its charm.

6. The award-winning Great Western Greenway, one of Ireland’s most-talked-Greenway west
resizes about walking and cycling trails starts here. Westport House and Country Estate, one
of Ireland’s most recognisable tourist attractions is 5 minutes’ walk from the centre of town.
Ireland’s iconic pilgrimage mountain, Croagh Patrick is just up the road. Lots of sandy blue
flag beaches near Westport are just a short drive away, along the shores of Clew Bay.
Westport is also well known for sea-angling and freshwater fishing is popular on nearby
Loughs Mask and Carra, and on the Eriff River. Westport House and its Pirate Adventure Park
attract families, many of whom stay at the caravan and camping park which belongs to
Westport House. Westport has an 18-hole golf course. A nearby 9-hole course has an
attached guest accommodation.