Ireland is an island nation located west of Europe that is made up of both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which remains under British control. The article discusses Ireland's geography, which includes green lands and rocky landscapes formed by glaciers. It also covers Ireland's culture of storytelling and music, its economy's transformation from farming to modern industries, and its history of Celtic and Viking settlers followed by British rule and independence movements.

1. Countries Of The World: Ireland
Image 1.The Fanad Head Lighthouse, built in the early 1800s to help guide sailors and seafarers safely to the Irish shore.
Photo by: Getty Images/Marco Bottigelli.
Ireland is an island nation on the westernmost edge of Europe. It is the
continent's third largest island. Only Great Britain and Iceland are bigger. The
Republic of Ireland occupies 80 percent of this landmass. A large area of land in
its north is part of the United Kingdom.
Ireland is known for its wide stretches of green land. In fact, its nickname is the
Emerald Isle. But there are also large areas of rocky landscape. About 15,000
years ago, Ireland was completely covered by glaciers. The movement of these
giant sheets of ice stripped the soil. Areas of flat limestone were left behind.
The midlands and west coast of Ireland are dotted with peat bogs. Bogs are soggy
remains of ancient lakes. They were caused by glaciers. Ireland's highlands rise
mainly in the southwest. They become sheer cliffs at the coast. These steep drops
plunge thousands of feet into the Atlantic Ocean.
By National Geographic Kids, adapted by Newsela staff on 04.13.18
Word Count 653
Level 720L
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2. Nature
The Irish people have a great appreciation
for nature and country life. The country's
first coins featured pictures of animals.
Ireland has had low levels of pollution. The
nation's open spaces are mostly
undisturbed.
Did you know that there are no wild snakes
in Ireland? There are also only two wild
mouse species. Ireland is home to one type
of lizard, and just three kinds of amphibians.
The sea blocked other animals from
spreading from the mainland.
Irish wildlife and wild areas are protected. The government has established six
national parks. Hundreds of national heritage sites honor Irish history across the
country.
People And Culture
Ireland is a nation of storytellers and poets. This tradition dates back to Celtic
bards who would write down and recite the country's history. Many famous
writers come from Ireland. They include four winners of the Nobel Prize for
literature. The Irish also shine in music and sports.
Government And Economy
The government of Ireland features an elected parliament, which makes the laws.
The head of the government is the Taoiseach (pronounced tee-shuck), which
means "chief." The Taoiseach is the leader of the political party with the most
members in parliament. A president serves as the head of state.
For most of its history, Ireland's economy has been based on farming. Since the
1950s, though, the government has tried to modernize. These efforts include
attracting foreign businesses and money. The change has transformed the
country. It was once one of Europe's poorest nations, but today is one of the
richest.
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3. History
Archaeologists think the first people to
settle in Ireland arrived about 6000 B.C. By
3500 B.C., settlers were using stone tools to
clear farmlands. Around 700 B.C., the Celts
arrived from the mainland. Experts believe
these people came from central Europe.
This group settled the island and thrived
there for almost 2,000 years.
In the ninth century A.D., Viking ships raided Ireland. A short time later these
invaders established colonies. Their settlements became some of the country's
main cities, including Dublin, Ireland's capital. The Vikings and Celts fought often
for 200 years.
In 1170, Norman Vikings invaded Ireland. Their lands were in Europe but they
had taken control of England. They made Ireland an English territory. In the early
1600s, England's official religion became Protestant. Most Irish, though,
remained Roman Catholic. They are both forms of Christianity, but the differences
led to religious and political tensions.
In the early 1800s, the British passed laws that discriminated against Irish
Catholics. It triggered a mass movement for Irish independence. In 1829, many of
those laws were overturned. However Ireland still wanted freedom. In 1922, after
violent uprisings, the Irish Free State was created within the British Empire.
In 1948, most of Ireland became an independent country. However, an area in the
northeast remained a British territory. It is known as Northern Ireland.
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4. Quiz
1 Select the sentence that BEST summarizes the article.
(A) Ireland is a country that is part of an island that is made up of the Republic of
Ireland and British-controlled Northern Ireland.
(B) Ireland is an island nation in Europe that has six national parks, an elected
parliament and a long history with Great Britain.
(C) Ireland is an island nation that is the third biggest island in Europe and is filled
with peat bogs, lakes and steep cliffs.
(D) Ireland is a country that has no wild snakes, a few types of mice and
amphibians and only one type of lizard on its land.
2 Read the sentence from the section “Government And Economy.”
It was once one of Europe's poorest nations, but today is one of the
richest.
How does the sentence above support the MAIN idea of the article?
(A) It describes how important it was for Ireland to keep doing the same thing with
its economy.
(B) It illustrates that Great Britain was responsible for helping Ireland have a strong
economy.
(C) It explains why farming has been a big part of Ireland’s successful economy in
recent years.
(D) It shows what effect Ireland’s efforts to make changes in the 1950s had on its
economy.
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5. 3 Read the following paragraph.
Ireland is known for its wide stretches of green land. In fact, its nickname
is the Emerald Isle. But there are also large areas of rocky landscape.
About 15,000 years ago, Ireland was completely covered by glaciers. The
movement of these giant sheets of ice stripped the soil. Areas of flat
limestone were left behind.
Which answer choice BEST describes the structure of the paragraph?
(A) compare and contrast
(B) cause and effect
(C) question and answer
(D) problem and solution
4 If readers are looking for information on how Ireland was once ruled by Great Britain, which section
should they read?
(A) introduction [paragraphs 1-3]
(B) "People And Culture"
(C) "Government And Economy"
(D) "History"
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