IRELAND
The Republic of Ireland occupies about five sixths of the island of Ireland, which lies across the Irish Sea from Great Britain. The British controlled the area for about 750 years, until 1921, when they made southern Ireland a dominion. The link with Great Britain ended when Ireland became a republic in 1949. Northern Ireland, however, which occupies the rest of the island, has remained a political part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland covers 27,137 square miles (70,285 square kilometers). It measures a maximum distance of 273 miles (440 kilometers) from north to south, and 186 miles (300 kilometers) from east to west. The Republic of Ireland consists of four provinces Leinster, Munster, Connaught (Connacht), and part of Ulster which are divided into 27 counties. Six counties of Ulster make up Northern Ireland. In 1981 the Republic of Ireland had a population of 3,443,405, compared with 1,490,228 for Northern Ireland. Many people have left Ireland to live elsewhere during the last century because of rural overpopulation, few jobs, and poor harvests of potatoes, by far the most important crop.
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Gold Pig |
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Silver Pig |
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Full Detail |
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Hen with chicks |
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Rabbit |
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Harp full Detail |
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Irish Wolfhound |
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Harp Full Detail |
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Bull |
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Harp Full Detail |
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Salmon |
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Harp Full Detail |
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Decimal Coinage |
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Decimal Coinage |
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Salmon with FLORIN cut |
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Horse |
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Horse Full Fetail |
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Harp Full Detail |
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Harp out of rim |
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