As far as tourist appeal goes, the small island of Ireland punches far above its own weight. The country is so packed with delights that visitors are often reduced to describing its charms in hyperbolic clichés: it is the greenest country, full of the friendliest people, all of whom would be geniuses if they weren't distracted by the lure of the pub. Ireland is indeed a green country - so much rainfall must have its benefits - and the people are justifiably renowned for their friendliness. As for the geniuses, well, the Irish will proudly point to their four Nobel Laureates for Literature and declare that the success rate is unmatched in any other country of its size, all the while ensuring that the sacred 'round' system (where everyone buys a drink for everyone else in turn) is strictly adhered to. Yet Ireland's charms run far deeper than the legendary craic of the pub or the accomplishments of a bunch of (mostly) dead writers. It has a remarkable history that is woven into virtually everything, from the prehistoric stone monuments of the Boyne Valley to the monuments honouring its fallen patriots, men and women who dared challenge the imperious might of its longtime occupier and contemporary friend, Britain. It has a vibrant and dynamic capital, Dublin, which has spearheaded a stunning period of economic growth that has seen the country transformed from rural backwater to the envy of Europe. As a result, the Irish have grown in worldliness that continues to propel them to greater heights of achievement. Even the thorniest issue of all - Northern Ireland - has seen a kind of resolution and Ireland looks to the future with untrammelled confidence. 位于欧洲西部的爱尔兰岛南部。西濒大西洋，东北与英国的北爱尔兰接壤，东隔爱尔兰海与英国相望。最长的河流香农河，最大的湖泊为科里布湖。属温带海洋性气候。爱尔兰素有“翡翠岛国”之称。 古老的爱尔兰已经拥有六千多年的历史，山峰和峡谷见证了新石器时代农民在田地里耕种的景象，平原则见证了众多军队准备战斗的情景。还有一些偏远的岛屿比如位于凯里沿岸的斯凯林斯和布拉斯克特，一些将爱尔兰变成“圣徒和学者之岛”的人曾经就居住在这里，那里也曾经是欧洲的基督教中心。此外，爱尔兰共有三处被列入联合国世界遗产名录的景点. 爱尔兰分成尚属英国管辖的北爱尔兰(Northern-Ireland)和已独立管制的爱尔兰共和国(Republic of Ireland)。前者就是在媒体上常看到的充满宗教政治矛盾纷争，爆炸声处处，蒙面恐怖组织成员出没的地方（目前的局势好像有了些变更）。而后者早已独立自治多时。这里要介绍的是政局和平，甚少火爆场面的爱尔兰共和国。地处大不列颠群岛中西部，和美丽的威尔斯仅隔一片三小时水程的爱尔兰海(Irish Sea)的爱尔兰共和国，其东北面与北爱尔兰相衔，总面积约7万282平方公里，以绿白橙三色旗为国旗，分别代表爱尔兰天主教、新教及希望。
蓝色天机
