"Ireland ... Nothing Compares to You" a Ireland Travel Page by magor65

The Republic of Ireland is relatively small. Its total area is a bit less than 70 thousand square kilometres, which makes it the 127 largest country in the world. But it has made a bigger impact on the rest of the world than many larger countries. Its biggest asset have always been its people - tough, resourceful and proud of their heritage. A popular saying: "You can take a boy out of Ireland, but you can't take Ireland out of the boy" has proved to be true - today as many as 40 million Americans proudly admit to their Irish ancestry.

The contribution of the Irish to the world's culture cannot be denied. In the 20th century this tiny nation gave birth to a number of literary geniuses, including William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney (all four are the Nobel Prize winners) and James Joyce. Probably one of the most important sources for such an abundance of literary talents is a great oral tradition preserved in Ireland till our times. The stories passed on from generation to generation are full of heroes, fairies, sinister spirits and magic.
Another thing that people all over the world are fascinated with are Irish songs and music. It's enough to mention here Enya, U2, Sinead O'Connor or Van Morrison. But it's not only the music played by the famous that proves how talented the Irish are in this respect; it's also all those countless musicians who play in pubs all over Ireland and people who join in.

One could go on and on listing Irish achievements and cultural traits, but one thing is certain. There is something about Ireland that is inimitable. No wonder then that so many tourists come to visit this fantasy land. It is estimated that there are about 5 million visitors coming to the Emerald Island every year, which comparing to its population of four million is an amazing number.
I was among those many who chose Ireland as their holiday destination. For a fortnight in August we were travelling along and across this beautiful country and now I'll try to share some of its charm and unique atmosphere with you. I have to say though, that all of its magic cannot be put into words.