Hi, I’m Paddy Kim. Ireland, it’s an exciting mix of the old and the new. Here you’ll find the quiet of the countryside and the exuberance of the city. But Ireland is still well stocked of this glorious castles and windswept landscapes, it really is the jewel of destination, deserving of its nick name “the Emerald Isle’’.
Historically, Ireland was divided into the four provinces of Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster. Today most of Ulster is now in Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland covers 5 / 6 of the Ireland, its capital is Dublin.
In Dublin, start along the river Liffey for tours of Dublin’s architecture. Visit Trinity College and explore Ireland’s oldest university and its vast libraries. But for a real brush with history, travel to the Boyne Valley in County Meath and see Newgrange. This massive tomb is similar in purpose to the pyramids of Giza though it was built over 5,000 years ago when the pyramids were even a twinkle in the pharaoh’s eye.
Ireland’s Stone Age inhabitants built it to house on their honored dead and perhaps for something more. At sunrise on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year a beam of light enters the central chamber. What significance this had for the builders is still a matter of debate, enter the tomb and decide for yourself. The experience is illuminating.
Ireland has produced a plethora of castles, churches and towers. Its monasteries became important centers of learning during the Dark Ages. And its fortresses were strategic battle grounds against the island’s frequent invaders. The Rock of Cashel near Tipperary serves both the secularly and religious function.
According to legend, this fortress of the Munster kings was visited by Saint Patrick himself and eventually became an important medieval cathedral. If your tastes cater more towards scenery than history you are in luck. Opportunity abound. Near Galway the cliffs of Mohair rise more than 650 feet from the sea providing dramatic views of the coast. Also nearby are the surreal landscapes of the Burren with its cracked limestone in brooding ruins.
When it’s time for a more leisurely pace, you can travel along the river Shannon, ride horses in the Connemara or stroll through quaint towns of lush countryside, colored in Ireland’s 40 shades of green.
New Words and Phrases
exuberance n. 茂盛，充沛，丰富
glorious adj. 光荣的，辉煌的
windswept adj. 被风吹扫的，曝露在风中的
landscapes n. 风景，山水，风景画 v. 美化景观
Leinster 伦斯特省
Munster 明斯特
Connacht 康诺特省
Ulster 乌尔斯特
Dublin 都柏林（爱尔兰首都）
Liffey 利菲河
Trinity College 圣三一学院，现在名为都柏林大学（欧洲最著名的学府之一，创建于1592年，被认为是爱尔兰高等教育的象征，也是爱尔兰人们心目中的精神象征）
Boyne Valley 博伊恩谷
County Meath 米斯郡
Newgrange 新庄园（爱尔兰最着名的史前纪念碑之一，同时亦是西欧最好的走廊式墓穴，它始建于公元前三千二百年左右，在紧邻Drogheda的Boyne Valley中的大走廊式墓穴墓地中，它是一处主要景观。）
pharaoh n. 法老，暴君
Stone Age 石器时代
inhabitant n.居民
winter solstice n.冬至
solstice n. 至，至点，至日
beam n. 光线，(光线的)束，(横)梁，桁条 vt. 用梁支撑，发射，播送
a beam of 一束(一道，一线)
chamber n. 房间，会议厅，室 adj. 室内演奏的
illuminate vt. 照明，阐释，说明
关于爱尔兰的一些资料
中文名称： 爱尔兰共和国
英文名称： the Republic of Ireland
所属洲： 欧洲
首都： 都柏林
主要城市： 科克，多尼戈尔
国庆日： 3月17日
国歌： 《战士之歌》
国家代码： IRL
官方语言： 盖尔语，英语
货币： 欧元
政治体制： 总统制共和制
国家领袖： 玛丽·麦卡利斯，布赖恩·考恩
人口数量： 4203200人(2009年7月)
主要民族： 凯尔特人
主要宗教： 天主教
国土面积： 70282平方公里
国际电话区号： +353
国际域名缩写： .ie
爱尔兰国旗呈横长方形，长与宽之比为2:1。从左至右由绿、白、橙三个平行相等的竖长方形组成。绿色代表信仰天主教的爱尔兰人，也象征爱尔兰的绿色宝岛；橙色代表新教及其信徒，这一颜色还取意于奥伦治·拿骚宫的色彩，也表示尊贵和财富；白色象征天主教徒和新教派教徒之间永久休战、团结友爱，还象征对光明、自由、民主与和平的追求。
爱尔兰国徽为盾徽，天蓝色的盾面上绘有金黄色的竖琴(Cláirseach)。蓝色象征大海和天空，竖琴为爱尔兰人民喜爱的“天使之琴”。
爱尔兰是一个西欧国家，西临大西洋东靠爱尔兰海(Muir éireann)，与英国隔海相望，爱尔兰为北美通向欧洲的通道。爱尔兰人属于凯尔特人，是欧洲大陆第一代居民的子嗣。它有5000多年历史，是一个有着悠久历史的国家。这里非常美丽迷人。尽管爱尔兰也有自己的语言——盖尔语(Gaeilge)，但它却是欧洲除英国之外唯一一个英语国家。爱尔兰共和国于1922年从英国殖民统治下独立出来，是个和平宁静的国家。爱尔兰北部被称为北爱尔兰，至今仍属于英国。因此，爱尔兰共和国与电视新闻中经常出现的暴力冲突频频的北爱尔兰是有所不同的。