Ireland is a mix of old and new, quiet countryside and exuberant cities. This \"Emerald Isle\" is truly a jewel of a destination.
", "is_us_only": "false", "title": "Destination: Ireland", "url": "http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/places/countries-places/ireland-tc/ireland-overview-dest/", "country_code_deny_list": [], "allowUserEmbed": "True", "related": { "link": [ { "url": "http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/ireland-guide/", "name": "Learn More About Ireland" } ] }, "credit": "National Geographic", "smil": "http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/data/xml/ireland-overview-dest.smil", "country_code_allow_list": [], "HTML5src": "/video/player/media-mp4/ireland-overview-dest/mp4/variant-playlist.m3u8", "still": "http://video.nationalgeographic.com/exposure/transcode/0/480/360/?url=http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/media/ireland-overview-dest/ireland-overview-dest_480x360.jpg", "transcript": "Hi, I\u2019m Patty Kim. Ireland: it\u2019s an exciting mix of the old and the new. Here you\u2019ll find the quiet of the countryside and the exuberance of the city. But Ireland is still well stocked with those glorious castles and windswept landscapes. It really is a jewel of a destination\u2026 deserving of its nickname, \u201cthe Emerald Isle.\u201d
Historically, Ireland was divided into the four provinces of Leinster, Munster, Connacht, and Ulster. Today most of Ulster is now Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland covers five-sixths of the island. Its capital is Dublin.
In Dublin, start along the River Liffey for tours of Dublin\u2019s architecture. Visit Trinity College and explore Ireland\u2019s 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 five thousands years ago, before the Pyramids were even a twinkle in a Pharaohs\u2019 eye. Ireland\u2019s Stone Age inhabitants built it to house their honored dead\u2026and 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 a 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 battlegrounds against the island\u2019s frequent invaders. The Rock of Cashel, near Tipperary, served both a secular and religious function. According to legend, this fortress of the Munster kings was visited by St. Patrick himself and eventually became an important medieval cathedral.
If your tastes cater more toward scenery than history, you\u2019re in luck. Opportunities abound. Near Galway, the Cliffs of Moher 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 and brooding ruins.
When it\u2019s time for more leisurely pace\u2026you can travel along the River Shannon\u2026ride horses in the Connemara\u2026or stroll through quaint towns and lush countryside, colored in Ireland\u2019s forty shades of green.
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