Major Cities in Ireland

According to the World Giving Index, Ireland is the most charitable country in Europe and the second most globally.

Ireland is politically referred to as the Republic of Ireland. The nation has been largely influenced by English domination since the 1600s. The Irish War of Independence witnessed the splitting of the land into independent Ireland and Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, in 1949.

With a population of approximately 6 million, the picturesque locales are listed among the top ten tourist hot spots in the world.

In this story, we'll look at 6 major cities in Ireland, important information regarding the county towns & also some quick facts about the country. You will find an overview on each major city, its population & some amazing facts.

Apart from being the contemporary cultural center of the country, Dublin is also a modern center of education, arts, administration & industry. It is considered among the top 30 cities in the world. Dublin is divided into 2 parts, Northside & Southside, by River Liffey. Dublin enjoys pleasant climate throughout the year; there are no temperature extremes.

It is estimated that more than 50% of Dublin's population is younger than 25. It is thus considered one of Europe's most youthful cities. The nightlife is vibrant and there are many places that people can enjoy.

The Dublin Writers Museum, James Joyce Museum, birthplace of George Bernard Shaw, Malahide Castle, Fry Model Railway, Talbot Botanic Gardens and Tara's Palace are a few attractions in Dublin. The city is also famous for its shopping experience.

It can be termed as a typical Irish city with old-styled narrow streets. Earlier known for its heavy industries, Cork has now transformed to a city that is equipped with great IT companies and chemical plants.

It is home to great architecture and pedestrian-friendly routes. Cork highlights visual treats in the River Lee, South Mall, County Hall tower, Elysian, church tower of Shandon, Cork City Hall, St. Mary's Cathedral, St. Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork Opera House, University College and English Market. The climate of cork is not extreme; winters are mild and summers are cool. Cork is famous for its traditional food.

It is also one of the cloudiest cities of Ireland with an average of 62 days of no sunshine recorded. Connected by Shannon Airport, the city offers tourists the services of 'Street Ambassadors'.

Tourist attractions in Limerick include King John's Castle, Hunt Museum, St Mary's Cathedral, University of Limerick, Treaty Stone, Foynes Flying Boat Museum and the Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum. The milk market in the city is one of the oldest market run in the country.

Kilkenny has a very rich heritage, some of the historic buildings include Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower, Rothe House, Shee Alms House, Black Abbey, St. Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny Town Hall, St. Francis Abbey, Grace's Castle, and St. John's Priory.

Kilkenny has always attracted culturally-aware people, the craft and design workshops, the Watergate theater, the public garden and the museum are some of the main attractions of the city.

Kilkenny is 73 mi (117 kilometers) from the capital Dublin and 30 mi (48 kilometers) north from Waterford. The city records some of the highest summer and lowest winter temperatures in Ireland. For its rich cultural heritage and beautiful countryside feel Kilkenny is one of the most visited cities in Ireland.

Its young population and contribution to art and music makes it a popular tourist destination in Ireland. It is located on the west coast and gets its name from the Gaillimh river. The city is also referred to as the City of the Tribes.

Galway is famous for its traditional street performances. It plays host to a number of popular festivals such as the Galway Arts Festival, Astronomy Festival, the Cúirt International Festival of Literature, Galway Film Fleadh, Galway International Oyster Festival, Tulca Visual Arts Festival and the Spirit of Voice Festival every November. Galway experiences mild climates with abundant rainfall, hail and snow are very rare.

It is home to Reginald's Tower, the oldest civic building in Ireland. The 10th century fortifications, medieval architecture and pedestrianized areas have established Waterford as a tourist's delight.

It is home to the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Red Square, Ballybricken and People's Park. Like the rest of Ireland, the climate of Waterford is mild. Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, is a famous music festival that takes place in the city every year.

Ireland is politically divided into Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Initially Ireland was divided into 32 counties, out of which 26 later formed Republic of Ireland and the remaining 6 made up Northern Ireland.

A county, derived from a french word conté, is a geographical area of a country that forms the chief unit of local administration. Counties in Ireland are traditionally divided into 4 provinces - Leinster (12 counties), Munster (6 counties), Connacht (5 Counties) and Ulster (9 counties).

In the Republic each county is administered by an elected "county council", and the old provincial divisions are merely traditional names with no political significance. However, today the traditional 32 counties and 4 provinces remain in common usage for many sporting, cultural and other purposes. Some of the major county towns are listed in the table.

Ireland is amongst the top 50 eco-friendly countries. Globally, it's the first nation to introduce an environmental levy on plastic shopping bags (2002) and a public smoking ban (2004). Dublin has recently introduced 'ecocabs' that are free of cost for pedestrians and are eco-friendly (pedal powered). It was also the first European country to ban incandescent light bulbs (2008) and in-store tobacco advertising (2009).

• Ireland is the third largest island in Europe and boasts the 2nd highest GDP per capita in the EU.

• About 88% of the Irish population is Roman Catholic and has one of the highest rates of church attendance in the Western World.

Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Bernard Shaw, Keats and Bram Stoker are few Irish literature greats. U2, Oasis, Boyzone, Cranberries, Westlife are few bands from the music world that hail from Ireland. While Pierce Brosnan, Peter O'Toole, Richard Harris and Colin Farrell are popular Irish personalities of the silver screen.

• The ancestral and official language of Ireland is Irish Gaelic with English also spoken widely.

• An estimated 80 million people of Irish descent live outside Ireland, and about 36 million Americans have reported Irish ancestry and about half of all Australians can claim to be Irish descendants.

The Irish are known to consume an average of 131.1 liters of beer per year, the 2nd highest per capita consumption in the EU.

Once known as the 'Island of Saints and Scholars', today Ireland is known for its vibrant youth, stunning scenery, world-class rock musicians and software exports (world's leading software exporter!). Not to forget the famed Irish wit and humor along with the ever-welcoming pubs serving a pint of Guinness.