Ireland became one of the wealthiest countries in Europe in the year of 2000, with it then being called the Celtic Tiger. From being one of EU’s poorer countries it became one of the wealthiest due to the economy and property market moving up. The colours in the flag all signify and represent the native population as well as the religious beliefs of Ireland.
It is referred to as the country with 32 counties with two states – Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland with the economy being based on high-tech multinational industries with banking, IT and finance being the important growth industries in the country. The cost of living in Ireland still remains high especially in the capital Dublin where products are very expensive.
Ireland has a varied climate with it being warm in the winter and cooler in the summer with a mild temperature of around 10 C. July and August are the warmest months with temperatures reaching 16C and, during the summer, temperatures range from 14 to 20C. Winter months have an average temperature between 4°C and 10°C and in the months from August to January there is heavy rainfall and the country generally does get a lot of rain
Dublin
Dublin – The capital and the largest city of Ireland which has its main port, located on the east coast between the Irish Sea and beautiful mountains.
The city is made up of two halves being divided by the River Liffey in the city centre. The north side is for more working class people whereas the south side is more high-class. There are many theatres, museums and tourist attractions available to visit in the North side in the midst of the temple bar district, galleries, shopping centres and nightlife mainly being located on the South side. Expats moving here will not get bored with the plenty of places for shopping, good entertainment venues, sports facilities and spas in Dublin.
On the outskirts of Dublin, expats will find the more pleasing spots with flat sandy beaches, rocky cliffs and harbours. All these can be visited by the means of the convenient public transport available as well as by car.
The cost of living in the capital city remains high with competition for jobs and accommodation prices being just as expensive. Regardless of this, it is a thriving city offering a cultural, traditional and modern social scene.
Weather
The weather in Dublin sees the hottest month being in July with temperatures from 16°C and January being the coldest with temperatures from 5°C. In August you will see a lot of rain, being the wettest month of the year and sea temperatures are at 15°C being the month to swim in the sea.
Popular Tourists Attractions in Dublin
Some of the popular tourist attractions in Dublin include:
- Guiness Store house
- National Museum of Ireland
- St Patricks Cathedral
- Chester Beatty Library
- Temple Bar
- Phoenix Park
Limerick
Limerick is one of the major cities in Republic of Ireland and is known for its shopping, dining and entertainment that is available to all residents.
There is an increase in its diversity with different ethnic groups from countries all around the world and the attitude of racism is far better in Limerick than in Dublin.
It is a city which has a wide variety of cultural and artistic events held all year round throughout the city and the travel times are much short and less costly than other cities in Ireland.
Limerick is an important part of Ireland’s cultural life and expats will find attractions linked to the city’s history all around. One of the top universities is based here which many foreign nationals attend or even work here with it being one of the biggest employers in the city.
Expats relocating here will not only have access to the historic culture and high standard schools but will also be able to experience a sports mad city following the traditional Irish games holding classes where many people meet and socialise.
Weather
The weather in Limerick is quite mild with July and August being the warmest months with an average temperature of 16°C and the coldest month being January. Winter temperatures don’t fall below freezing. October is the wettest month with a lot of rainfall which remains above two inches all year round.
Popular tourist attractions in Limerick
Some of the popular tourist attractions in Limerick:
- King Johns Castle
- Hunt Museum
- Limerick City Gallery of Art
- Lough Gur
- Cratloe woods
- Ballyhoura Mountains