WHY STUDY IN IRELAND?
Ireland
Opportunity
Irish Culture, People and Social life / Dublin
Irish Writers
Irish Music and Dance
Green Landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Ireland
Public Transport / Ireland / Dublin
Useful Links
You Tube Video Links
English and the Irish
There are a number of reasons why thousands of students each year come to Ireland to study English. Ireland offers a unique opportunity for the English Language student. A relatively small island on the edge of Europe has enjoyed unprecedented economic growth in recent times.
The 2006 Census of Ireland estimated that 420,000 non-Irish nationals were living in Ireland and came from a staggering 188 different countries (CSO: Report http://www.cso.ie/newsevents/pr_nonirishnationals.htm).
Current economic difficulties have affected Ireland much like elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world, but Ireland nevertheless remains an attractive place to do business, visit, or study in. Dublin City and the east coast is the economic heart of the country and has had a major social transformation following the economic success of the 1990’s (known as The Celtic Tiger). As a city with European Headquarters of many financial and service giants such as Google, Meryl Lynch, and Facebook , Dublin remains a vibrant cosmopolitan capital city with a young population.
Irish people have a reputation for being very friendly and welcoming. Ireland is also famous for its pub culture. Many visitors like to sample the night life, listen to some traditional Irish music or, if they have enough courage, try some Irish dancing. As the Home of Guinness, Dublin attracts thousands of visitors each year. Students often like to practise their language skills in one of the many pubs and cafes bustling with life in the capital. Working English is located very close to Temple Bar , a district famous for its night life and as such many conversation classes have been held in some of its finest bars.
Irish writers have contributed immensely to the English language. The works of James Joyce , Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and Ireland''s four winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature: William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney all represent the world-class talent for literature which exists in Ireland
Ireland is an extremely musical nation with long and rich music traditions. Folk (traditional) music can be heard literally in every corner of the city or the smallest village. Amongst many, Christy Moore is one of the most famous Irish folk singers.
Ireland is also famous for its magnificent, romantic and dramatic landscapes, rural images full of cottages abundant with history, local stories, myths and legends, as well as festivals reflecting the Irish culture, lifestyle and mentality. All of these attract visitors from the most remote parts of the world. Ireland can also be proud of its UNESCO recognised World Heritage Sites http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ie
Ireland is a relatively small island and has an adequate public transport system. Any attraction can be seen within a weekends travel form, reached either by train (www.irishrail.ie), intercity bus (www.buseireann.ie) or a rented car (www.autoeurope.ie; arguscarhire.ie).
Dublin City is also reasonably small and the main tourist attractions are within a walkable distance, therefore a good map and a pair of comfortable walking shoes are sufficient to see many of Dublin’s tourist attractions. Another economical, popular and efficient way of getting around Dublin is cycling, as there is a network of bicycle lanes spread over the entire city.
The network of Dublin Bus (www.dublinbus.ie), the Luas tram lines (www.luas.ie) and the Dart train lines (www.dart.ie) are also convenient transport options for Dublin visitors.
The English language originated in Northern Europe. A member of the West Germanic group of languages, English has had considerable influence from other languages as it spread. Today it is estimated to be the first language of some 370-400 million people and used as a second language by a further 98 million. British English, American English, Irish English (known as Hiberno English) all have little differences which reflect the origin and development of the language, but fundamentally grammar and spelling is the same. English in Ireland has been influenced by the presence of Irish, a Celtic language. The wide variety of English dialects throughout the British Isles can be attributed to the influence of the Celtic languages.
www.ireland.com
www.irlgov.ie
www.liveireland.com
www.visitdublin.com
www.cie.ie
www.tourismireland.com
www.discoverireland.ie/
www.goireland.com
www.dublintourist.com
www.lonelyplanet.com/Ireland
Ireland –Flying through the country video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iUPb7y0hgE
Discover Ireland Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvaIO9Gb7Jg