Ireland:
Ireland is the westernmost of the British Isles. The Irish call their country The Emerald Island which refers to the fertility and greenness of the nature.
The Republic of Ireland is the Southern part of the island. It consists of 26 counties. The remaining 6 counties build Northern Ireland, known for its long-lasting conflict between Catholics and Protestants.
Ireland has about 3.6 million inhabitants. More than a third of the population live in the capital Dublin.
The flag:
The Irish flag dates from the 1800's. The colours have symbolic meanings. Green represents the Roman Catholics of Ireland, Orange the Protestants of Ulster and White peace.
The shamrock:
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The shamrock is Ireland's national symbol. It is said to be connected to Ireland's patron saint St. Patrick. Irish people wear this symbol on the National Day on the 17th of March. This celebration is called St. Patrick's Day, because St. Patrick is supposed to have died on this date.