Soaring 3,407 feet above sea level, Carrauntoohil is the highest peak in Ireland. The mountain is part of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks range and can be found in County Kerry. The highest peak found outside of the MaCgillycuddy’s Reeks is 3,123-foot-tall Mount Brandon, which was once a pilgrimage site associated with St. Brendan.

Handball, rounders (similar to baseball), hurling (similar to field hockey), and Gaelic football are the four sports that comprise the Gaelic games. Often lumped together under the moniker Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), they collectively comprise the most popular sports in Ireland, recently surpassing traditional soccer.

While the Eurovision Song Contest had humble beginnings in 1956 with just seven countries participating, it has grown into a European staple over the past couple of decades with more than 40 countries competing. Ireland has won seven Eurovision titles — more than any other nation. Sweden is runner up with six.

As slang for Ireland’s capital city, “the pale” dates back to the 14th century when Normans from England invaded the Emerald Isle. Rather than subdue Ireland, many in the Norman forces started assimilating to Irish life. The English crown retreated to land it had firm control over — Dublin and the surrounding area — and marked their turf with fence posts called “pales.”

Samhain was an ancient festival held by Celtic people on October 31 in what is now Ireland. The Celts believed the dead would return on Samhain and gathered to pay their respects through bonfires and sacrifices. Celts wore animal skins to scare off phantoms, which led to mumming — the practice of dressing up for food (an early version of trick-or-treating).

Written and illustrated by Scottish monks forced to relocate to Kells, County Meath, following a Viking raid, the Book of Kells and its lavish decorations still impress even 1,200 years after its creation. The book has been at Trinity College since the mid-17th century, and the school displays a different page for visitors each day.

For many years, Ireland was under rule of the United Kingdom. 1919 saw a guerrilla campaign against British forces, which led to the declaration of the Irish Free State on December 6, 1922. In 1949, the Republic of Ireland severed its final remaining ties with the British Commonwealth, officially achieving unilateral independence.

Based in Dublin, the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) consists of two houses. The Dáil (Assembly) has 158 elected members and is the main legislative body responsible for passing bills. The Seanad Éireann (Senate) is the upper house and consists of 60 members, none of whom are elected. Some are nominated by the taoiseach (prime minister) while others represent universities or various industries.

The bane of many non-Irish newscasters, the word taoiseach (pronounced something like "TEE-shock") refers to the head of government in Ireland. The traditional Gaelic title for the prime minister was outlined in the 1937 Irish constitution. As of 2023, the current taoiseach of Ireland is Leo Varadkar.

Before departing on its transatlantic voyage to New York City, the Titanic made one final stop in Cobh (then known as Queenstown) on April 11, 1912, to pick up passengers and refuel. The ship tragically sank three days later on April 14. The Cobh Heritage Centre sponsors a museum, the Titanic Experience, that profiles the history of the Titanic and the Irish victims on the ill-fated cruise.

The visually impressive combination of Guinness and pale ale (usually Bass or Harp) is often called a Black and Tan elsewhere in the world. That name is eschewed in Ireland, owing to its connection to the British forces (nicknamed Black and Tans for their mismatched uniforms), who served as reinforcements in Ireland during the Irish Independent Movement. In Ireland, just ask for a “half and half” instead.

With a name that stems from the old Irish word for “poor house bread,” a boxty was originally enjoyed as a Halloween treat due to the autumnal harvests yielding plenty of potatoes. Once served exclusively as a breakfast item, this staple of Irish cuisine — a simple, delicious potato pancake — now makes appearances during any meal of the day.

The city of Waterford also lends its name to a renowned crystal company that has been in operation since 1783. Waterford is most famous for supplying the crystal panels that make up the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball, but the company has also crafted awards such as the PGA Tour of America trophy and the People's Choice Award.

Even though Ireland’s famous potent potable is often referred to as “the Black Stuff,” Guinness is actually a deep ruby red color. While Ireland loves the dark stout, they are only the third- largest consumers of the beverage — first place goes to Britain and second place goes to Nigeria. In fact, the continent of Africa is responsible for 40% of all Guinness consumption.

The breathtaking panorama from the Cliffs of Moher is best viewed from O’Brien’s Tower. In 1835, MP Sir Cornellius O’Brien built the observation tower to serve as a teahouse for Victorian tourists at the cliffs’ highest point of 702 feet. Or you could brave the 8.7-mile hike from the northern end of the rugged cliffs to the southern end at Hag’s Head.

According to legend, the word “blarney” came to mean “flattery” when Queen Elizabeth I sent the Earl of Leicester to seize Blarney Castle, only to be skillfully stalled repeatedly by the silver-tongued cajolery of the McCarthy family. The stone is found in a high battlement over Blarney Castle, near Cork, Ireland, and one seeking “the gift of gab” must precariously lean backwards from the parapet to kiss it.

While it’s a sign of luck to find a four-leaf clover, the shamrock (also known as the three-leaf clover) is found all over the green fields of Ireland. According to legend, in the fifth century, St. Patrick used them as a symbol to help explain Christianity, with each leaf referencing a part of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

The legendary story of Saint Patrick ridding Ireland of serpents didn’t emerge until the 13th century, some 800 years after his death. According to scientists, Ireland never had snakes, as the country was too cold for the reptile until the end of the last Ice Age, and by then snakes had no way of migrating to the isolated island.

The national emblem of Ireland and one of the world’s oldest string instruments, the traditional Irish harp can be found everywhere from the Presidential seal to Guinness labels and Irish Euro coins. The image is modeled after an ancient harp housed in Trinity College said to have belonged to Brian Boru, the last High King of Ireland in the 10th century.

Gaelic — or Gaeilge, as it’s known locally — shares joint official language status in Ireland along with English. The language is predominantly spoken along the west coast of Ireland in areas known as Gaeltacht. Gaelic is one of the world’s oldest written languages, and though English remains more popular nationwide, Gaelic still has its devoted speakers in Ireland.