Geography

What’s in the name?

The Island of Ireland is the second-largest island in Europe and is divided into Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, whereas the Republic of Ireland is an independent country. Irish people also refer to it as ‘The North’ and ‘The South’. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast, and the capital of the Republic of Ireland is Dublin. The island is separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea, and the Celtic sea lies between Ireland and the European mainland. On the west coast lies the Atlantic ocean.

Originally, Ireland is divided into four provinces: Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connacht. When in 1921, 6 of the Ulster counties stayed under British rule, while the rest became independent, they kept the province’s name. Therefore, Northern Ireland is also known as Ulster. The other 26 six counties became known as ‘The Free State’. You can read about this here.