Ireland

Ireland, the green island in north-western Europe, remained for centuries in the shadow of the larger neighboring island of Great Britain and was almost forgotten by the rest of Europe. Only a very few tourist-- such as Prince Puckler-Muskau in the early 19th c. -- spoke of the beauty of the Irish countryside, its stone witnesses to a glorious past, the country houses in their beautiful parks and the friendliness and hospitality of the people, however poor they may be, as well as their ready wit.
It is only in more recent times, with the establishment of the sovereign Republic of Ireland and the country's growing prosperity, that the island has begun to attract increasing numbers of holidaymakers and tourists -- individualists travelling on their own, looking for something out of the ordinary, perhaps fishing or playing golf, who like peace and quiet and who appreciate the friendly reception they receive.
Together with the main island of Great Britain and various smaller islands and groups of islands it forms part of the British Isles -- a term of purely geographical significance.