IRELAND

n. Republic of Ireland, independent republic occupying the island of Ireland; Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom; Emerald Isle, island located to the west of the island of Great Britain

Ireland (; Ulster Scots: Airlann) is the third largest island in Europe behind Great Britain and Iceland. It is also the twentieth largest in the world. It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain. Politically, the Republic of Ireland (also known simply as Ireland) covers five sixths of the island, with Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, covering the remainder in the northeast. The name 'Ireland' derives from the Irish word Éire, with the addition of the Germanic word 'land'. The derivation of Éire in turn is from Eueriio and Ériu. This word, from Proto-Celtic *Īwerjū, which also gave Middle Welsh Iwerd "Irish Sea", originally meant "fatness", in the sense of fertile.
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Noun
1. a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921
(synonym) Eire, Irish Free State
(hypernym) European country, European nation
(hyponym) Cork
(member-holonym) British Commonwealth, Commonwealth of Nations
(part-holonym) Ireland, Hibernia, Emerald Isle
(part-meronym) Dublin, Irish capital, capital of Ireland
(class) Continuity Irish Republican Army, CIRA, Continuity Army Council
2. an island comprising the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
(synonym) Hibernia, Emerald Isle
(hypernym) island
(part-holonym) British Isles
(member-meronym) Irish person, Irelander
(part-meronym) Aran Islands
(class) Boyne, battle of Boyne

Flag of Ireland
Background Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is being implemented with some difficulties. Map of Ireland More about Ireland: Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

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