At the far western edge of Europe lies a serene, tranquil, wild, wilful and rugged island.
An island of saints and scholars, an ancient place, rich in knowledge and yet still innocent.
Its turbulent history has produced a spiritual people, justly famed for their warmth, charm and gentle humor.
They also share a passionate love for their homeland and, near or far, carry in their hearts its 40 shades of green.
This part of the country is a land of castles. There are more than 900 in the counties of Tler, Limerick and Galway.
Some, such as Grimoran Castle, have been turned into luxury hotels.
Others, like the 16th century Craganowan Castle, are a vehicle to display the richness of Irish history.
The way ordinary people lived 1,000 years ago has been recreated at Craganowan.
The Celtic community would have herded cattle, grown grain and hunted for food.
Here, in the shelter of their ringed fort, the women cooked over open-feet fires and dyed sheep's wool using natural color, such as elderberries.
The west includes the counties of Mayo, Roscommon and Galway.
Connemara is the heartland of the Irish-speaking areas known as the Gaeltacht, and one of the most wild and rugged regions in Ireland.
The forlorn and desolate beauty of Connemara is bound to the soul for those seeking to escape the crowds and pressure of modern life.
For many hundreds of years, however, the magnificence of the scenery was lost on the men and women who scraped a meagre living from the barren, stony soil.
Today, the vast, lonely lakes, wild moorlands, and barren, barren, barren, barren, barren, barren, barren, barren, barren, barren, barren.
Today, the vast, lonely lakes, wild moorland, and brooding mountains are a haven for nature lovers and a paradise for fishermen.
Beneath the lake's glistening water, salmon and trout are fighting for a bit of space.
Galway City began as a small fishing village, and by the 13th century had become a walled town that traded extensively with Spain.
The Spanish arch is all that remains of the walls.
The Trada fishing village, once a self-contained community, was once a small fishing village.
The Trada fishing village, once a self-contained community, with an elected mayor, no longer exists and has been absorbed into the suburbs of the city.
Across Galway Bay lie the ancient islands of Arles, home to many early Christian and pre-Christian remains.
The Dune Angus Fort on Minishmoor is one of Europe's most dramatic prehistoric monuments.
Perched on a 200-foot sheer cliff, it consists of four semicircular defensive walls surrounded by thousands of upright limestone pillars.
No one knows when it was built or why, but it is believed to be at least 3,000 years old.
In the northwest of the Republic are the countries of Leitron, Monaghan, Cavern, Donegal and Sligo.
The Sligo landscape is one of stark and striking drama.
This is Yates' country.
The poet William Butler Yates and his artist brother Jack immortalised this land in the printed word and on canvas.
County Donegal possesses some of the most beautiful and varied scenery in Ireland.
Exposed to the full force of the Atlantic on three sides, the coastline is wild and rugged.
Mallen Head is the most northerly point in Ireland, though it is politically part of the south.
The way of life here is rude. There are no cities or large towns.
One of the main sources of income is the manufacture of high-quality tweed.
The people are especially friendly. Irish is still spoken and the old ways survive.
Donegal was deeply affected by the Great Famine in the 1840s.
Many people died or emigrated, and the population has not yet recovered.
The Great Famine was the first to be destroyed in the 1840s.
The six counties of Northern Ireland are Antrim, Down, Armagh, Derry, Tyrone and Pomara.
They remained part of the United Kingdom in 1922, and the Irish Free State was established.
The little town of Pettigrew was literally split down the middle.
The border follows the river through the centre of the town.
They say it's full of bilingual fish.
On the Donegal side, there's a statue commemorating the deaths of four Irish nationalists in 1922.
And on the Fermanacide, an oak tree commemorates a British victory during the Crimean War.
The friction in Northern Ireland between the Protestant majority and the Catholic minority has resulted in some communal strife.
Though this problem remains unresolved, the negative images are largely dispelled by the overwhelming warmth and hospitality of the people.
And the great natural beauty of the region.
Fermanac Lakeland is one of the most spectacular beauty spots in Europe.
One third of the county is underwater, and the centre is almost entirely covered by the vast waters of Loch Erne.
Beneath this lakeland region are some of the finest limestone caves in Europe.
The Fermanacide is one of the most spectacular beauty spots in Europe.
One third of the county is underwater, and the centre is almost entirely covered by the vast waters of Loch Erne.
Beneath this lakeland region are some of the finest limestone caves in Europe.
The Marble Arch Caves are a fantastic wonderland of glistening steric types and mysterious, bubbling rock formations.
This fascinating, magical world has been created by the flow of acid water and limestone over a period of more than 300 million years.
The city of Armagh was the seat of the Austrian kings for some sixth century.
Today, it is home to the Irish leaders of both the Protestant Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church.
The lavish Roman Catholic Cathedral was built in the 19th century and took 60 years to complete.
The Church of Ireland Cathedral also dates mainly from the 19th century.
The site, however, is ancient, and there has been a church on this hill since 445 AD when St. Patrick built his main cathedral here.
Drivers in County Armagh should be wary, as they may encounter the ancient game of road boating.
The game is known locally as the booritz.
Chancier began with the use of cannonball.
Players compete to hurl a metal ball along a set course in the fewest possible probes.
Spectators bet on the outcome of the game and, sometimes, on an individual probe.
Players have a handler who stands with his legs astride to show the best line.
The skill lies in negotiating the bends on the road, either by throwing the ball over the corner or curving the probe.
The game is now played only in Armagh and Cork.
The City of Derry, also known as London Derry, is situated on the River Foyle, surrounded by a rolling countryside.
The city's growth in the 17th century was financed by the wealthy trade guilds of London, and it was during this time that the prefix was added to its name.
In 1614, the guilds created the last walled city in Europe.
The 20-foot walls complete with cannons can still be seen today.
The most famous siege took place in 1689 when local Protestant apprentice boys shut the gates against the Catholic forces of James II.
More than 7,000 people died of starvation or disease in the subsequent placade.
The magnificent north coast of Derry, with its long golden beaches, was the site chosen in the 18th century by the Bishop of Derry for his landscaped estate.
The remarkable Mussenden Temple, perched dramatically on a tip-top, was built as the library.
Legend says the giant Finn McCool built this massive staircase towards the sea so that he could visit his beloved in Scotland without getting his feet wet.
Giant's Causeway, one of the wonders of the natural world, is the most startling sight along the Amton coast.
Some 37,000 geometric basalt columns march in unison towards the ocean.
Similar columns do in fact emerge on the other side of the sea in Scotland, giving credence to the story.
For the more scientifically-minded, the Causeway was the result of volcanic lava cooling some 60 million years ago.
Further along the coast, clinging defiantly to a rocky headland above sheer plunging cliffs, is Dunlew's Castle.
This dramatic ruin was once the stronghold of a fiery McDonald's in the earls of Antrim.
On a stormy night in 1639, the servants were busy preparing dinner when part of the cliff collapsed, taking with it the kitchens and several members of the household.
The castle somehow expresses the spirit of the Irish, fearless, determined, wild and romantic.
A few miles from Dunlew's is the world's oldest distillery, Bushmill, in operation since 1608.
The malt whisky is made from barley and local water.
The spirit is left to mature for up to 12 years in these oak carts.
There are 7,000 of them, each holding 50 gallons.
The smell of alcohol they emit is staggering, and is known at the distillery as the Angel's Shell.
It's probably a good idea to keep the Bushmills tasting session down to a minimum before negotiating the rope bridge at nearby Carrick-a-Reed.
The fragile bridge sways across a 60-foot chasm above an 80-foot drop into the sea below.
It is put up by local fishermen every spring to give them access to the rich haul of salmon and the waters on the other side.
Those who have the courage to endure the crossing are rewarded with beautiful views along the Antrim coast.
One of the highlights of the year for the people of Antrim is the Aulama Fair, held each August at Bally Castle on the northern coast.
The fair combines business with pleasure. Farmers take the opportunity to trade their horses and ponies.
Local delicacies on sale include dulce, a dried edible seaweed, and yellow man, sweet, sticky slabs of candy.
The exact origin of the fair is uncertain, but it is one of the oldest in Ireland, dating back to the early part of the 17th century.
The celebrated nine glens of Antrim have inspired poetry, prose, and legends that have spread word of their beauty throughout the world.
The queen of them all is Glenallep, a vast, sweeping valley carved out in the ice age.
On the valley floor, giant waterfalls pound precipitous rock faces, plunging into the swirling, peaty water below.
Their Celtic names have survived through the centuries. This is S. Malarach, meaning the fall of the mare.
The poetic description is an indication that the ancient inhabitants of Ireland were an artistic people and appreciated the beauty of their surroundings.
In Glenallep, that beauty remains unsolid by time or people.
The Strangford Lock and County Down was given its name by invading Norsemen. It means violent falls.
There is little evidence of the violence today. The sheltered harbours and many islands make it ideal for sailing and deep sea fishing.
At the mouth of the lock is Castle Ward, a unique 18th century house set in a 700 acre estate.
The house is divided into two distinct styles, neoclassical at the front and Gothic at the back.
Bernard Ward, the first Viscount banger, could not agree with his wife, Anne, on the question of architectural taste.
The agreed compromise, if it can be called such, was to literally split the house in two.
The Viscount's neoclassical taste is reflected in the interior design at the front of the house.
Double doors and irrelevant styles lead to the rooms and the whimsical Gothic style preferred by Lady Anne.
The compromise apparently did not work and Lady Anne eventually left her husband for good.
On the east shore of Strangford Lock, along the Ard Peninsula, is Mount Stewart, the former home of the Marquis of Londonderry.
The fairy tale gardens were designed by Edith, Lady Londonderry and include an array of styles from all parts of the globe.
From the house, a spacious wooded park with a tranquil lake at its focal point.
The mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea, and they really do. The mountains curve in a neat ring a short distance from the coast.
The heather-clad hills are ideal walking country. A series of roads cross through the mountains, but they could hardly be described as crowded.
At the foot of the mountains in Newcastle is the Royal County Down Golf Club in a beautiful and remote setting beside the sea.
The course is part of the sand dunes. Nature has thoughtfully provided the bunkers, as if she suspected that one day men were bound to wield golf clubs.
Belfast is one of the youngest capital cities in the world, and has experienced some of the fastest growth in history.
The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century brought an explosion in the city's world, and most of the lavish architecture dates from this era, including the domineering City Hall and the elegant Queen's University.
On the outskirts of the city are the magnificent Parliament Buildings at Stormont, set in 300 acres of fine ground.
Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the massive classical building was a gift from the British government and was opened by George V.
Although there has been friction between the different communities in the city, the people are warm and friendly.
The pubs are inviting, and Belfast is always ready to find an excuse for a celebration.
Christmas is one of the best times to experience the atmosphere of the city.
Carol services provide a good opportunity for the different communities to get together for a song or two.
Differences are temporarily forgotten, and people of all ages, both Protestant and Catholic, unite to enjoy the harmony of the season.
Ireland, a place of heart-wrenching beauty, where complex layers of time and history have left their indelible mark on the landscape and the people.
Ireland, where the fiery Celtic spirit is expressed in poetry, music, and dance.
A unique island, where the unexpected usually happens, a state of mind as much as a place.
A country where life and laughter are never far away, and where there are no strangers, only future friends.