The Republic of Ireland

Eire is the official name for Ireland between 1937 and 1949, when it became the Republic of Ireland.

The name Eire is still sometimes used outside Ireland. The Irish Free State is a state consisting of the whole of Ireland except Northern Ireland. It was created by the Anglo- Irish Treaty of 1921.

Its name was changed to Eire in 1937 and to the Republic of Ireland in 1949.

The Republic of Ireland is the official name for Ireland since 1949.

Irish State map

Irish State Flag

Great Seal of Irish

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland, with its population of about

1.6 million, is a part of the United Kingdom. It is

made up of six counties and the capital is Belfast.

Once famous for its textile and shipbuilding

industries, it is now a popular tourist destination,

with its beautiful scenery.

Unfortunately, Northern Ireland is still best

known for the years of conflict called ‘the

Troubles’, in which more than 3000 people have

died.

The relationship between Ireland and Great Britain has been marked by violent conflict for 800 years. During the 17th century, Protestants from England and Scotland took control of Ulsterby setting up farms on land that had belonged to Irish Roman Catholics.

By the late 19th century, Protestants made up approximately two-thirds of the population.

They felt strong ties to Britain, and when Ireland won its independence in 1921, six counties voted to remain part of United Kingdom and be governed by the Parliament of Northern Ireland at Stormont Castle.

The way Northern Ireland was governed favoured the Protestant majority, and in the late 1960s Catholics campaigned against inequalities in areas such as employment, housing and voting rights. Civil rights protests led to violent confrontations between republicans and Loyalists.

The mostly protestant police force intervened, which led the Prime Minister to call in the British Army to protect Catholics, but the troops soon became the target of Irish Republican Army attacks.

In 1971 the British government introduced internment which led to more violence.

In 1972, the year of Bloody Sunday, direct rule from London was introduced and the Stormont parliament abandoned. Paramilitaries became involved in organized crime, and the police and the army were accused of cooperating with Loyalists.

In 1997, after many attempts to stop the violence, the paramilitaries announced ceasefires. In 1998, after negotiations with the Irish and British governments, the political leaders signed the Good Friday Agreement.This created a Northern Ireland Assemblybased at Stormont.

A Nationalist-Unionist coalition government took power in 1999, but this was suspended in 2002.

In 2005 it was announced that the Irish Republican Army had given up all its weapons, but many Unionists still believe the Irish Republican Army will restart its campaign of violence if it does not achieve its goal, the end of British rule in Ireland.

Republicans feel that the political system, the judiciary and the police force are still based against Catholics.

Despite the ceasefires, paramilitaries remain active and are involved in organized crime. Racist violence has also increased dramatically in recent years. In other ways, however, the quality of life in Northern Ireland has improved.

Companies have begun to invest. New shops, restaurants and bars have opened, and Belfast has become much more cosmopolitan.

The province has the youngest population in the UK and the sectarian divide is less strong amongst the young.

Despite the ceasefires, paramilitaries remain active and are involved in organized crime. Racist violence has also increased dramatically in recent years. In other ways, however, the quality of life in Northern Ireland has improved.

Companies have begun to invest. New shops, restaurants and bars have opened, and Belfast has become much more cosmopolitan.

The province has the youngest population in the UK and the sectarian divide is less strong amongst the young.

Scotland State map

State Flag of Scotland

Royal Arms of Scotland

Scotland

The Scotland Office is a British

government department responsible for matters

outside the control of the Scottish Parliament,

including employment, foreign affairs, defense

and social security.

It is led by the Secretary of State for

Scotland and is part of the Department of

Constitutional Affairs.

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and a popular tourist centre. It has a famous castle, the Scottish Parliament, a zoo, two universities and many museums and art galleries.

Other famous features of the city include the Royal Mile and Princes Street. In the 18th

century Edinburgh was known as ‘the Athens of the north’.

The name Edinburgh means ‘Edwin’s fort’. The city was made a World Heritage Site in 1995. Since 1996 it has been governed as officially called City of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh city

Edinburgh castle

Auld Reekie is a popular name for Edinburgh.

It means ‘old smoky’ and refers to the smoke from the city’s many chimneys.

The Duke of Edinburgh is the title by

which Prince Philip the husband of Queen

Elizabeth II, is usually known. His father was

Prince Andrew of Greece and his mother was

Princess Alice of Battenberg, sister of Lord

Mountbatten.

He was educated in Britain and was in the

Royal Navy in World War II. In 1947 he married

Princess Elizabeth, who later became Queen

Elizabeth II. Among his many interests are

British industry, projects for young people, wild

animals and various sports.

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II is the queen of the United Kingdom since 1952. She is the daughter of King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth. She had one sister, Princess Margaret.

In 1947 she married Prince Philip of Greece, who had just been made the Duke of Edinburgh, in Westminster Abbey. Her father died in 1952 and Elizabeth was crowned on 2 June 1953.

She is a respected and well-loved monarch with a great interest in the Commonwealth. The Queen and Prince Philip have four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.

Royal Family

The Edinburgh Festival is a festival of

music and drama that has been held in

Edinburgh for three weeks every summer since

1947.

The shows and concerts include hundreds

that are not part of the official Festival.

There are known as the Edinburgh Fringe,

and are now considered as important as the

Festival itself because of the many new and

exciting ideas they contain.

Edinburgh Festival

Wales

Wales State map

State Flag of Wales

Royal Badge of Wales

The Wales Office is a British government

department responsible for representing Welsh

interests within the British government, and

representing the British government in Wales.

It is led by the Secretary of State for Wales and

is part of the Department for constitutional

Affairs.

Cardiff is a capital city of Wales, in the

south-east of the country.

It is important industrial city and port, and

a major cultural centre.