"County Limerick from Heaven" © Barrie Maguire

"Ireland today is a land steeped in tradition, but with her face firmly set towards the future. In the last several decades, Ireland has transformed itself from a bitterly divided, introverted, protectionist state to one of the brighter stars of the European Union. The Irish themselves are becoming increasingly well-educated, well traveled, and cultured, easily the equal of their British and American counterparts. And the Irish quality of life has steadily improved to the point where there are now many more people emigrating to Ireland than leaving.

"Both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are clean, friendly, well-managed countries where tourism — and tourists — are taken seriously. Relations between the two countries have also improved steadily, to the point where safety is no longer an issue, except in isolated sections of some of the larger cities, but this is typical of any Western country. In many ways, Ireland is the ideal tourist destination, particularly for those who are interested in Celtic tradition, history, and ancient mysteries."

The final chapter of The History, "Ireland Today", serves as a transition between The Mystery and The History sections and The Journey section, which focuses more on travel-specific information. As such, the Ireland Today section deals primarily with more contemporary, travel-specific information regarding what to pack, getting around in Ireland, what types of lodging are available, useful travel tips, and so forth. Perhaps the most utilitarian of all the chapters, it provides a good transition to the final, and largest, section of Mysterious World: Ireland: The Journey.

< A SHORT HISTORY OF IRELAND | THE JOURNEY >

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