a collection of things this expat loves about ireland

As a precursor I must mention that the island of Ireland is split into two different countries. Although it is geographically the same land mass, it is politically two different places: Northern Ireland, a part of the UK who use the GB pound as their currency, and The Republic of Ireland/'The South'/Ireland which is part of Europe and use the Euro. This undoubtedly makes life difficult when you accidentally cross the border and your phone company insists on charging you for all the international roaming you've been doing and you can't pay bridge tolls because you don't have spare euro change lying about. Mostly though, it makes for a good story. Borders aside, here's a small collection of what I love most about Ireland and why it has a special place in my heart.

• CASTLES. LET'S START WITH CASTLES. If you live in Ireland, chances are you live roughly 15 minutes away from either a castle, a manor, ruins, or a historical building that is unfairly beautiful and yet, nobody bats an eye.
• That the Northern most point/county of Ireland is actually politically a part of the Republic of Ireland making it a part of 'The South'. The northern most place is in the south-- WHAT. (County Donegal, here's a crude map)
• FATHER FREAKING TED.
  
• Tea, tea and more tea. Tea as a social engagement tool, tea as encouragement, tea as reassurance, tea as the completion of breakfast, tea as an event, tea as a good morning hug and a goodnight kiss, tea with Mr. Kipling viennese whirls, just tea.
• Arriving at George Best airport and being greeted by Samson and Goliath, the amazing bright yellow cranes that built the Titanic. Also just realising that yes, the Titanic was built in Belfast! (As many Irish people like to say, the Titanic was fine when it left Belfast for Liverpool :P).
• Craic. Who doesn't love craic? Pronounced 'crack' it's basically a slang term for banter, or fun. People will frequently ask each other 'What's the craic'"as a 'How's it going?' kind of sentiment.
• A full Irish fry: eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, pudding (occasionally), tea and of course, fresh soda bread (although in all honesty I prefer potato bread.) Sometimes also includes mushrooms and a fried tomato.
  
• Literature. Ireland has produced so many great writers: Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, C.S. Lewis, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, Bram Stoker, Jonathan Swift. Honestly, the list goes on. You will never run out of wondrous things to read.
• THE SERIOUS NATURAL BEAUTY AND HISTORY. Have you ever taken a flight over Ireland? It is gorgeously green and it is amazing to see how many beautiful things nature has put on that tiny island. Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, Slieve League, Giant's Causeway, Lough Corrib, Dingle, Connemara in general...

And while I meant to post this around St. Patrick's Day (whoops!) I'm sure the sentiment still stands: Ireland is wild and wily but so incredibly wondrous. And I love it.