Fáilte! Welcome to the “Emerald Isle”—Ireland, an island nation in the North Atlantic famous for its rolling green hills, ancient folklore, and warm literary soul. There are around 5 million people living in the Republic, and the capital is Dublin, a city of Viking origins that is now a global hub for tech and literature. The official languages are Irish (Gaeilge) and English, and while everyone speaks English, you will see Irish on every road sign in the country.

Ireland covers about 70,273 square kilometers (27,133 square miles). This is roughly the same size as the state of West Virginia in the U.S., or approximately the same size as Sri Lanka. Its famously lush green landscape is the result of frequent rain and a mild climate influenced by the Gulf Stream.

The most popular sports are the traditional Gaelic games, specifically Gaelic Football and Hurling, the latter of which is one of the fastest field sports in the world and dates back over 3,000 years. Their national animal is the Irish Hare, though the Red Deer is also a major symbol of the Irish wilderness.

The flag consists of three vertical stripes of green, white, and orange, where the green represents the Gaelic tradition, the orange represents the followers of William of Orange, and the white symbolizes the hope for a lasting peace between them.

The food is comforting, hearty, and increasingly world-class. You must try a traditional Irish Stew made with lamb and root vegetables, or Boxty, which is a unique Irish potato pancake. Because it is an island, the Seafood—especially the oysters and smoked salmon—is incredible. And of course, no visit is complete without a loaf of Soda Bread or a pint of Guinness, which has been brewed in Dublin since 1759.

Ireland is home to Newgrange, a prehistoric passage tomb older than both Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids; at the winter solstice, a beam of light perfectly illuminates the inner chamber. The country is famous for its dramatic coastline, featuring the Cliffs of Moher, which rise 214 meters (702 feet) above the Atlantic Ocean. Ireland has also produced an astonishing number of world-renowned writers, including Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, and W.B. Yeats, making Dublin a UNESCO City of Literature. If you’re a fan of “Star Wars,” you might recognize Skellig Michael, a jagged, twin-pinnacled crag where monks lived in beehive-shaped stone huts over a thousand years ago.

From the traditional music sessions in the pubs of Galway to the wild landscapes of the Ring of Kerry, Ireland is a land of storytelling and “craic” (fun). Go raibh maith agat! That means “Thank you!”