Cari 8,457 Hotel Terbaik di Ireland

Ireland is an island located on the North Atlantic. It is the second largest island on the British Isles and the third largest in Europe. The country is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea and the St George's Channel. Ireland occupies five-sixths of the westernmost of the island it is on. The remaining one-sixth is actually another country and part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland. Ireland or its official name, the Republic of Ireland, is not in any way a part of the United Kingdom, but it is in the British Isles.

The island was actually part of continental Europe during the last glacial period. Ireland was periodically covered in ice and the sea levels were lowered. By the 16,000 BC, with the increase in sea level from the melting of the ice, Ireland slowly got separated from Great Britain. Great Britain followed suit and got separated from continental Europe by 6000 BC. Ireland has had its first human presence in 10,500 years ago based on the pieces of evidence that were found. The habitation of human started in 8000 BC based on the evidence of Mesolithic communities around the island. These communities lived as hunter-gatherers until 4000 BC.

The Gaelic Ireland emerged in the 1st AD, bringing together Gaelic political and social order, together with associated cultures related to the Gaels, an ethnolinguistic group that was native to northwestern Europe. The Gaelic Ireland was already there on the island since the prehistoric era and stayed until the early 17th century. During this era, people of the area speak in the Gaelic languages, a branch of the Celtic languages The Gaelic language and culture are all originated in Ireland and extended to the west of Scotland. Most of the time during the history, Gaelic Ireland was a ‘patchwork.' Lands and areas were ruled by a hierarchy of kings and chiefs that were elected through the tanistry, the Gaelic system for passing the titles and lands. High King of Ireland was the acknowledgement for a powerful ruler.

In the 9th century, the Vikings raided Ireland's coasts and waterways. The Vikings also made settlements and became the first large towns on the island. These settlers assimilated with the locals and they became the Norse-Gaels over time. In the early 12th century, the Normans (people from France) began invading Ireland, from 1169 – 71. This became the turning point on Ireland as it was now under the power of the King of England. Ireland was known as the Lordship of Ireland, and it was the name for the whole island through the Normans did not fully conquer the island. There were still areas and lands that were fully under the Gaelic Ireland such the Munster at the south and the Ui Neill at the north of the island.  In 1542, the king of England, King Henry VII, declared the Lordship as a Kingdom and him as the King of Ireland. England then began to reconquer Ireland. In 1607, Ireland was fully under English control and with it, came the end for the old Gaelic political and social order.

In 1801, the Acts of Union had made Ireland to be a part of the United Kingdom. In the early 20th century, a war of independence erupted between the Irish Republican Army and the British security forces. The war was followed by the partition of the island that created the Irish Free State, an independent country, and the Northern Ireland that remained in Great Britain. The Irish Free State had increasingly become sovereign over the years. There was a subsequent Irish Civil War that happened after the independence; between the new government of the Irish Free State and those who opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty that had brought the independence to the free state. The civil war was officially ended in May 1923 with an order of ceased fire was issued.

In 1949, the state was officially declared as the Republic of Ireland.

Today, the Republic of Ireland is a parliamentary democracy that based on the British model, with a written constitution and an elected president. The head of the government is a prime minister that is appointed by the president. Ireland has its capital in Dublin which happens to be its largest city.

The Republic guarantees freedom of religion. Most of the Irish people is a Roman Catholic, followed by the Anglican and atheists. There are increasing in the numbers of Hindus and Muslims populations in the country, mostly due to the immigration of people.

How to Get There?

By Flights

A flight to Dublin is the easiest way to travel to Ireland. The price starts from around RM 2500 for a one-way ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Dublin, Ireland. There are no direct flights from Kuala Lumpur. Most flights will have a layover in London, or Dubai or some other countries nearby. The total flying time from Kuala Lumpur to Dublin, excluding the layover time, is around 15 hours and thirty minutes.

A Malaysian passport holder does not require a visa to enter Ireland as a tourist and stay for less than 90 days. For those who wish to work, study or stay longer than 3 months, a visa is required. Price for the visa varies depending on the type of visa required.

What to Do There?

The Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are sea cliffs that are located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. These cliffs are about 14 kilometres long with their southern end, at the Hag's Head, is about 120 meters above the Atlantic Ocean while the northern end is about 214 meters. These cliffs are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland, and it had around 1.5 million visitors per annum. The cliffs have formed a part of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark, which belongs in the family of tourism destinations throughout Europe that are a member of the European Geoparks Network. The Cliffs of Moher are also recognized by the UNESCO. The cliffs are a ‘signature point' on the official Wild Atlantic Way, a tourism trail on Ireland that passes through nine counties and three provinces. The Cliffs of Moher have multiple access points and there are an 18 kilometres Cliff Walk. There is also an official visitor centre that was built into the hillside approaching the cliffs. The centre was built with renewable energy systems to prevent any significant damages to the area. The Cliffs of Moher are located about three hours away, on the west coast of Ireland.

Skellig Michael

Skellig Michael is a twin-pinnacled steep, rugged mass of rock or crag on the Atlantic coast, eleven kilometres west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. It has a twin island, known as the Little Skellig but it is closed to the public. The Skellig Michael is a popular tourist spot during the summer months from May to October. Every year, boat licenses are granted to tour operators to bring tourists to the mountain of rocks. The tour and visit to the Skellig Michael usually run for about six hours. Despite safety challenges, the Skellig Michael is popular and has an increasing number of visitors. Visitors to the Skellig Mountains are strongly recommended to prepare themselves before getting on the boat fully, and this includes wearing waterproof clothing, bring snacks and water and even changes of clothes. Diving around the rock is permitted during summer time.

Where to Stay?

Ballsbridge Hotel

The Ballsbridge Hotel is located in the middle of the Dublin city. They have quite a number of rooms, with prices ranging from RM 660 up to RM 945 a night. All of the rooms include free Wi-Fi connection. None of the rooms has an air conditioner as it is always cool in Dublin. Guests, however, may request a tabletop fan if feeling too stuffy inside their room. Some of the rooms have already included a breakfast service and they typically serve an English breakfast. The hotel restaurant does not open 24 hours, so make sure to dine on time.

The Louis Fitzgerald Hotel

This hotel is located on the south side of the Dublin city, some 12 kilometres away from the city centre. It has five types of room, ranging from RM 455 up to RM 868 a night. The hotel offers a lower room rate compared to the ones in the city centre. All of the rooms in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel has a free Wi-Fi connection. Some of the room prices already include the breakfast service. The breakfast menu is almost the same as any other hotels in the British Isles, serving English breakfast. The rooms in the hotel do not have an air conditioner but the guests may request to have a fan. The hotel has a huge parking space that is free for the guest to use. The location of the hotel is near to a tram terminal thus it is easy to move around if one depends on the public transportation.