Irelandisindeedagreencountry-somuchrainfallmusthaveitsbenefits-andthepeoplearejustifiablyrenownedfortheirfriendliness.Asforthegeniuses,well,theIrishwillproudlypointtotheirfourNobelLaureatesforLiteratureanddeclarethatthesuccessrateisunmatchedinanyothercountryofitssize,allthewhileensuringthatthesacred'round'system(whereeveryonebuysadrinkforeveryoneelseinturn)isstrictlyadheredto.

　　YetIreland'scharmsrunfardeeperthanthelegendarycraicofthepubortheaccomplishmentsofabunchof(mostly)deadwriters.Ithasaremarkablehistorythatiswovenintovirtuallyeverything,fromtheprehistoricstonemonumentsoftheBoyneValleytothemonumentshonouringitsfallenpatriots,menandwomenwhodaredchallengetheimperiousmightofitslongtimeoccupierandcontemporaryfriend,Britain.

　　Ithasavibrantanddynamiccapital,Dublin,whichhasspearheadedastunningperiodofeconomicgrowththathasseenthecountrytransformedfromruralbackwatertotheenvyofEurope.Asaresult,theIrishhavegrowninworldlinessthatcontinuestopropelthemtogreaterheightsofachievement.Eventhethorniestissueofall-NorthernIreland-hasseenakindofresolutionandIrelandlookstothefuturewithuntrammelledconfidence.