Ireland has never been invaded by Rome. The Romans called it Hibernia and decided, after eyeing it from Britain, that it probably wasn’t worth the bother. As a result, Ireland is one of the only places in Western Europe with an unbroken pre-Roman culture.

Ireland was the first country in the world to ban smoking in the workplace – including pubs. In 2004, years ahead of anywhere else, Ireland made every indoor workplace smoke-free. The publicans screamed that it would destroy business. Within a year, pub revenues had actually risen.

Cork harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world. Only Sydney Harbour is larger. It is so vast that the entire British naval fleet anchored there during the Napoleonic Wars. Most people driving through Cobh have absolutely no idea they’re sitting beside one of the great natural wonders of maritime geography.

Some of Europe’s best surfing destinations are in Ireland, because of the rugged coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. No wonder one of the biggest surfed waves in Ireland was nearly 60 feet tall, just off the town of Mullaghmore, the west coast facing the wild Atlantic.

It’s estimated that there are 30,000 castles and ruins in Ireland. While Blarney Castle and Bunratty Castle are among the most famous, you can see literally thousands more. This staggering number is likely the result of Ireland’s tumultuous history of conquest and unrest.