Frommer's Ireland 2006
Chapter One
The Best of Ireland
At first glance, Ireland presents a familiar face to American visitors. The language is
the same, only more lyrical, the faces are familiar, the food recognizable, even the stout
well known. Many visitors, notably Irish Americans, experience it as a kind of homecoming.
It takes a while for this superficial impression to wear off, but it will, because
this is a unique country in its own right, a fact that becomes clearer the longer you
stay here. The impenetrable Gaelic language is increasingly prevalent, and in some
counties road signs are predominately in Gaelic. This creates a kind of distance, a feeling
of foreignness, that it seems many Irish do not mind cultivating. These are a proud
people and, in part because of the success of the powerful Irish tourism industry,
increasingly possessive of their nation. They know how many people come here from
other lands and feel a sort of ownership here-because of family backgrounds, and the
familiarity of last names-and while they are sympathetic, they will quickly remind
you that this is their< ... read full excerpt from Frommer's Ireland 2006 ebook
