The Republic of Ireland occupies 70,282 sq. km. of the island of Ireland which has a total area of 84,421 sq. km. It is located in the extreme north-west of the European continent lying between 51° and 55° north latitude and 5° and 10° west longitude.
Locked in by the turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean, which wash its northern, southern and western shores, its geography and history have been shaped by contacts with its eastern neighbour, the United Kingdom, across the narrow passage of the Irish Sea.

Subject to successive invasions, from Norse in the ninth century, Anglo-Norman in the twelfth and New English from 1500 onwards, the island remained but partly assimilated to Britain until its final conquest in the seventeenth century. At this time large-scale immigration, mainly of English and Scots settlers, though countrywide were more focussed on the northern part of the island. In the wake of the Reformation, these peoples were more likely to be adherents of the Anglican and Presbyterian faiths. Ethnic and religious differentiation was henceforth to characterise the geography of Ireland.

Partition was facilitated by the existence of a regional or county system of local government which had evolved in piecemeal fashion since the twelfth century. Counties were based on the British system of shire government and they fulfilled devolved administrative functions in respect of justice, health, taxation and general infrastructure. They had a gradual evolution and followed in the wake of conquest. Dublin was a shire by the 1190s but the last county, Wicklow, was not created until 1606.
Because they were forged for political purposes over a long time period, counties are most unequal in respect of scale and population. The largest counties such as Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry and Cork lie astride the Atlantic whereas Dublin and Louth on the east coast are much smaller but, because of geography and history, have substantially large populations. County towns helped fashion a network of central places throughout the country and these have become regional powerhouses of modern economic development.

National Heritage Week 2011
Dublin City
28 August
There are hundreds of events taking place throughout the country during National Heritage Week. Each year many national and hundreds of local community organisations participate, by organising events throughout the country. There is something to appeal to almost everyone and the main aim is to build awareness of our built, natural and cultural heritage. There is something taking place in every county and most activities are free of charge, or offer great value for money. Everyone is encouraged to get involved and activities range from guided tours and lectures, to music recitals, historical re - enactments, art exhibitions and craft demonstrations. Many heritage sites and stately homes will offer free admission or special concessions. Heritage Week is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union. In Ireland, Heritage Week is co -ordinated by the Heritage Council, in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.