Ireland [antikvár]

Introduction Ireland really is the Emerald Isle. This is a fascinating and verdant country, where the passage of time is marlced by the hooves of a horse trotting along a winding road, and where the changeable and capricious sky forms a splendid backdrop to the gently sloping, velvety hills and green pastures dotted with grazing animals. On this island at the extreme western end of Europe, the colours of nattire have a particular intensity: the sliades of green - the predoniinant colour - are ever-changing, while the blues, filtering through whirling puffs of clouds, are soft pastels over the crests of the hills, or clearer hues in the beautiful contrast between the steep coastal cliffs and the foaming ocean. The Atlantic climate does not offer great extremes of hot and cold and the climate is generally mild, albeit wet. Along the Adantic coast, in the period between December and March, the average monthly temperature is 44°F, while, in the east, it is slighdy lower, at around 42°F. Thus, in sheltered valleys, such as those around Killarney, there is a rich evergreen vegetation which includes laurels, rhododendrons, the Mediterranean arbutus, oak, holly and other deciduous trees. In December and January, sheltered gardens in Dublin ofiien still have an abundance of blooms. In any case, be it because of the dark threatening clouds or ±e veil of mist on the horizon, the weather is an integral part of the beauty of the Irish landscape. The glaciers of the quaternary period were principally responsible for the morphology of the island with raised coasts overlooking the sea and "mountains" which are seldom more than 2000 feet high. The highest point in the island is Carrantuohill in the range known as Macgillycuddy's Reeks, in Kerry, which reaches a height of 3,414 feet. In the west, the island has no defences against the wind blowing in from the Atlantic and causes much damage to standing crops, especially when accompanied by heavy rains. In the east, the large, inner plain facing the Irish Sea is like a natiu-al gateway to nearby Great Britain. The life of ±is people of stock-raisers and farmers is deeply rooted in the green pasmres, desolate bogs, and uncultivated heath