Some interesting Irish facts, some might just surprise you…..
Some interesting Irish facts, some might just surprise you…..
The tune of the “Star Spangled Banner” was composed by the great blind harper Turlough OCarolan, who died about 35 years before the American revolution.
Brick-throwing between teenagers living in mixed Protestant and Catholic areas in Northern Ireland is still so common - and so pointless - that authorities sometimes refer to it as “recreational rioting.” 
There are now more cell phones in Ireland than people. Oddly, Ireland’s average of 102 phones for every 100 people is lower than the European Union average of 107 phones per 100 people.
The Irish Examiner announced this spring that Irish workers are, on average, losing up to seven years of sleep in their lives because of the time they spend driving to and from work. The three most sleep-deprived professions: 1) doctors, 2) company directors and 3) train drivers. Decide for yourself whether doctors or train-drivers scare you more. 
Ireland has the second highest number of lawyers per capita in the world - after the United States
The Republic of Ireland is about the same size as West Virginia.
The longest place name in Ireland is Muckanaghederdauhaulia, in County Galway. Now, say it after me…….. 
Ill just take the hangover, thanks: One traditional Irish cure for a hangover was to be buried up to the neck in moist river sand.
Medieval laws in Ireland allowed a man to divorce his wife if she damaged his honor through infidelity, thieving or making a mess of everything. 
Couples in Ireland could marry legally on St. Brigid’s Day (February 1st) in Teltown, County Meath, as recently as the 1920s by simply walking towards each other. If the marriage failed, they could “divorce’” by walking away from each other at the same spot, on St. Brigids day the following year. The custom was a holdover from old Irish Brehon laws, which allowed temporary marriage contracts. Wouldnt want to take a wrong turn back then.
The national symbol of Ireland is the Celtic harp, not the shamrock.
Grace O’Malley, known as the “Queen of the Pirates,” commanded a ship with a crew of over 200 men off the west coast of Ireland during the 1500’s. Haaaarrrrr.
The Phrase “by hook or by crook” allegedly comes from a military campaign by English bad guy Oliver Cromwell, who in 1649 planned to attack Waterford by taking ships around Hook Head or marching through the village of Crooke. Some say Richard DeClare, Earl of Pembroke first used the expression to describe his invasion way back in 1170. Cromwell failed, while DeClare succeeded in capturing Waterford.
“Black Irish” people, who have black hair and swarthy skin, are thought to descend from sailors of the Spanish Armada, who came ashore when two of their ships were wrecked off Spanish Point (County Clare) in 1588.
The word “slogan” comes from the Irish sluagh-ghairm, which means “war cry.”
The word “galore” comes from the Irish go leor, which means “enough” or “plenty.”