According to one legend, Ireland takes its name from the Gaelic Eire, derived from Eriu, the daughter of the Mother Goddess Ernmas of the mystical Tuatha De Danaan and, for anyone who has spent any time there, this seems fitting in explaining the enchanting beauty of the land.
This image gallery celebrates that natural beauty, as well as the island’s rich history, in the spirit of the line attributed to the Anglo-Irish folklorist and dramatist Lady Gregory (l. 1852-1932): "I feel more and more the time wasted that is not spent in Ireland."