Rhythm, riches and roar of a Celtic tiger

Ireland has capitalized on its cultural heritage like few other countries. For a small place, it has a rich tradition of writers, painters and musicians.

The arts is just some of the reasons why the Emerald Isle has become so popular.

Another cause is its roaring economy. Dubbed the "Celtic Tiger", after the Asian tiger economies, it grew at an astounding pace in the 1990s and last year was ranked the fourth richest country in the world by GDP per capita.

This economic turnaround has made a country famous for its emigration (particularly to the US after the Great Famine of the 1840s) now a magnet for immigrants, especially Americans.

What used to be a racially uniform population is now multicultural.

Instead of relying on agriculture it has become somewhat of a haven for high-end industries, has a booming construction and service sector and generates considerable revenue from tourism.

As such, in 2005 the Economist judged it to be the country with the best quality of life. In recent years house prices have skyrocketed. And, as anyone who has been there will tell you, the Republic of Ireland's capital, Dublin, is one of the friendliest cities in the world.

It was not always thus. The Irish isle was under the yoke of the English for centuries and even now is a divided country, with 1.75 million people in Northern Ireland and about 4.34 million in the Republic.

In the 1960s, up until the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, there was, effectively, a low-level war being waged.

News about Ireland was invariably negative and related to bombing campaigns and other "terrorist" outrages by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), countered by similar attacks from Loyalist paramilitary groups sympathetic to a continued UK presence on the island.

Currently, there is a power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland between the two sides that has kept the peace, despite being derailed and put back on track last year.

Devolution of further powers and "full normality" have been tabled and are being argued about as you read.

After "The Troubles", the good times have arrived. Peace reigns.

On the music front, Ireland rocks with U2 and croons with Westlife. The small isle is a literary giant, with four Nobel prize winners; and is renowned for its traditional and modern dances.

It has a strong tradition of producing great scientists and thinkers.

It's the home of horse breeding, fine fishing and is a decidedly sporty country, as its rugby, soccer and boxing fans will loudly testify.

It's a wonderful place to rent a car and tour, stay in a traditional castle or at one of the many bed and breakfasts dotted across the island.

The land is relatively flat and perfect for cycling (if you don't mind a little rain), hiking and exploring the coastline.

There's plenty of history, hundreds of festivals and fine cuisine. Best of all is a laid-back atmosphere that makes it easy to enjoy, as a resident, holidaymaker or student.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Ireland and China were established in June 1979 and it has resident embassies in Beijing and Shanghai.

There are increasing economic ties and micro development projects in China sponsored by the Republic of Ireland through non-governmental organizations.

Jules Quartly

(China Daily 03/14/2008 page19)