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Difference between revisions of "Britain and Ireland"

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Europe : Britain and Ireland
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==Other destinations==
==Other destinations==

Revision as of 18:05, 12 July 2009




Britain, Ireland, and surrounding islands
United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
Republic of Ireland

Other Destinations

Isle of Man
Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey)


Other destinations


This region consists of two major political entities Ireland [1] and the United Kingdom [2]. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are dependencies of, but not part of, the United Kingdom.

Until 1922, Ireland was in fact part of United Kingdom. There are several distinct cultures in this island group; however, there remain certain cultrual similarities between them (for example, the English language is universally understood).

Many of the geographic names have different meanings depending on the context. For example, Ireland in legal terms relates to the country Ireland and not the geographical concept of the Island of Ireland. Similarly, Great Britain sometimes is understood to mean the largest island in the British and Irish Islands but sometimes is understood to include certain other Islands, which are part of England, Scotland, or Wales such as Lundy, Harris, or Anglesey.



English is spoken to a native standard by all but a tiny small minority of inhabitants of the British and Irish Isles. English is also the first language of the majority of inhabitants of the archipelago. However, several millions of people speak languages other than English as their first language. Indeed, it may surprise some visitors (from within as well as outside of the islands) that in some small pockets, English is the first language of only a minority of speakers.

When the relatively small area compared with other English speaking areas is considered, there are considerable variations in accent and dialect in spoken English throughout these Islands although by and large this should provide no major obstactle to visitors with reasonable fluency in English. There are, however, dialects of English in certain parts of the Island group that can be said to form distinct languages such as "Scots" and "Ulster Scots".

The indigenous languages of the islands are generally of Celtic Origin. Welsh is the most widely spoken of these, and, in some Western parts of Wales, it remains the majority language. Irish, Manx, and Scottish Gaelic are also spoken, and while closely related and sharing much of the same base vocabulary, these Gaelic languages are under normal circumstances not mutually intelligible. There are attempts to revive the Cornish language.

In the Channel Islands, there are small numbers of Norman French speakers.

Most official signage is mono-lingual in English, and even where it is multi-lingual, one of the languages will always be English. However in Wales and Ireland, signage is almost always billingual. Billingual singage is not unknown in certain other pockets, such as parts of Scotland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

In recent decades, immigration from farther afield has seen a number of other linguistic communities establish themselves throughout the islands, mainly, but not exclusively, in urban England.

Get in


Immigration and visa requirements

There are five separate jurisdictions with their own immigration rules in this region. Therefore, travellers may wish to check the requirments for the territories in which they wish to travel on the appropriate pages. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands have their own immigration rules, which are not exactly the same as the United Kingdom itself. Those concern mainly of long-term residency and are probably not important for the average tourist. Despite there being different rules in the different territories, there is considerable co-operation and co-ordination among the various authorities in this region which means that the British and Irish Isles comprise a Common Travel Area, which helps the vast majority of travelers enjoy hassle free travel when crossing borders within the Region.

By plane

There are direct flights from somewhere outside the British and Irish Islands to every constituent part of this region except to the Isle of Man.

The largest port of entry to this region is London Heathrow Airport. Situated 15 miles west of Central London, Heathrow offers a large choice of international destinations, with direct flights to most countries in the world. Many onward air connections within the region are possible. Coach connections to other places in mainland Great Britain are generally good. Rail connections from Heathrow to London are good; however, there being no direct services to other parts of Great Britain, a change of train will be necessary in London or possibly at Reading Station, which is served by a regular shuttle coach.

Heathrow's location in the far South East of the region means that many travellers to many other parts of these islands may be better off getting a direct flight to the specific part of the Region in which they are interested. However, from some parts of the world Heathrow, may be the only realistic option, to get into the region, and then further arrangements for onward travel would then be required.

Other airports such as Birmingham, Dublin, Gatwick, Glasgow, Manchester, and Shannon are served by a number of long haul as well as European cities.

There are many other airports where a traveller can enter this region: from some longhaul cities and many European cities; further information is available on the pages about the specific country, or part of the country.

Get around

The Common Travel Area

The United Kingdom, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands maintain a common travel area, somewhat akin to the Schengen Area on continental Europe. Broadly speaking. crossing the borders within the British and Irish Isles is very simple compared with most other international borders.

Ireland and the United Kingdom have been separate countries for many decades. but for the most part both have found it beneficial to maintain relatively open borders. However, because of the way it has developed over the years, the Common Travel Area arrangment is not as formalised as other similar arrangments (such as the Schengen Area), and so the exact rules can be quite complex for some third country nationals.

  • Nationals of a "Common Travel Area" country can travel to any of the others without a passport but can be asked to provide identity documents.
  • Citizens of the European Economic Area have the right to travel between the two countries and they require a national ID card or a passport.
  • Visitors from other countries that do not require a visa and have been checked through immigration in one part of the area (e.g. England) would not normally have to go through immigration procedures when continuing a journey to another part of the Area (e.g. Ireland) but must carry a valid passport.
  • Visitors from a country needing a Visa to enter one Common Travel Area Country will need to apply for a Visa to enter the other. Whilst both countries have very similar Visa rules, it is important to remember that unlike the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom and Ireland maintain separate Visa systems.

In general, if you have a passport or EU national identification card, you can avoid any hassles by carrying it, and using it for identification. Also check the identification requirements of any airline or ferry you may be taking.


The Pound Sterling is the currency of the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies. The Euro is the currency of the Republic of Ireland. With very limited exceptions, neither currency is accepted outside their territories within this region. Travellers should therefore be aware to have Sterling and or Euro as appropriate to their travel plans.

United Kindom and Crown Dependencies

Sterling is the local currency. Euro is accepted in certain border areas; for example, near the land border with the Republic of Ireland or in certain businesses near ferry terminals serving Ireland.


In the United Kingdom, most banknotes are produced by the Bank of England. In Scotland and in Northern Ireland, the various banks produce their banknotes too. Each Crown Dependency government produces its own banknotes for local circulation.

In England and Wales, Bank of England notes are the only ones which commonly circulate, and a visitor is unlikely to see any other variety of banknotes. Scottish banknotes are almost universally accepted by large retailers and are generally by smaller ones too. Roughly speaking, the closer to Scotland, the more readily they are accepted, perhaps due to more familiarity with them. Scottish notes are extremely rarely given in change although it is not completely unknown for Scottish £5 notes to be offered and accepted as an alternative to coins as change due to a the shortage of bank of England £5 notes. Northern Ireland notes are generally accepted in large retailers but are even rarer to see than Scottish notes. Northern Irish, Scottish, and Crown Dependency notes can be exchanged for Bank of England notes for free in banks.

In Scotland, most circulating notes are produced by the local banks. Bank of England notes also circulate freely. Northern Ireland notes are generally accepted by most retailers. Northern Ireland notes can be exchanged for mainland notes for free in banks. Crown Dependency notes can be exchanged for local notes for free in banks.

In Northern Ireland, most circulating notes are produced by the local banks. Bank of England notes also circulate freely. Scottish notes are generally accepted by most retailers. Scottish notes can be exchanged for Northern Irish notes for free in banks. Crown Dependency notes can be exchanged for local notes for free in banks. Travellers should be aware, however that notes produced by Northern Irish banks are still Sterling and so are not valid for circulation in the Republic of Ireland, where the local currency is the Euro.

In the Crown Dependencies, notes generally circulate only in each dependency. Bank of England notes also circulate. Scottish and Northern Irish notes may be accepted.

An overseas traveller with non Bank of England Sterling bank notes would be well advised to change them for Bank of England notes before leaving the UK or Dependent territory since these notes may well be unfamiliar overseas. The obvious exception to that, Northern Ireland notes, will be familar in the republic and can be changed for Euro there: that may be worthwhile if a traveller does not intend to cross back to the UK.


United Kingdom Coins follow standard designs, so in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and circulate freely throughout the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies, and the other Dependent territories that use Sterling.

Coins from the Crown Dependencies and the other Overseas territories, (e.g. Falkland Islands, Gibraltar etc) have their own designs and commonly circulate only in their respecitve territory. Otherwise, they conform to the same wieght and other specifications to mainland UK coins. They may occasionally be seen in circulation outside these territories including in the United Kigdom and for the most part circulate freely, although the occasional eagle eyed retailer or customer may decline them. Banks will exchange them if need be, but that usually is unecessary. If the worst comes to the worst, vending machines, parking meters, and such like have not been known to object to non-Mainland coins!

Republic of Ireland

Only the Euro is legal tender. Sterling may be accepted in certain border locations, for example in ferry ports or near the Northern Ireland land border.


Euro notes have a standard design throughout the Eurozone, which includes Ireland.


Euro Coins have a side that is common throughout the whole zone, and another side with a national symbol. However, all coins are valid throughout the Eurozone. Since Ireland has no land borders with any other part of the Eurozone, other than at more "internationalised" locations, such as airports, it is speculated that Ireland has proportionately less "foreign" Euro coins in circulation than most other Eurozone countries. That is more a point of interest rather than practicial concern there are no known difficulties in using non Irish Euro coins.





The game of golf as we understand it developed in this region, specifically in Scotland. The British and Irish Isles, despite a stronge challenge from Iberia in recent decades, remains the Europe's most important region for the sport. Indeed, it can make a strong arguement to be the world's main golfing destination.

Whilst Scotland is considered the home of golf and remains a major worldwide golfing destination in its own right, the Scots' Celtic cousins, in Ireland and more recently Wales, are clearly challenging for pre-eminence as premier golfing destinations, both having well established courses and having invested heavily in new courses too. Indeed, Ireland has recently hosted, and Wales is about to host, the 2010 Ryder Cup. England, as the largest country in the region, has the largest number of courses,and so clearly should not be overlooked as a golfing destination either even if its Celtic neighbours hit above their weight.

There are unsurprisingly many top class golf courses in all of the major countries of the region as well as good quality courses to suit more modest pockets.



The Pub

The "Pub" concept has its origins in the British and Irish Islands. They are premises licenced for the sale of alcoholic drinks for consumption on and off the premises. The pub concept is distinct from the broader concept of a "bar". There are similarities shared by "pubs" throughtout the British and Irish Isles not shared with other sorts of drinking establishments elsewhere: the Irish Pub experience can be very distinct from the pub experience of elsewhere in these Islands.

Whisky (Whiskey)

Distilled spirits have been drunk on these islands for millennia. Whisky (or Whiskey in Ireland) is produced predominantly in Ireland and Scotland. There are, however, also Welsh and English Whiskies, too.

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