CIRA, Continuity Army Council, Continuity Irish Republican Army - a terrorist organization formed in Ireland in 1994 as a clandestine armed wing of Sinn Fein

Catholic Reaction Force, INLA, Irish National Liberation Army, People's Liberation Army, People's Republican Army - a radical terrorist group dedicated to the removal of British forces from Northern Ireland and the unification of Ireland

IRA, Irish Republican Army, Provisional IRA, Provisional Irish Republican Army, Provos - a militant organization of Irish nationalists who used terrorism and guerilla warfare in an effort to drive British forces from Northern Ireland and achieve a united independent Ireland

Dissident Irish Republican Army, Real IRA, Real Irish Republican Army, RIRA - a radical terrorist group that broke away in 1997 when the mainstream Provisional IRA proposed a cease-fire; has continued terrorist activities in opposition to any peace agreement

British Commonwealth, Commonwealth of Nations - an association of nations consisting of the United Kingdom and its dependencies and many former British colonies that are now sovereign states but owe allegiance to the British Crown

Common Market, EC, EEC, European Community, European Economic Community, European Union, EU, Europe - an international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members; "he took Britain into Europe"

European country, European nation - countries occupying the European continent

Emerald Isle, Hibernia, Ireland - an island comprising the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

capital of Ireland, Dublin, Irish capital - capital and largest city and major port of the Irish Free State

Cork - a port city in southern Ireland

Galway - a port city in western Ireland on Galway Bay

Limerick - port city in southwestern Ireland

Tara - a village in eastern Ireland (northwest of Dublin); seat of Irish kings until 6th century

Waterford - a port city in southern Ireland; famous for glass industry

Europe - the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use `Europe' to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles

battle of Boyne, Boyne - a battle in the War of the Grand Alliance in Ireland in 1690; William III defeated the deposed James II and so ended the Catholicism that had been reintroduced in England by the Stuarts

Drogheda - in 1649 the place was captured by Oliver Cromwell, who massacred the Catholic inhabitants

water spaniel - any dog of two large curly-coated breeds used for hunting waterfowl

shillalah, shillelagh - a cudgel made of hardwood (usually oak or blackthorn)

patronymic - a name derived with an affix (such as -son in English or O'- in Irish) from the name of your father or a paternal ancestor

Irish Gaelic, Irish - the Celtic language of Ireland

keen - a funeral lament sung with loud wailing

ceilidh - an informal social gathering at which there is Scottish or Irish folk music and singing and folk dancing and story telling

barmbrack - a rich currant cake or bun

Aran Islands - three small islands belonging to Ireland at the entrance to Galway Bay

British Isles - Great Britain and Ireland and adjacent islands in the north Atlantic

Northern Ireland - a division of the United Kingdom located on the northern part of the island of Ireland

Eire, Ireland, Irish Free State - a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921

ben - a mountain or tall hill; "they were climbing the ben"

island - a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

Ana - mother of the ancient Irish gods; sometimes identified with Danu

Aengus, Angus, Angus Og, Oengus - Celtic god of love and beauty; patron deity of young men and women

Boann - Celtic goddess; mother of Angus Og

Brigit - Celtic goddess of fire and fertility and agriculture and household arts and wisdom; later associated with Saint Bridget

Dagda - chief Celtic god of the Tuatha De Danann; father of Angus Og and Brigit

Dana, Danu - Celtic goddess who was the mother of the Tuatha De Danann; identified with the Welsh Don

Fomor, Fomorian - one of a group of Celtic sea demons sometimes associated with the hostile power of nature

Gwydion - Celtic sky god; a magician; giver of arts and civilization

Ler, Lir - the sea personified; father of Manannan; corresponds to Welsh Llyr

Lug, Lugh - ancient Celtic god

Manannan - Celtic god of the sea; son of Ler

Morrigan, Morrigu - Celtic war goddess

Tuatha De, Tuatha De Danann - race of Celtic gods or demigods; ruled Ireland in the Golden Age

banshee - (Irish folklore) a female spirit who wails to warn of impending death

Irelander, Irish person - a native or inhabitant of Ireland

Irishman - a man who is a native or inhabitant of Ireland

Irishwoman - a woman who is a native or inhabitant of Ireland

macushla - (an Irish term of address expressing affection) darling

O'Toole, Peter O'Toole, Peter Seamus O'Toole - British actor (born in Ireland in 1932)