Records show the use of the Celtic language in Ireland, Scotland and Britain as early as 300 BC. As the Romans pushed north, Celt's began to lose their language and culture in Western Europe as Latin crept into their language. However, Ireland and Scotland were able to stay independent of the Roman influence, allowing their language to continue its development. Due to the influence of Latin in central and southern England, the Celtic language spoken in Ireland emerged as quite different that was spoken in Britain. The Celtic spoken in Ireland came to be know as Q-Celtic because of the heavy use of the Q or C sound in the language. This eventually developed into Gaelic, the ancient language of Ireland.
Today, due to the long domination of the United Kingdom, The Irish speak predominately English; however, Gaelic is being celebrated as Irish citizens search for their roots.
Currency
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have different currencies.The Republic of Ireland chose to join the European Union and adopted the Euro as its currency. Northern Ireland, part of Britain retained the English Pound Sterling. In addition, the banks in Northern Ireland , like Hong Kong, were given the authority to issue their own notes; so, you may come across different variations in the notes.
When crossing between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland you can exchange your money in shops, gas stations, bureaux de change and banks. It is also wise to check the exchange rate when changing money and this can be online or in the daily newspapers.ATM's are available in every town in Ireland and a convenient way of accessing local currency during your stay.
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