The Four Fine Provinces of Ireland Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the name of the largest lake in Ireland? It is located in Ulster, the most northerly province.

Answer: Lough Neagh

Not only is Lough Neagh the largest freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and Ireland but also the largest in the British Isles. It has an area of 151 sq miles. To put that into context, it is almost 20 miles in length and 9 miles in width. The lake is also a boundary to five Ulster counties, namely Tyrone, Derry, Antrim, Down and Armagh.

2. In which county in Ulster, that may sound like it has bovine relations, does the River Shannon rise?

Answer: Cavan

The River Shannon rises in the Shannon Pot which can be found in the Cuilcagh Mountain in County Cavan. From here the River Shannon travels south and then west where it flows out into the Atlantic Ocean. As it does so it travels through or between 11 other counties in Ireland and flows through the provinces of Connacht in the west and Munster in the south.

The river's journey ends when it enters the ocean at Limerick.

3. In County Clare we find ourselves standing on top of great cliffs facing out onto the wild Atlantic ocean. What are the names of these famous cliffs?

Answer: Cliffs of Moher

The magnificent Cliffs of Moher are located on the west coast of County Clare. The cliffs overlook the Atlantic Ocean and on a clear day one can see the Aran Islands off in the distance. They rise out of the sea to heights ranging from 120 meters to 240 meters at their highest.

The cliffs are one of the primary tourist locations in Ireland and attract vast numbers of tourists every year.

4. Ireland has a long history of events dating back thousands of years. Our next stop finds us in the County of Mayo in the province of Connacht. We are looking at an archaeological site known as the C�ide Fields. This is a fine example of a stone age settlement and is believed to be one of the oldest in the world. How old are the C�ide Fields said to be?

Answer: 5500 years old

The C�ide Fields which translate to "fields of the flat-topped hill" were discovered in 1930 by a local teacher, Patrick Caulfield when he noticed unusual stone formations. The fields represent evidence of a very early agricultural system developed some 5500 years ago by settlers who arrived in this part of Ireland at the time.

5. Limerick, in the province of Munster, Ireland has a long history of external forces taking over the lands and establishing themselves by building castles. One such force built a castle in Limerick which still stands to this day. What is the name of the castle that history couldn't flush away?

Answer: King John's Castle

King John's Castle rests on the edge of the River Shannon on the outskirts of Limerick city. The castle is believed to have been completed circa 1200AD on the orders of King John, Lord of Ireland. John was an Anglo-Norman ruler from that period. The castle still stands today and has been extremely well preserved, the castle is used as a visitor center where the history of Limerick City and the castle itself is open to all who visit.

6. Ireland being an island has many harbors, bays and a fjord so it may seem inevitable that it can lay claim to having one of the largest natural harbors in the world. This harbor can be found in the province of Munster but in which county might one "put a ____ in it" ?

Answer: Cork

Cork Harbor is a natural harbor found at the mouth of the river Lee. As well as laying claim to being one of the largest natural harbors in the world, Cork Harbor also has many inhabited islands located throughout it. Some of these islands include:
Foto Island (a wildlife park and golf course),
Great Island has a population of 10,000 and was the last port of call for the ill fated RMS Titanic,
Little Island is an industrial and residential area,
Haulbowline Island is the HQ of the Irish Navy and
Spike Island was a former prison.
Those are just a few of the many islands that are to be found on Cork harbor.

7. The province of Leinster, in the east, is made up of 12 counties. One of these counties is called Meath and is known as the "Royal County" as it once was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, but on which mount might one find these Kings?

Answer: Hill of Tara

The Hill of Tara is a significant archaeological area located in County Meath. The River Boyne flows close to this area which is believed to be where the seats of the High Kings of Ireland were held. There are some who believe that the site dates back to the Neolithic Era some 5000 years ago.

8. The capital city Dublin, is located in Leinster. Dublin has many features that attract tourists from all over the world. One of them is a building located in the center of the city and it was the scene of the "Easter Rising" in 1916. This building is commonly known as the G.P.O, but what words do does letters represent?

Answer: General Post Office

The GPO is still an operational post office where people can post letters, send parcels and buy stamps and it is also the HQ of the Irish Postal Service. The GPO was opened to the public in 1818 and it is a fine example of Georgian architecture. During the "Easter Rising" of 1916 the GPO was used as the headquarters for the leaders of the uprising of which Michael Collins was one.

The British Army lay siege to the building during the rising and the facade of the building is still pockmarked with the shells and bullets that were fired.

9. The highest peak in Ireland is Carrantuohill (car-on-two-hill) and it can be found in County Kerry in the province of Munster. Which mountain range contains this peak and reeks of Irishness?

Answer: Macgillycuddy's Reeks

Macgillycuddy's Reeks are found in County Kerry and the mountain range is spread over a 12 mile area. The Reeks include three of the highest peaks in Ireland, namely Carrantuohill, Beenkeragh and Caher which reach heights of 1038 meters, 1010 meters and 1001 meters respectively. Many people travel to climb the Reeks especially Carrantuohill.

10. Ireland is made up of four provinces. Each province is made up of a number of counties. How many counties are there in total between all four provinces?

Answer: 32

In total the island of Ireland is comprised of 32 counties and these are divided into their respective provinces. The breakdown is as follows; Ulster - 9, Connacht - 5, Munster - 6 and Leinster - 12. The largest province in terms of area is Munster with over 24,000 square kilometers of land. The smallest is Connacht with 17,788 square kilometers.

Source: Author dolano

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Ireland has four provinces, namely Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster. These fine geographic and political landscapes have some very interesting features. This is a quiz to test your geographical knowledge of Ireland with a few hints as well.

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