Unusually, this year, Easter Sunday falls very early on the 23rd of March. Why? Well, it's all to do with the moon! The lunar cycle determines when it falls which is always the first Sunday after the full moon of the Spring Equinox. This year, the full moon falls on the 21st March so Easter Sunday is the following Sunday - the 23rd!

Like many countries, nowadays Easter in Ireland is celebrated with easter holidays, easter eggs and easter bunnies. Easter Sunday is a time for family and friends to get together, attend mass and have a roast dinner. Like most Catholic countries for 40 days before Easter Sunday we have a period called 'Lent' where some people abstain from something they like. On Good Friday, pubs are closed as a mark of respect, but when Easter Sunday comes round, people celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ by attending mass, Lent is over and everyone can head out that night to enjoy themselves as the following day is a Bank Holiday Monday! The Easter bank holiday weekend is a big weekend in the social calender with lots of events taking place all over the country.

Long ago in Ireland, Easter was celebrated in many different ways. On Easter Sunday, people would dance on the streets, people went barefoot on Good Friday and herring processions were held on Easter Saturday.

For some Irish people, Easter has also got another major significance. It's the time when people remember the 1916 Easter Rising. This was the turning point in Irish history when Ireland fought for independence from Britain and became a republic. The uprising mainly took place in Dublin city, so visit the National Museum Collins Barracks, Kilmainham Gaol and the GPO if you want to re-visit and learn more about the 1916 Rising. Some places in Ireland may have a ceremony to commemorate this event.

• FIFA World Cup 2010 - Guide to The Host Cities PART 1 - By : Mairead Foley
  
• Car Hiring Tips for Ireland Tourists - By : CarHire.ie
  
• Christmas Pantos in Dublin - By : Mairead Foley
  
• Dublin City Christmas Events - Toys 4 Big Boys At The RDS - By : Mairead Foley
  
• Rugby Autumn Internationals 2008 at Croke Park - By : Mairead Foley
  
• A guide to Christmas Shopping in Dublin - By : Mairead Foley
  
• Belfast day trip - The Giant's Causeway - By : Mairead Foley
  
• Walking Maroma - By : Alan Liptrot
  
• Spanish Tapas - By : Alan Liptrot
  
• Choosing The Best Holiday In Vale Do Lobo - By : Jonathan L Walker