Why does Ireland go by counties instead of provinces/states?

Question

jus wonderin.........

Answer 1

We've got 32 counties and they are divided into 4 provinces; Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connaught!

=]

Answer 2

Different countries have different names for areas. Some have boroughs, others have states.

Ireland has 4 provinces and 26 counties/32 counties (Take your pick)

26 counties  = Ireland

6 counties = Northern Ireland

32 counties on the island of ireland, so in my opinon there are 32 counties for Ireland.

Why does Ireland go by counties instead of provinces/states? we do have provinces. States... not here, honey.  

Answer 3

Because its smart and cool. States is so immature and naive. State is like state of mind. Not a area of land.  

Answer 4

I think its because of the counties

Answer 5

they want to

Answer 6

Because they want to.

Answer 7

There are 4 provinces in Ireland Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht.

The county and province divisions exist today because of Irish history the different clans, earls etc.  States usually exist in more recently created countries, US, Canada etc.

Answer 8

The earliest records of how the country was divided goes back to the seventh century . Then, Ireland was divided into about 150 units of government called tuatha. These were based on the clan/chieftan system of government.

Ireland was also divided into five provinces, four of which still exist today: Ulster, Leinster, Connacht and Munster. The fifth province, Meath has since been absorbed into Leinster.

In the 12th century, the Normans invaded Ireland under Henry II (the English king). The English divided Ireland up into a system of administration similar to their own based on shires, or counties. These counties were not based on the old clan system, but on the basis of which ones suited the administrators rather than which ones should be put together according to tribal loyalties. Sometimes old kingdoms were split, or rival kingdoms forced together.

It was not until the 16th century that the counties as we recognise them today were drawn up with Co. Wicklow the last to find a place on the maps in the early 17th century. The were used to administer the courts system and later developed into the basis of local government. Although there are 32 counties on the island, there are more local governments than counties, with Tipperary being split into North and South Ridings, Cork having both a County Council and a City Corporation, and with County Dublin being split into Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, and South Dublin.

Nowadays, besides bin collections and planning applications, the most important function of the counties is as the basis for teams in Gaelic games. There are intense rivalries between counties, but its mostly friendly. There are also steroetypes based on counties, like the thick Kerryman and the tight (as in miserly) Cavan man.