Ireland, the land of saints and scholars, known worldwide for its culture, its alcohol consumption,and its myths and legends - including those about fairies and leprechauns - is truly a very interesting place.

People all over claim Irish heritage and family connections. There are Irish pubs everywhere you turn, and Ireland is responsible for much of the world's greatest music and literature. You would imagine that Ireland is possibly the only island of its size to have such a strong connection with so many other countries.

For the extra curious, here are 20 facts about the Emerald Isle.

Ireland Has The Longest-Running Chat Show In The World

The show started in 1965 as the flagship programme for RTE, the national broadcaster. Since its beginnings almost 40 years ago, it has only had 3 different presenters, namely, Gay Byrne, Pat Kenny, and currently Ryan Tubridy, all well-known radio personalities in Ireland today.

Only Nine Percent Of The Irish Are Redheads

Contrary to popular belief, Ireland is not a land filled with red heads which resemble the famed leprechaun. The portion of the population with the famous auburn hair is actually quite small.

There Is One Pub/Bar Per 100 People In Dublin

This one doesn't do anything to help Ireland's reputation, but it is in fact true that in the nation's capital there is a ratio of one pub per 100 people.

Halloween Originated In Ireland

Believe it or not, Halloween actually originated in Ireland. It began with the Celtic druids who used October 31st, known as the feast of Samhain, to signify the end of summer and honour the dead. They lit huge bonfires to keep evil spirits at bay.

Bram Stoker, Author of "Dracula," Was Irish

He was born in Dublin and wrote Dracula while working as a civil servant there.

There Are No snakes In Ireland, But Not Because Of St. Patrick

Legend has it that St. Patrick drove all of the snakes out of Ireland, a myth that is actually untrue. At the time snakes evolved, Ireland was completely submerged under water and is now completely surrounded by water, making it unreachable by snakes. The same is true for New Zealand, Greenland, and many other islands.

St. Patrick Was Not Irish

Although it goes against common belief, St. Patrick was actually born in Britain around 350 CE, and according to most sources now, he was in fact sold into slavery in Ireland after he was kidnapped around the age of 16.

Titanic Was Built In Belfast

The famous liner was built in Belfast in the Harland and Wolff shipyard in the early 1900's and made its doomed maiden voyage in April 1912. One hundred years on, in 2012, the Titanic Experience opened in Belfast to commemorate the tragic event and the ship's humble beginnings.

Hook Lighthouse In Co. Wexford Is The World's Oldest Working Lighthouse

It has kept mariners safe for almost 800 years.

Newgrange, Constructed Over 5,000 Years Ago Is The World's Oldest Solar Observatory, Older Than Stonehenge And The Pyramids

It was build during the new stone age as a passage grave and is surrounded by kerbstones, decorated by the art of the era. What makes it truly amazing is the illumination that takes place in the chamber during winter solstice.

Sean's Bar In Athlone, The Centre Of Ireland, Is The Oldest Pub In Ireland, And Possibly The World

Opened in 900AD as Luain's Inn (the town's name in Irish is Atha Luain), it still retains the old Celtic charm and sits on the bank of the River Shannon.

80 Million People Living Around The World Claim Irish Descent, Including Barack Obama

This means that there are 16 times more people with Irish descent in the world than there are actual Irish people!

The Original Guinness Brewery Has A 9000 Year Lease

In 1759, Arthur Guinness used money left to him in his godfathers will to invest in St. James's Gate brewery in Dublin and signed the historic lease on the 16,000m² property.

The Oscar Statue Was Designed By An Irishman

The iconic statue was designed by Cedric Gibbons, a native of Dublin, in 1928.

Ireland Is The Only Country In The World With An Instrument As Its National Symbol

The harp, along with the shamrock and the Celtic cross, are known worldwide as being distinctly Irish.

In 1800, The Population Of Ireland Was Almost Double That Of The US

However in the 200 years that followed, the US population rose to more than 60 times the Irish population.

An Irish Architect Designed The White House

James Hoban was born in Kilkenny and won a 1792 competition sponsored by President George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who was the Secretary of State at the time. Hoban also supervised its restoration following the fire that destroyed it in 1812.

Grace O'Malley (Nicknamed The Pirate Queen Worldwide) Was Irish

She was born in the west of Ireland in 1530 and is famed for being a fearsome pirate and controlling a large fleet of ships and a vast amount of property.

8x  More Polish Speakers Than Irish Speakers Live In Ireland

The Irish language is a dying part of Irish culture and is now only spoken in certain areas in Ireland, known as the Gaeltacht regions.

Dublin's Rotunda Hospital, Founded in 1745, Is The Longest-Operating Maternity Hospital On Earth

Approximately 300,000 babies have been born there since it first opened its doors.