Ireland is divided into to two separate countries (Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). They contain the four historical provinces of Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connaught, which are further divided into a total of 32 counties.

Historically there were probably more than four provinces; the Irish word for the provinces is cóiceda, which means fifths. Nowadays however, when people talk about the Irish provinces, they just mean Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connaught.