Ireland ( / ˈaɪərlənd / ; Irish : Éire [ ˈeːɾʲə ] ; Ulster @-@ Scots : Airlann [ ˈɑːrlən ] ) is an island in the North Atlantic . It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel , the Irish Sea , and St George 's Channel . Ireland is the second @-@ largest island of the British Isles , the third @-@ largest in Europe , and the twentieth @-@ largest on Earth .