Ireland

[jferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 43338

Anna Maria:"So the two teams playing in the World Cup final are 
Ireland and Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Minister for Magic is in the top 
box with Fudge. There's no mention of the Irish Minister. 
Seamus, and presumably other Irish students, attend Hogwarts, in 
Britain. Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales all have their own 
national Quidditch teams. Yet students from at least three of these 
places..."

Excellent point, and there's no explanation I know of. Did the Irish 
wizards have more in common with their fellow wizards in other parts 
of the Isles than with their strife-torn Muggle neighbors? The idea 
is attractive, anyway.

We didn't meet the Irish Minister of Magic, but that's not absolute 
proof he wasn't there. Doesn't look like it, though.

Anna Maria:"...(are there Welsh students? I haven't noticed any)" 

Are you kidding? No Welsh wizards? No wizards from the land of 
Merlin? it would be a better question if there were any Muggles there.
All kidding aside, there's a school of thought that Godric's Hollow 
may be in Wales, based on Hagrid describing baby Harry falling to 
sleep "over Bristol" on the way to Surrey. I've never pulled out a 
map to check it myself. And many think Godric Gryffindor was Welsh.