<P> The Republic of Ireland have appeared in the finals of the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, in 1990, 1994 and 2002 . They have always advanced from the first round . Ireland has the record for getting furthest in the tournament without winning a match . </P> <P> Their first appearance in the finals was in Italy at the 1990 FIFA World Cup . 1990 was also their best performance in a major championship, where they reached the quarter finals . </P>

How many times have ireland been in the world cup