Irish culture.
Friday, February 19th, 2010
The population of the Republic of Ireland is estimated at 3,621,000 (in 1996). Of those, over 1 million live in the greater Dublin area. Ireland has a young population, with 44% of the population under 25.The Gaelic is National language,English as a second language came to Ireland with the Normans in the 12th century.The 70,000 kilometer squares island just like covered by a huge green carpet,this gives Ireland another name– “Emerald Isle”.Above all were a whole Ireland in my mind before I came here.But now I have a huge different feeling of my second hometown!
Flag–mintmark of a country
Seems green is very popular ,you can find it everywhere in Ireland, but Irish do not like blue white and red mixed together.(the colour of British flag),maybe for history reason.The Irish flag consist of three different colour oblong,they are green white and orange.Leftside is green,white is in the middle,orange is at rightside.The Geneal Post office here has very special historical meaning.On 17th march(Irish National Day) each year lots of people celebrate around here.The national flag will uprise on this buliding as well.
Climate–important for travelers
The Irish climate is an oceanic climate, therefore rather soft (as they say in Ireland) with westerly winds prevailing. The temperatures do not vary much and range from on average between 4 and 7C in January and between 14 and 16C in July. The climate is generally wet explaining the dominant green colours of the landscape. Ireland is very suitable for tourism.that’s why so many traveler here.
People–smiling ethnos
Landscapes change from place to place, building from town to town, but wherever you go you’ll find friendly faces. Irish people are as interested in you as you are in them, and they’re very pleasure that you ask them for directions and who knows what you’ll end up discussing. The reputation of the “Friendly Irish” is not a myth and it is quite normal to see a friendly smile.You will nearly always find a hand outstretched with the greeting “how are you ?” Your answer to this could very well be the same “how are you ?”
Religion–pious believer
The Irish Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion to all citizens.
According to the 1991 census, Ireland’s religions were:
Roman Catholic 91%
Church of Ireland (Anglican) 2.5%
Presbyterian 0.4%
Methodist 0.1%
Jewish less than 0.1%
About 3 percent of the population belonged to other religious groupings or have no specific religious beliefs.
Drink–Hometown of black beer
Ireland is famous for it’s unique drinks. Perhaps the most famous of all is Guinness-the black beer.White foam on the top of the paints .It tastes different to any other beers in the world.How is that? Come to try it by yourself! Almost every Irish old-man drink it.It’s good for health.Did you know that whiskey was first distilled in Ireland? Unlike Scotch whisky, Irish is distilled three times and is spelt with an ‘e’ The Guinness Brewery in Dublin is open to the public, as is Bushmills Distillery, the oldest distillery in the world. They do make a little wine, but most hotels and restaurants offer a list of top international wines and vintages.
Irish pub–the busiest place
One of the first questions an Irish person will ask is: “Are you going out tonight?”
And most answers will be”yeah,have a paint in a pub”There’s so much to do you can enjoy something different every night but if you haven’t made plans, a good idea is to have a drink at the end of the day and discuss the evening ahead. Who knows who you’ll meet? There are no strangers, only friends you haven’t yet met.The Irish pub is more than a place to drink,it’s a social center, a music venue and a place for discussion.
There’s a pub for every mood and every occasion, from small intimate bars to larger pubs offering music or meals. Whether you’re having a quick drink before the theatre or whether you’re settling in for a night of music, the pub is a great place to meet people and discuss the affairs of the day. The Irish like public drinking.
When I just came to Ireland,I thought that the Irish drink too much,but in fact,It is only because I can see they drink all the time in pubs.They are drinking in pubs,not only for drinking,they are enjoying the atmosphere there and their social lives.
Food–eating different to your home
Generally ,traditional Irish food are mush potato and lamb. Most towns, large and small, offer a variety of good, local restaurants. Some areas, however, have specialities.
In Galway, for example, you’ll find oysters a plenty, in Bantry it’s mussels. In Wicklow there’s lamb to enjoy and Limerick has it’s unique ham. If you’re here in September the Clarinbridge Oyster Festival or Bantry Mussel Festival should not be missed. You’ll find restaurants and cafes everywhere to suit your budget. And if you have particular tastes or needs, do ring ahead and ask. Most restaurants will be happy to offer vegetarian dishes and children’s menus.
For a relatively small island Ireland offers an extraordinarily wide variety of countryside and coastline. An ecologically clean environment also makes for pure air, clear water and unspoiled stretches of countryside.Entertaining and being entertained are central to a holiday in Ireland.