1) Introducing
Ireland is the third largest island in north-western Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain. Politically, the state Ireland covers five-sixths of the island, with Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, covering the remainder in the north-east.
It is bordered by Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) to the north, by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and by the Irish Sea to the east. Ireland is a little bit smaller than the Czech Republic, but its population is near one third of the Czech state. Exactly population of the Republic of Ireland is 4,25 million. The west-coast of Ireland mostly consists of cliffs, hills and low mountains.
The Irish peoples called your motherland Éire.
The Anglo-Irish Treaty was ratified by the Dáil in January 1922 by a vote of 64 - 57. The minority refused to accept the result and this resulted in the Irish Civil War, which lasted until 1923. On 6th December
"In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone..." that is illegal Dublin’s national anthern .
2) History of Ireland
Hunters
Farmers
After some thousand years farmers came to Ireland from Europe, where farming was already known for three thousand years. They brought with them a totally new way of life, and very probably a new language, a more organised religion, new animals and unfortunately new diseases.
Celtic people
In third century before Christ Celts came into Ireland. They were first developed society with their own education, language, religion and culture. This period was a great time of Irish developement. Celts brought first feudalism and modern way of life. On the top of society was a king. It was also a time of druids, but it will be explained elsewhere. After some years they accepted chistianity.
Vikings
In 9th century Vikings settled on the east-coast and established a small kingdom named Dubh Linn. Then it changed into city of Dublin. Vikings were hard men with great hearts. First they were looking for gold and slaves. After some time they began to trade with others and they started to join original inhabitants of Ireland. Dublin fell under the Irish control after few battles. But it wasn’t for a long time.
Normans
In 11th century came Normans, who were conquerors from France. They wanted power, they wanted to be barons and lords. First they conquered England and after that they conquered Ireland. Vikings were defeated. But there was a problem. Ireland wasn’t united under contorl of one body. It was a connection of many small kingdoms and families, so Normans started to be influenced by local policy. They began to marry Irish ladies and at the end they become Irish too. In the end, rather than being destroyed by the Normans, Ireland was modernised by them.
It was not the Vikings, not the Normans, the third and final invasion that was to destroy the unique Celtic civilisation of Ireland. And that was when the English came. Modern age began with them.
British empire ruled in Ireland for 8 hundred years, some time in peace, some time in war. And in the Anglo - Irish war from 1919 to 1922, the Irish fight out their independence. Northern Ireland stand under control of UK.
3) Religion
We don’t know who did hunters and farmers believe in. When Celts came into Ireland there was a group of population, which named Druids – Celtic priests. Their religion was based on nature. They believed in basic natural powers and many people thought they were wizards. But Druids were very kind and according to myths they were right in their decitions. It was becase of their education. They were the philosophers, scientists, teachers. Druids had so important position, that they were often judges and counsellors to the kings.
In 4th century the Christianity was spreading in Ireland. Most famous missionar was St. Patrick, today the patron saint of Ireland. In his honor is celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on 17th March. Legend says that St. Patrick tought the Irish about the concept of the Trinity by showing people the shamrock, a 3-leaved clover, using it to highlight the Christian belief of 'three divine persons in the one God'.
Today 90% of Irish population is Roman-Catholic, 3% are Protestants, 0,1% are Jewish and the rest are atheists.
4) Traditions
Most known Irish traditions are St. Patrick’s Day, which is now celebrated in many countries, and Halloween. Meaning of St. Patrick’s Day was explained.
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. The term Halloween is shortened from All-hallow-even. Originally Halloween is known as Samhain (pronounced "souin" or "sauin"). It’s a celebration of all dead. Symbolic colors of Halloween are black and orange. Things associated to these colors are : death, night, witches, black cats, bats, vampires and pumpkins, jack o' lanterns, Autumn, the turning leaves, fire. Jack o' lantern is a special candle given to pumpkins.
5) New Ireland
Culture
Music and literature is close related to traditions. Irish culture is very special. For example Irish music. Irish music is relaxing and very temperament at the same time. People of Ireland very often use flutes and harphs. When we mention music, we have to say some words about dance. Irish dance is very popular in Ireland and also everybody can step their special dancing creations. All this is united in Irish parties in pubs, where many people also drink beer. Ireland is the second nation in drinking beer. We are first in this discipline. Irish people is just able to enjoy their life.
Irish literature is also world-known. I thing that almost everyone does know authors like Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw or James Joyce.
6) Ireland Today
It is necessary to say that economic of Ireland is in great expansion. Ireland is economicaly better than Switzerland now. Many people want to work there because of high earnings. Ireland is in world known as Irish Tiger. It is because of lot finantial help from USA and other investors. There are many people with Irish origin over the world, so Ireland has a big base of their economy. There are over 85,000,000 people of Irish originin all the world. That’s more than the population today of Poland, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Croatia, Hungary and Austria together.
7) Famous people
There are several famoust peoples in the world which were born in Ireland.Every world’s library consist the books of Bernard Shaw or James Joyce etc.Althaw the theatres in New-York,Paris and Tokio perfomed spectacles of Ireland’s favourites writes. Thats why the Irelands proud of themself.
Arthur Guinness (1725 - 1803)
In year 1759 established famous brewery St James's Gate a man which was call Guinness Brewery at Dublin, before that he do the beer in Leixlip. Today is this brewery at Dublin the biggest brewery in the Ireland and all word. .
Famous Guiness book of records, is too named as this brewery.
Occupation – Playwright,critic,political activist
Nationality – Irish
Genres – Satire
Notable awards - Nobel Prize in Literature |
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 Dublin, Ireland – 2 November 1950. Hertfordshire, England) was an Irish playwright. Born in Dublin, he moved to London at the age of twenty and lived in England for the remainder of his life.
Shaw married Charlotte Payne-Townshend, a fellow Fabian, whom he survived. They made their home in Ayot St. Lawrence in a house now called Shaw's Corner. Shaw died there, aged 94, from chronic problems exacerbated by injuries he incurred by falling.
He is the only person to have been awarded both the Nobel Prize for Literature (1925) and an Oscar (1938).
VOCABULARY :
Cliffs – útesy Fight out – vybojovat si
Unfortunately – naneštěstí Flute – flétna
Wizard – čaroděj Harph – harfa
Establish – založit Counsellor – poradce
Conquer – dobýt Clover – jetel
Candle – svíčka Expansion – rozvoj
Divine – božský, duchovní Influence – vliv, ovlivňovat
Pumpkin – dýně Convey - dopravit
Rule – vládnout Contrary - protikladný
Unloved – nemilovaný Unheard – zůstat bez povšimnutí
Vex – zlobit ,sužovat Vigorous – silný,vitální
Vigilante – bdělý Villain – lump,darebák
Wingspan – rozpětí křídel Wily – lstivý,uskočný
Yodel – jodlovat Yew – tisové dřevo,tis