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Irish Culture Facts

Irish Culture Facts
The culture of Ireland includes its traditions and customs, as well as folklore, music, language, art, and food. The Gaelic culture originated in Ireland but eventually expanded to Scotland, and much of northwestern Europe. The Irish culture has been influenced by Scottish, English, and Anglo-Norman cultures throughout history. Today there are cultural differences between the Protestant and Catholic Irish, and many Irish traditions have become known around the world, including Halloween and Saint Patrick's Day. Archaeological evidence has shown that farming in Ireland began about the time humans first began to settle.
Interesting Irish Culture Facts:
The two official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. The Irish language is considered to be a Celtic language.
Ireland's flag has three vertical bands of color of equal size, including orange, green, and white.
The color green is known around the world as being associated with Ireland, and is commonly featured on Saint Patrick's Day memorabilia and at events around the world. It is common for beer to be served with green food coloring on Saint Patrick's Day, which falls on March 17th each year.
Saint Patrick's Day was created to honor its namesake who banished snakes from Ireland and taught the Irish about the Trinity, represented by the three-leaf clover - or shamrock.
Halloween originated in Ireland, and was brought to North America by Irish immigrants. It was originally a Celtic festival called Samhain.
July 12th in Northern Ireland is a holiday to celebrate the victory at the Battle of the Boyne by William III, celebrated by Irish Protestants. During this holiday orange is the featured color.
Religion and religious ceremonies are important in Irish culture. They play a major role in holidays and festivals.
In the Irish culture there is an emphasis on foods such as potatoes, bread, cereal, and meat, as well as vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli.
Roasts and stews are popular in Irish culture as well as seafood, but as more people change their lifestyles there is a growing amount of processed and take-out food being consumed just as is happening in most places in Europe.
Sausages, wheaten bread, Irish whiskey and Guinness - the national beer - are popular when socializing, as are stews and potato dishes.
Divorce was not legal in Ireland until 1995.
Irish folklore includes the Leprechaun, a mythical creature that wears green clothes, makes shoes, and has a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Sports that are popular in the Irish culture include Gaelic football, soccer, hockey, rugby, and hurling.
Irish individuals that have won the Nobel Prize in Literature include Seamus Heaney, Samuel Beckett, George Bernard Shaw, and W.B. Yeats. Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde and Jonathon Swift were all Irish writers, although they were famous for works written in English.
Many famous musicians have emerged from Ireland including U2, Van Morrison, James Galway, the Cranberries, Thin Lizzy, Snow Patrol, and the Chieftains.
Irish dance is also well-known around the world. Riverdance is a form of Irish dance that has become famous around the world.
Famous Irish actors include Liam Neeson, and Stephen Rhea.


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