Hi Folks!

Sorry for the delete… I was so busy with the University, I had a lot of essays to write but now I’m back!

Today’s article will be about the social rituals in Ireland, to discover more about the Irish culture!

First of all, they are many symbols in Ireland, so I’ll talk about those I most viewed.

The National Flag

It is a vertical tricolour of green, white and orange, which was introduced in 1848 by Thomas Francis Meagher.

The green represents the Irish people (Gaelic), the orange is to show the English supporters of William III of England (who was the king of England, Ireland, Scotland, …), and the white symbolises the peace between this two colours.

The Irish Harp

During the age of bards, the legend said that the harp music drove the warriors stronger, thanks to magical powers. Under the rule of Henry VIII, the harp was the first symbol on Irish coins. Today, this symbol is present everywhere in Ireland. For instance, the harp is today the emblem of Guinness.

The Shamrock

Once in Ireland, the shamrock was used by Saint Patrick to explain the Trinity to the Irish people. Nowadays, the clover is present everywhere in Ireland, and it represents the luck of the Irish.

The Leprechaun

A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore. It is usually depicted as a little old man, wearing a coat and hat. They are solitary creatures that spend their time making and mending shoes and have a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If captured by a human, the leprechaun has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for their freedom.

Furthermore, we will speak about the different celebrations in Ireland. There are tree important national celebrations: St. Patrick's Day, Christmas and Bloomsday. I had the opportunity to participate at the Saint Patrick day, the 17 March.  

I will talk briefly about Christmas. This celebration begins from December 8 until January 6. It is possible to hear a lot of street musicians and Irish Christmas songs everywhere. On 26 December, Irish people celebrate St Stephen's Day (Christian martyr). 

The Irish Bloomsday celebration is an honour to James Joyce, one of the most famous Irish literary. Some Irish wear typical costumes of the characters from his books. First celebrated in Ireland in 1954 on June 16. 

So now, I will tell you more about my St Patrick experience. Paddy’s day is the biggest celebration in Ireland, and all Irish people are very proud about it. This year, 500 000 persons celebrated the St Patrick in Dublin. In Ireland the 17 March is a one-day holiday each year.

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland; he came to evangelize the Irish. An old legend says that he drove away all the snakes of Ireland.

I was near to the Saint Patrick cathedral to see the Parade with my family who comes for one week in Ireland. It was nice; there were many musicians, artists, and people in traditional dresses. The first St Patrick’s parade in Ireland was held in Dublin in 1931.

During the afternoon, we decided to go to temple bar. I had never seen the street crowded like that before; it was awful. Moreover, it was sympathetic and it is something to see at least once in a life.

Now, we can also speak about some Irish customs and cultural habits:

Sports

Typical Irish sports are Gaelic football, Hurling and Rugby. The Gaelic football is a mix between soccer and rugby. Moreover, I will speak about the Irish sports in the following weeks with an entire article.

Pubs

In Ireland, going out in the pubs is part of the cultural habits. The pub is the place where young and old people meet each other to eat, drink, to dance and to listen to music. In other words, it is a great opportunity to meet friends and talk around a good Guinness, or listen traditional Irish music. Traditional Irish music consists of guitar, violin, tambourine, …. In the pub a lot of artists play for free.  The atmosphere is very friendly, the people come to talk to you very easily: you can’t stay alone more than five minutes! My favourite pub in Dublin is “The Quays” in Temple Bar, because you can hear a lot of Irish song.

Irish

The national and official language of Ireland is Irish or Gaelic. The children have to learn this language during the primary school. But the Irish is spoken only in the small town. Nowadays 99% of the Irish people speak English. However both of the language (English and Irish) are using on the road sign and in the LUAS (Dublin’s tramways). 

Thanks for reading me and see you soon, the next article will be about my trips all around Ireland!