Country report on Ireland

Submitted By :

Garvita Pandey

Sonali Singh

Krishna Kalra

Nisha Verma

Ireland is an island in the Atlantic off the north-western coast of continental Europe. It is the third-largest

island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth. To its east is the island of Great Britain, from

which it is separated by the Irish Sea and North Channel.

Politically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland, which covers five-sixths of the island,

and Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, which covers the remaining area and is located in the

north-east of the island. The population of Ireland is approximately 6.4 million. Just under 4.6 million live

in the Republic of Ireland and just over 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland.

The island's geography comprises relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain, with several

navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation, a product of its mild but changeable

oceanic climate, which avoids extremes in temperature. Thick woodlands covered the island until

medieval times. As of 2013, the amount of land that is forested in Ireland is about 11% of the total land

area, compared with European average of 35%. There are twenty-six extant mammal species native to Ireland.

PRE HISTORIC IRELAND

Prehistoric Ireland saw the arrival of humans after 8000 BCE. Gaelic Ireland then emerged in the first

millenium and lasted until the early 17th century. The island was converted to Christianity from the 5th

century onward. Following the Norman invasion in the 12th century, England claimed sovereignty over

Ireland. However, English rule did not extend over the whole island until the 16th–17th century Tudor

conquest. This led to the colonization of northern Ireland by settlers from Britain. In the 1690s, a system

of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority

and Protestant dissenters, and was extended during the 18th century. In 1801, Ireland became a part

of theUnited Kingdom. A war of independence in the early 20th century was followed by the partition of

the island, creating the Irish Free State, which became increasingly sovereign over the following decades,

and Northern Ireland which remained a part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland saw much civil

unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s. This subsided following a political agreement in 1998. In 1973,

both parts of Ireland joined the European Economic Community.

IRISH CULTUREIrish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures, especially in the fields of literature and, to a

lesser degree, science and education. Alongside mainstream Western culture, a strong indigenous

culture exists, as expressed for example through Gaelic games, Irish music, and the Irish language. The

culture of the island has also many features shared with Great Britain, including the English language,

and sports such as association football, rugby, horse racing and golf.

Irish culture includes customs and

traditions, language, music, art, literature, folklore, cuisine and sports associated with the island of Ireland

and of the Irish and Northern Irish people. However, the culture of the people living on the island is not

homogeneous. There are notable cultural divides between urban and rural, Catholic and Protestants,Irish-

speakers and English-speakers, immigrants and native population, the Travelers and settled population

and between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. (For an overview of Ireland's culture during the

Gaelic period, see Gaelic Ireland. Also for an overview of Northern Ireland's culture see Culture of

Northern Ireland.)

Many people of the island are of Gaelic descent, although there are also large populations of Ulster

Scots and Anglo-Irish ethnicity in Northern Ireland. In addition Ireland has been ethnically diversified as a

result of large-scale immigration from many different countries throughout its history. Also, due to

emigration of the Irish people themselves overseas, Irish culture has a global reach and festivals such

as St. Patrick's Day, Halloween and The Twelfth of July are observed and celebrated all over the world.

Though there are many unique aspects of Irish culture, it shares substantial traits with the United

Kingdom (of which it was formerly a part), other English-speaking countries, other

predominantly Catholic countries and Christendom generally, other European Union countries, and

other Celtic nations. Irish culture has to some degree been inherited and modified by the Irish

diaspora which in turn influences the home country.

Holidays and Festivals

Much of the Irish calendar still today reflects the old pagan customs, with later Christian traditions also

having significant influence. Christmas in Ireland has several local traditions, some in no way connected

with Christianity. On 26 December (St. Stephen's Day), there is a custom of "Wrenboys" who call door to

door with an arrangement of assorted material (which changes in different localities) to represent dead wren "caught in the furze", as their rhyme goes.

The national holiday in the Republic of Ireland is Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March and is marked by parades

and festivals in cities and towns across the island of Ireland, and by the Irish diaspora around the world.

The festival is in remembrance to Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Pious legend credits Patrick

with banishing snakes from the island, and legend also credits Patrick with teaching 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'.

In Northern Ireland the The Twelfth of July, which commemorates William III's victory at the Battle of the

Boyne is a public holiday. The holiday is celebrated by Irish Protestants the vast majority of whom live in

Northern Ireland and is notable for the numerous parades organized by the Orange Order which take

place throughout Northern Ireland. These parades are colourful affairs with Orange Banners and sashes

on display and include music in the form of traditional songs such as The Sash and Derry's

Walls performed by a mixture of Pipe, Flute, Accordion, and Brass marching bands.

Brigid's Day (1 February, known as Imbolc or Candlemas) also does not have its origins in Christianity,

being instead another religious observance superimposed at the beginning of spring. The Brigid's

cross made from rushes on this day represents a pre-Christian solar wheel.

Other pre-Christian festivals, whose names survive as Irish month names,

are Bealtaine (May), Lúnasa (August) and Samhain (November). The last is still widely observed

as Halloween which is celebrated all over the world, including in the United States followed by All Saints'

Day, another Christian holiday associated with a traditional one. Important church holidays include Easter,

and various Marian observances.

ReligionChristianity in the form of both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism is the most widely practised religion

in Ireland. Christianity was brought to Ireland during or prior to the 5th century and its early history among

the Irish is in particular associated with Saint Patrick, who is generally considered Ireland's patron

saint. The Celtic festival of Samhain, known as Halloween, originated in Ireland and is now celebrated all

over the world.

Ireland is a place where religion and religious practice have always been held in high esteem. The

majority of people on the island are Roman Catholics, however there is significant minority

of Protestants who are mostly concentrated in Northern Ireland where they make up aplurality of the

population. The three main Protestant denominations on the island are the Church of Ireland,

the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland. These are also joined by

numerous other smaller denominations including, The Baptists, several American gospel groups and the

Salvation Army. As well as these Protestant Churches other minority denominations include Eastern

Orthodox, Jehovah's Witnesses and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) . In addition

to the Christian denominations there are centres for Buddhists, Hindus, Bahais and for people of the

Islamic and Jewish faiths.

In the Republic of Ireland, the last time a census asked people to specify what their religion was in 2006.

The result was 86.8% Roman Catholic, 3% Church of Ireland (Anglican), 0.8% Islam, 0.6% Presbyterian,

0.3% Methodist, less than 0.05% Jewish, approximately 1.4% other religious groupings and 4.4%

identified as having no religion. About 2% did not state their religious identity. Amongst the Republic's

Roman Catholics, weekly church attendance dropped from 87% in 1981 to 60% in 1998, though this

remained one of the highest attendance rates in Europe.

In Northern Ireland in 2001, the population was 40.3% Roman Catholic, 20.7% Presbyterian, 15.3%

Church of Ireland (Anglican), 3.5% Methodist, 6.1% other Christian, 0.3% other religion and philosophy,

and 13.9% religion not stated.

Literature and Arts

For a comparatively small place, the island of Ireland has made a disproportionate contribution to world

literature in all its branches, in both the Irish and English languages. The island's most widely known

literary works are undoubtedly in English. Particularly famous examples of such works are those of James

Joyce, Bram Stoker, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde and Ireland's four winners of the Nobel Prize for

Literature; William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney. Three of

the four Nobel prize winners were born in Dublin (Heaney being the exception, having lived in Dublin but

being born in County Londonderry), making it the birthplace of more Nobel literary laureates than any

other city in the world. The Irish language has the third oldest literature in Europe

(after Greek and Latin), the most significant body of written literature (both ancient and recent) of

any Celtic language, as well as a strong oral tradition of legends and poetry. Poetry in Irish represents the

oldest vernacular poetry in Europe, with the earliest examples dating from the 6th century.

The early history of Irish visual art is generally considered to begin with early carvings found at sites such

as Newgrange and is traced through Bronze age artefacts, particularly ornamental gold objects, and

the Celtic brooches and illuminated manuscripts of the "Insular" Early Medieval period. During the course

of the 19th and 20th centuries, a strong indigenous tradition of painting emerged, including such figures

as John Butler Yeats, William Orpen, Jack Yeats and Louis le Brocquy.

The Irish tradition of folk music and dance is also widely known. In the middle years of the 20th century,

as Irish society was attempting to modernise, traditional Irish music fell out of favour to some extent,

especially in urban areas. Young people at this time tended to look to Britain and, particularly, the United

States as models of progress and jazz and rock and roll became extremely popular. During the 1960s,

and inspired by the American folk music movement, there was a revival of interest in the Irish tradition.

This revival was inspired by groups like The Dubliners, the Clancy Brothers and Sweeney's Men and

individuals like Seán Ó Riada. The annual Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the largest festival of Irish music

in Ireland.

Before long, groups and musicians like Horslips, Van Morrison and even Thin Lizzy were incorporating

elements of traditional music into a rock idiom to form a unique new sound. During the 1970s and 1980s,

the distinction between traditional and rock musicians became blurred, with many individuals regularly

crossing over between these styles of playing as a matter of course. This trend can be seen more

recently in the work of bands like U2, Snow Patrol, The Cranberries and The Corrs.

Irish   Nobel Prize in Literature   laureates

W.B. Yeats

(1865–1939)

George Bernard Shaw

(1856–1950)

Samuel Beckett

(1906–1989)

Seamus Heaney

(1939–2013)

LanguagesIrish and English are the most widely spoken languages in Ireland. English is the most widely spoken

language on the island overall, and Irish is spoken as a first language only by a small minority, primarily,

though not exclusively, in the government-defined Gaeltacht regions in the Republic. A larger minority

speak Irish as a second language, with 40% of people in the Republic of Ireland. Article 8 of

the Constitution of Ireland states that Irish is the national and first official language of the Republic of

Ireland. English in turn is recognised as the state's second official language. Hiberno-English, the dialect

of English spoken in most of the Republic of Ireland, has been greatly influenced by Irish.

In contrast Northern Ireland like the rest of the United Kingdom has no official language however English

is the de facto official language. In addition Irish and Ulster Scots have recognition as European minority

languages with 8.1% having some ability in Ulster Scots 11% in Irish. Also the dialect and accent of the

people of Northern Ireland is noticeably different from that of the majority of the Republic of Ireland, being

influenced by Ulster Scots and Northern Ireland's proximity to Scotland.

Several other languages are spoken on the island, including Shelta, a mixture of Irish, Romany and

English, spoken widely by Travellers. Two sign languages have also been developed on the

island, Northern Irish Sign Language and Irish Sign Language.

Some other languages have entered Ireland with immigrants – for example, Polish is now the second

most widely spoken language in Ireland after English, Irish being the third most commonly spoken

language.

Irish language

Irish Sign Language

Hiberno-English

Ulster Scots language

Mid-Ulster English

Northern Ireland Sign Language

Shelta language

Food and Drink

Early Ireland

There are many references to food and drink in early Irish literature. Honey seems to have been widely

eaten and used in the making of mead. The old stories also contain many references to banquets,

although these may well be greatly exaggerated and provide little insight into everyday diet. There are

also many references to fulacht fia, which are archaeological sites commonly believed to have once been

used for cooking venison. The fulacht fia have holes or troughs in the ground which can be filled with

water. Meat can then be cooked by placing hot stones in the trough until the water boils. Many fulach

fia sites have been identified across the island of Ireland, and some of them appear to have been in use

up to the 17th century.

Excavations at the Viking settlement in the Wood Quay area of Dublin have produced a significant

amount of information on the diet of the inhabitants of the town. The main animals eaten were cattle,

sheep and pigs, with pigs being the most common. This popularity extended down to modern times in

Ireland. Poultry and wild geese as well as fish and shellfish were also common, as were a wide range of

native berries and nuts, especially hazel. The seeds of knotgrass and goosefoot were widely present and

may have been used to make a porridge.

The potato in Ireland

The potato would appear to have been introduced into Ireland in the second half of the 16th century,

initially as a garden crop. It eventually came to be the main food field crop of the tenant and labouring

classes. As a food source, the potato is extremely efficient in terms of energy yielded per unit area of

land. The potato is also a good source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C (especially

when fresh). As a result, the typical 18th- and 19th-century Irish diet of potatoes and buttermilk was a

contributing factor in the population explosion that occurred in Ireland at that time. However, due to the

political rule of the time, the majority of Irish produce (root crops, cereals and animal produce) was

exported to Britain, leaving few strains of potato as the sole food source for the Irish. This, along with the

spread of potato blight led to shortages and famine, the most notable instance being the Great Irish

Famine (1845–1849), which more or less undid all the growth in population of the previous century. The

cause of which was partially due to an adherence to lassie faire economic policies by the government

which kept food exports at the pre famine level leading to disease and emigration.

In the 20th century the usual modern selection of foods common to Western cultures has been adopted in

Ireland. Both US fast-food culture and continental European dishes have influenced the country, along

with other world dishes introduced in a similar fashion to the rest of the Western world. Common meals

include pizza, curry, Chinese food, and lately, some west African dishes have been making an

appearance. Supermarket shelves now contain ingredients for, among others, traditional, European,

American (Mexican/Tex-Mex), Indian, Polish and Chinese dishes.

The proliferation of fast food has led to increasing public health problems including obesity, and one of the

highest rates of heart disease in the world. Due to the current "anti-meat fad", the government has

broadcast television advertisements to discourage meat consumption. In theNorthern Ireland, the Ulster

fry has been particularly cited as being a major source for a higher incidence of cardiac problems, quoted

as being a"heart attack on a plate". All the ingredients are fried, although more recently the trend is

to grill as many of the ingredients as possible. These advertisements however, do not explain the health

and vigor of native Irish people while eating their traditional diets high in both fat and meat.

In tandem with these developments, the last quarter of the century saw the emergence of a new Irish

cuisine based on traditional ingredients handled in new ways. This cuisine is based on fresh vegetables,

fish, especially salmon and trout, oysters and other shellfish, traditional soda bread, the wide range of

hand-made cheeses that are now being made across the country, and, of course, the potato. Traditional

dishes, such as the Irish stew, Dublin coddle, the Irish breakfast and potato bread, have enjoyed a

resurgence. Schools like the Ballymaloe Cookery School have emerged to cater for the associated

increased interest in cooking with traditional ingredients.

Pub Culture

Pub culture pervades Irish society, across all cultural divides. The term refers to the Irish habit of

frequenting public houses (pubs) or bars. Traditional pub culture is concerned with more than just

drinking, even though Ireland has a recognised problem with over-consumption of alcohol. In 2003,

Ireland had the second-highest per capita alcohol consumption in the world, just below Luxembourg at

13.5 litres (per person 15 or more years old), according to the OECD Health Data 2009 survey. Typically

pubs are important meeting places, where people can gather and meet their neighbours and friends in a

relaxed atmosphere; similar to the cafe cultures of other countries. Pubs vary widely according to the

clientele they serve, and the area they are in. Best known, and loved amongst tourists is the traditional

pub, with its traditional Irish music (or "trad music"), tavern-like warmness, and memorabilia filling it. Often

such pubs will also serve food, particularly during the day. Many more modern pubs, not necessarily

traditional, still emulate these pubs, only perhaps substituting traditional music for a DJ or non-traditional

live music.

Many larger pubs in cities eschew such trappings entirely, opting for loud music, and focusing more on

the consumption of drinks, which is not a focus of traditional Irish culture. Such venues are popular "pre-

clubbing" locations. "Clubbing" has become a popular phenomenon amongst young people in Ireland

during the celtic tiger years. Clubs usually vary in terms of the type of music played, and the target

audience.

A significant recent change to pub culture in the Republic of Ireland has been the introduction of

a smoking ban, in all workplaces, which includes pubs and restaurants. Ireland was the first country in the

world to implement such a ban which was introduced on 29 March 2004. A majority of the population

support the ban, including a significant percentage of smokers. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in pubs has

changed greatly as a result, and debate continues on whether it has boosted or lowered sales, although

this is often blamed on the ever-increasing prices, or whether it is a "good thing" or a "bad thing". A similar

ban, under the Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 came into effect in Northern Ireland on 30 April

2007.

Sports

Sport on the island of Ireland is popular and widespread. Throughout the island a wide variety of sports

are played, the most popular being Gaelic football, hurling, rugby union, soccer and hockey. Gaelic

football is the most popular sport in Ireland in terms of match attendance and community involvement,

and represents 34% of total sports attendances at events in the Republic of Ireland and abroad, followed

by hurling at 23%, soccer at 16% and rugby at 8%. and the All-Ireland Football Final is the most watched

event in Ireland's sporting calendar. Swimming, golf, aerobics, soccer, cycling, Gaelic football and

billiards/snooker are the sporting activities with the highest levels of playing participation. Soccer is the

most popular sport involving national teams.

In Ireland many sports, such as rugby union, Gaelic football and hurling, are organised in an all-island

basis, with a single team representing the island of Ireland in international competitions. Other sports,

such as soccer, have separate organising bodies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. At the

Olympics, a person from Northern Ireland can choose to represent either the Great Britain team or

the Ireland team. Also as Northern Ireland is a Home Nation of the United Kingdom it also sends

a Northern Ireland Team to the Commonwealth Games every four years.

Gaelic Athletic Association

Northern Ireland national football team

Republic of Ireland national football team

Irish Rugby Football Union

Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Team

British Olympic Association

Olympic Council of Ireland

Community Games

Irish Derby Stakes

EconomyDespite the two jurisdictions using two distinct currencies (the euro and pound sterling), a growing amount

of commercial activity is carried out on an all-island basis. This has been facilitated by the two

jurisdictions' shared membership of the European Union, and there have been calls from members of the

business community and policymakers for the creation of an "all-island economy" to take advantage

of economies of scale and boost competitiveness.

Energy

Ireland has an ancient industry based on peat (known locally as "sod" or "turf") as a source of energy for

home fires. A form of biomass energy, this source of heat is still widely used inrural areas. In cities, heat

is generally supplied by heating oil, although some urban suppliers distribute "sods of turf" as "smokeless

fuel."

An area in which the island operates as a single market is electricity. For much of their

existence electricity networks in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland were entirely separate. Both

networks were designed and constructed independently post partition. However, as a result of changes

over recent years they are now connected with three interlinks and also connected through Great Britain

to mainland Europe. The situation in Northern Ireland is complicated by the issue of private companies

not supplying Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) with enough power. In the Republic of Ireland, the ESB

has failed to modernise its power stations and the availability of power plants has recently averaged only

66%, one of the worst such rates in Western Europe. EirGrid is building a HVDC transmission line

between Ireland and Great Britain with a capacity of 500 MW, about 10% of Ireland's peak demand.

As with electricity, the natural gas distribution network is also now all-island, with a pipeline

linking Gormanston, County Meath, and Ballyclare, County Antrim. Most of Ireland's gas comes through

interconnectors between Twynholm in Scotland and Ballylumford, County Antrim

and Loughshinny, County Dublin. A decreasing supply is coming from the Kinsale gas field off the County

Cork coast and the Corrib Gas Field off the coast of County Mayo has yet to come on-line. The County

Mayo field is facing some localised opposition over a controversial decision to refine the gas onshore.

Research and development in Ireland in renewable energy such as wind power has increased since

2004. Large wind farms are being constructed in coastal counties such as Cork, Donegal, Mayo and

Antrim. The construction of wind farms has in some cases been delayed by opposition from local

communities, some of whom overall consider the wind turbines to be unsightly. The Republic of Ireland is

also hindered by an ageing network that was not designed to handle the varying availability of power that

comes from wind farms. The ESB's Turlough Hill facility is the only power-storage facility in the state.

Management Style

Intercultural Management

Being a Manager in Ireland

Successful cross cultural management should take into account the fact that the business set up in Ireland is a bit less formal and ritualized than it is in many European countries. In general, the Irish work hard but they also take time to enjoy life and expect others to do the same.

There are radical differences between entrepreneurial and high tech companies and those that favor the old traditions. One might expect these two perspectives to be in constant conflict; however, the Irish seem able to balance them.

The Role of a Manager

Cross cultural communiciation will be more effective when working in Ireland when you remember that the most productive managers in Ireland recognize and value the specialized knowledge that employees at all levels bring. Employees expect to be consulted on decisions that affect them and the greater good of the organization.

Newcomers to the Irish management style should carefully study the corporate culture of specific companies because they may vary from being hierarchical to rather egalitarian. Consequently, employees will range from feeling empowered to speak out in the management process, to those who believe it is most important to simply execute the instructions by their leadership.

Employees expect to be praised and complimented for work done well, although they prefer praise be given in private. The Irish are wary of praise that is not deserved, so be certain that your comments are genuine and specific to the individual performance.

Approach to Change

Ireland’s intercultural adaptability and readiness for change is developing all the time. Ireland is seen to have a medium tolerance for change and risk. It is important for innovations to have a track record or history noting the benefits if they are to be accepted and implemented.

The fear of exposure, and the potential of embarrassment that may accompany failure, brings about aversion to risk and the need to thoroughly examine the potential negative implications. While in risk-tolerant environments, failure is perceived as a learning process that encourages confidence in future ventures, failure in Ireland causes a long-term loss of confidence by the

individual as well as by others. Because of this attitude, intercultural sensitivity is going to be required, especially when conducting group meetings and discussing contributions made my participating individuals.

Approach to Time and Priorities

Ireland is a moderate time culture meaning they may, at times, be slightly more relaxed about deadlines. Nevertheless, the expectations of intercultural and global expansion have caused the Irish to adopt relatively strict standards of adhering to schedules.

When working with people from Ireland, it’s advisable to reinforce the importance of the agreed-upon deadlines and how that may affect the rest of the organization. Successful intercultural management will depend on the individual’s ability to meet deadlines.

Decision Making

The Irish have a rather democratic approach to hierarchy and do not see marked differences between managers and their subordinates. While in some large companies, senior level managers are the key decision-makers, employees' opinions are still sought and considered before a final determination is made.

Boss or Team Player ?

In Ireland, groups collaborate well together as teams. Members are generally chosen to participate based on tangible skills or the knowledge base they bring, and are equally welcome to contribute to any discussion that may arise. They are encouraged to generate new ideas that may further the direction of the plan or spawn a new track entirely. In successful, dynamic teams, all members are valued for their actual and potential contribution, and all are treated with equal respect.

Communication and Negotiation Styles

The Irish do not like to say "no" so to avoid cross cultural miscommunication, make sure you understand what has or has not been agreed. They prefer to offer noncommittal responses such as "maybe". The Irish focus on short-term results and benefits when reaching decisions. Avoid confrontational behavior or high-pressure tactics, which can

be counterproductive. Never make exaggerated claims about your products or delivery dates. The Irish are more impressed by results than promises. The Irish prefer to do business with people they feel comfortable with, so be prepared to engage in some casual relationship building, such as dinner or drinks at a local pub.