Ireland – Éire -Irska

• Population of Ireland – 6,4 million

• The Republic of Ireland: 4,6 million• Northern Ireland – 1,8 million

• Official Languages: English and Gaelic (Irish)

• My name is... Is anim

dom...• I love you!

Tá mé i ngrá leat!

• Capital: Dublin• Baile Átha Cliath (Gaelic name)

• Green – Catholics• Orange – Protestants• White – hope for peace

The Troubles (1969-1998)

The Emerald Isle

Green is the colour of Ireland

Football and Gaelic football

Pint of beer – 568 mL

• Irish people have a reputation for being talkative.

Leprechauns

17 March, St. Patrick’s Day

• St. Patrick is a patron saint of Ireland• St. Patrick chased away all snakes from Ireland• St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland

The Shamrock

• In western part of Ireland it rains 225 days per year

Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool)Giant’s Causeway

• Legend has it that the Irish warrior Finn McCool built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner . When Finn saw how big his enemy was he ran back home. Benandonner crossed the bridge looking for Finn. To protect Finn, his wife Oonagh laid a blanket over him so he could pretend that he was actually their baby son. When Benandonner saw the size of the ‘baby', he assumed the alleged father, Finn, must be huge. Therefore, Benandonner fled home in terror, destroying the Causeway in case he was followed by Finn.

• Fiddle

• Harp

Riverdance – Irish step dancing