Ireland

TradFest, Dublin (January): Fiddles, flutes, bodhráns banjos, traditional pubs, the finest musicians and some of the finest traditional Irish music

Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival, County Donegal (June): Surfing along with live shows, beach volleyball, tag rugby, epic nights and more.

Galway Film Fleadh, Galway city (July): Galway is one of five UNESCO Cities of Film. No surprise then, that its Film Fleadh is one of the friendliest film festivals of the year.

Puck Fair in Killgorin, County Kerry&nbsp;- August. What can you see there: a goat crowned as a king!&nbsp;&nbsp;One popular origin of this tale says that a puck (or male goat) saved the local town from pillaging. When raiders took over the local villages, they found a herd of goats grazing on the mountainside. Before they could be captured, the goats ran away, with the puck reaching a local village just in time to alert the people of the raiders.&nbsp;

Powerscourt Gardens - There are more than 200 varieties of trees and flowers.

Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone

The English Market, Cork

Newsgrange - Ireland’s most famous prehistoric monument,&nbsp;older than the Egyptian pyramids

Kylemore Abbey - a Benedictine monastery

The Ring of Kerry - is a 179-kilometre-long circular tourist route in County Kerry

Muckross House and Garden, Kerry

Aran Islands - a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay

Skellig Micheal, County Kerry - is a UNESCO World Heritage Site&nbsp;and it’s become a filming location for the newest Star Wars movies.

Kinsale, a historic port and fishing town in County Cork

Gaelic football and hurling are the traditional sports of Ireland. Soccer is the third most popular sport and has the highest level of participation. Other popular sports are rugby, cricket, netball, golf, horse racing, boxing and athletics.

What is netball? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBuxsRnU50A">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBuxsRnU50A</a>

The James Joyce Centre

THE REST OF IRELAND

Glendalough -home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland

The Rock of Cashel - Ireland's most visited heritage site

Barmbrack: often shortened to brack, is a yeasted bread with added sultanas and raisins.

Poitín: a traditional Irish distilled beverage, made from potatoes and with an alcohol content of up to 90%

Irish coffee: &nbsp;is a cocktail consisting of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and sugar

FAMOUS QUOTES BY FAMOUS WRITERS AND POETS

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." William Butler Yeats

“We learn from failure, not from success!”&nbsp;&nbsp; Bram Stoker, Dracula

"Mistakes are the portals of discovery". James Joyce

"I can resist everything except temptation." Oscar Wilde

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." George Bernard Shaw

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett

"We have enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another." Jonathan Swift

Ireland is divided into four provinces, Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster, and 32 counties.Six of the nine Ulster counties form Northern Ireland and the other 26 form the state, Ireland.

14. Kilkenny 15. Waterford 16. Cork 17. Kerry 18. Limerick 19. Tipperary 20. Clare 21. Galway 22. Mayo 23. Roscommon 24. Sligo 25. Leitrim 26. Donegal

Northern Ireland ( pink area) 1. Fermanagh 2. Tyrone 3. Londonderry

(Republic of) Ireland 1. Dublin 2. Wicklow 3. Wexford 4. Carlow 5. Kildare 6. Meath 7. Louth 8. Monaghan 9. Cavan 10. Longford 11. Westmeath 12. Offaly 13. Laois

Thomas Moore, Ireland's national poet

William Butler Yeats, Ireland's national poet

George Bernard Shaw - an Irish playwright, critic and political activist

James Joyce - an Irish novelist, short story writer, and poet, one of the most influential and important authors of the 20th century.

Oscar Wilde - &nbsp;an Irish poet and playwright, most known for The Picture of Dorian Gray

Jonathan Swift - an Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, poet and cleric best known for Gulliver's Travells

DID YOU KNOW? INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT IRELAND

1. A strange case of food falling from the sky was reported by policemen in Dublin in 1867. The men were forced to take shelter from the ‘tremendous rainfall’ of preserved hazelnuts. How this happened is still a mystery. 2. The term ‘boycott’ originated in Ireland when the people of Ballinrobe, county Mayo, began a protest against Charles Cunningham Boycott, a British ex-soldier who became a land owner in Ireland after his retirement. The locals didn’t like him because of his refusal to reduce rents, so they refused to harvest his crops, serve him in shops or do his laundry. After writing to the British press and importing Orangemen to harvest his crops, he eventually gave up and went back to England. 3. Ireland is the only country in the world that has a musical instrument as its national symbol. 4. Contrary to the often used stereotype, Irish people are not in fact the biggest alcohol drinkers in the world. They are fourth on the list after Austria, Czech Republic and Germany. They are,however, the biggest tea drinkers, consuming an average of 1,184 cups per person per year. 5. The longest place name in Ireland is Muckanaghederdauhaulia, or ‘Muiceanach idir Dha Sahaile’ to give its Irish name. It literally means ‘ridge shaped like a pig’s back between two expanses of briny water.’&nbsp; 6. Up until the 1920s, couples could legally marry in Ireland just by walking towards each other, as long as they did so in Teltown, county Meath, on Saint Bridget’s Day. If the marriage didn’t work out, they could also divorce at the same spot on the same day by walking away from each other. The custom was based on old Irish Brehon laws which allowed temporary marriage contracts. 7. The colour originally associated with Saint Patrick was not green, it was blue; there is even a special shade of the colour known as Saint Patrick’s Blue. The association of green and Saint Patrick only became popular when green was unofficially adopted as the colour of Ireland’s nationalism movement.

The national plant: the shamrock

The national tree is the sessile oak.

The national instrument: the Celtic harp, Great Irish warpipes and Uilleann pipes

National weapon: battle axe

Richard Harris, actor, best known for his role as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series.

Pierce Brosnan - an Irish actor, film producer, and activist. Famous for his roles in the James Bond series and in Mamma Mia!

Gabriel Byrne, an Irish actor, film director, film producer, writer, known for his roles in The Usual Suspects, Stigmata, End of Days and many more.

Colin Farrell, actor, best known for his roles in Alexander, Miami Vice, The Recruit and Daredevil

Cillian Murphy - an Irish actor, known for his roles in The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, Dunkirk.

Conor McGregor - an Irish professional mixed martial artist and boxer. He is the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight champion.

March 17th - St Patrick's Day&nbsp;is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, but is celebrated in many countries all over the world where people with Irish origin live. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, Irish traditional music and the wearing of green clothes or shamrocks. St Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish.

Portes des Bombes on St Patrick's Night

Chicago River dyed green

Leprechaun: a type of fairy in Irish folklore that is always up to some kind of mischief.They are solitary creatures who spend their time making and mending shoes and have a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If they are captured by a human, they will grant three wishes in exchange for their freedom.

DUBLIN

The Little Museum of Dublin

Because of many hardships that the Irish had to endure, there occurred several waves of immigration, especially to the USA. In this way the Irish brought their culture and customs to these countries.

Originally the Jack-o-lantern was a turnip! The Irish used to carry turnips with candles in them to light their way at night and to scare away ghosts. When they arrived in America they found that pumpkins were both plentiful and easier to carve than turnips.&nbsp;

Can you imagine a turnip being a Jack-o-lantern?

Head of state: President Michael D. Higgins

Official languages: Irish and English. To hear what the Irish language sounds like go to: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw5EKb6pLg4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw5EKb6pLg4</a>

The national dish of Ireland is the Irish stew.

Other names for Ireland: Erin, Eire, the Emerald Isle

Patron Saint: St Patrick

Driving: on the left side

The national gemstone is Connemara / Conamara marble.

The Vikings first attacked Ireland in 795. They set monasteries on fire. They also took women and children as slaves. However the Vikings were not only raiders. They were also traders and craftsmen. In the 9th century they founded Ireland's first towns, Dublin, Wexford, Cork and Limerick. They also gave Ireland its name, a combination of the Gaelic word Eire and the Viking word land. After the Norman invasion in the late 12th century, Ireland was under direct English rule for 900 years. The Anglo-Irish were forbidden to marry native Irish. They were also forbidden to speak Gaelic or to play the Irish game of hurling. However all such attempts to keep the two races separate and distinct failed. Henry VIII proclaimed himself King of Ireland and also tried to introduce the English Reformation, which failed in Ireland. For decades, the English tried to impose themselves unto Ireland and rule over them. In 1685 a Catholic, James II, succeeded Charles II. The Irish hoped James would treat them more kindly but he was removed in 1688 and fled to France. The Dutchman William of Orange and his English wife Mary were invited to come and rule in James's place. James was not ready to give up his crown so he went to war against William of Orange. William defeated him and so the war in Ireland ended.

Orange Order today ( Belfast)

LANGUAGES AND MINORITIES

Irish is a national language, spoken by about 39%, but English is the dominant language. Irish is spoken as a community language only in a small number of rural areas mostly in the west and south of the country. Irish is also compulsory in schools which means that pupils have to learn it. As a result of immigration, Polish is the most widely spoken language in Ireland after English, with Irish as the third most spoken. Several other Central European languages (like Czech, Hungarian and Slovak), as well as Baltic languages (Lithuanian and Latvian) are also spoken. Ethnic and racial minorities make up about 12 % of the population of Ireland—a number that doubled in the first decade of the 21st century. A huge wave of immigration from the rest of Europe, Africa, and Asia has happened since the last two decades of the 20th century. Today Poles make the largest minority population in Ireland.&nbsp;

Percentage of people speaking Irish outside the education system.

January 1st - New Year's Day Mother's Day ( or Mothering Sunday) and Father's Day ( March and June)

Good Friday - the day Christ died Easter / Easter Monday

May Day - the 1st Monday in May ( Bank Holiday) June and August Bank Holidays - the first Monday in June and August

Christmas Eve - December 24th ( not a public holiday) Christmas Day - December 25th St Stephen's Day - December 26th

Wicklow street in Dublin during Christmas

8. Ireland isn’t the only place in the world where Saint Patrick’s Day is a national holiday. Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada and the Carribbean Island of Montserrat also get a day off because they were originally settled by largely Irish populations. 9. In the Irish language, there is no word for ‘yes’ or ‘no’. If you want to confirm or deny something, you must say ‘I did’ or ‘I didn’t’, for example, if someone asks ‘will you have cup of tea?’, you would answer ‘I will, thanks’. 10. The word order in the Irish Language is very specific and something only 9 % of the world’s languages use. While in English the order is subject &gt; verb &gt; object, for example, ‘I walked home’, in Irish it is verb &gt; subject &gt; object, or ‘home I walked’. So a lot of time if you literally translate simple phrases from Irish to English, you’ll sound like Yoda! 11. In Trinity College in Dublin city, undergraduates will never, ever walk or stand under the ‘Campanile’, the bell tower in the main square of the campus. If they do, legend has it that they will fail their exams. 12. The Late Late Show is the longest running television show not just in Ireland, but in the world. Running since 1961 (the same year television was introduced to Ireland), it has only had four hosts since then. 13. Most Irish people believe that fairies exist. In their culture, fairies have magical powers and bring happiness and great things to families. 14. Ireland is home to what could possibly be the oldest pub in the world. It was opened in 900AD.&nbsp; 15. A law was enacted in 2009 that makes it illegal to be drunk in public in Ireland. 16. Many Irish names begin with "Mac," which means "son of." 17. Some Irish surnames begin with "O." This means "grandson of" in Gaelic.&nbsp; 18. Ireland has won the Eurovision Song Contest seven times, more than any other country. 19. 88% of Irish citizens are nominally Roman Catholic. 20. Ireland is a snake-free island. Because of its isolation from the European mainland, Ireland doesn't have species common elsewhere in Europe, such as moles, weasels, polecats or roe deer.&nbsp;

Personification: Hibernia, an attractive, vulnerable girl

Ireland's national dance: the Irish dance <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgGAzBDE454">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgGAzBDE454</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoHlrQScWl0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoHlrQScWl0</a>

The national land animal is not very clear. Both, the Irish hare and the red deer are defined as the national land animals.

Irish pubs

Just like in the UK, the "pub culture" is a specific culture characterised by casual and friendly atmosphere, good food and drink, Irish sports, and traditional Irish music. The word "pub" itself is a short form for "public house". Unlike the British pubs, Irish pubs are usually named after the current or previous owner or the street they are located on. Irish pubs traditionally did not sell food as dining out was not a major part of Irish culture. That changed in the 1970s and food is now a significant part of the Irish pub experience. Over the years, individual Irish pubs have been associated with famous Irish writers and poets such as James Joyce. In 2004, the Irish government passed a law prohibiting smoking in pubs.

The Brazen Head - established in 1198 is the oldest pub in Dublin

It was not until 1916 that the Irish organized a major rebellion against the British, which was planned on Easter Day (April 24) and known as the EASTER RISING, but unfortunately it failed. The British crushed the rebellion and executed many of those who stood up against them. In January 1919 the Irish Volunteers who rebelled against the British rule renamed themselves the IRA and began a guerrilla war&nbsp;against the British. Finally in 1922 Ireland became independent through the division into Northern Ireland that belonged to the United Kingdom and the southern part known as the Irish Free State, today's Republic of Ireland. For most of the next 75 years, each territory was strongly identifying itself to either Catholic or Protestant ideologies, although this was more present in the six counties of Northern Ireland.&nbsp; The conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland led to several tragic events, but the most tragic one being "Bloody Sunday". On 30 January 1972 the Derry Civil Rights Association were holding a march through the town when the British 1st Parachute Regiment opened fire, killing 14 people. This event is described in one of the most famous songs of the Irish rock band U2 " Sunday bloody Sunday"<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv5U0A10hrI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv5U0A10hrI</a>

Mercy Primary School Galway

Vilma (5) is in Senior Infant class in primary school. Vanda (6,5) is in First class

World book day: pupils dress up as their favourite characters from their favourite books. The parents are invited to read these books to children in class, a cooperation very much appreciated in Irish schools.

Bob Geldof, singer-songwriter, author, political activist. He became famous as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats and is best known for his song "I don't like Mondays".

Rock band U2 with lead singer Bono Vox. U2 have released 14 studio albums and are one of the world's best-selling music artists in history.

Sinead O'Connor, singer who achieved world-wide fame with her song "Nothing compares 2U"

Rock band The Cranberries with the late lead singer Dolores O'Riordon. The band has sold over 40 million records worldwide, and achieved four top 20 albums on the Billboard 200 chart&nbsp;

Enya, Irish singer, songwriter and musician known for her New Age music. Ireland's bestselling solo artist and second bestselling artist behind U2.

Niall Horan, singer, member of the boy band One Direction

Samuel Beckett - an Irish novelist, playwright, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Bram Stoker - an Irish author, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula.

Arthur Guinness - an Irish brewer and the founder of the Guinness brewery business

Michael Collins - was an Irish revolutionary, soldier and politician who was a leading figure in the early-20th-century Irish struggle for independence.

Mary Robinson - an Irish Independent politician who served as the 7th President of Ireland, becoming the first woman to hold this office

Maureen O'Hara - an Irish-American actress and singer.

National Ploughing Championship in County Laois It’s technically an agricultural trade show featuring over 900 exhibitions. However, there are also 300 competitions worth looking into. It’s held in September.

Galway Oyster Festival Held in September, you can taste the famous Clarenbridge oyster, along with other seafood delicacies at this festival.

Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival Traditionally, in September, after the harvest was gathered, it was time for single farmers to find a wife. They did so by attending the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. It’s become one of the largest singles’ festivals in Ireland.

Dublin Festival Season, Dublin city (September-October): Dublin Fringe ( street festival with comedy artists and others), Open House, Bram Stoker Festival and more.

The Winter Solstice, County Meath (December): People gather at Newgrange for winter solstice dawn on each of the mornings from December 18th to December 23rd. All access to the chamber is decided by lottery. However, everyone else is welcome to come and stand on the outside of the monument.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CxtsbO9UWw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CxtsbO9UWw</a>

Over the years a number of Irish people tried to free their country from British rule, but failed. In 1845 a large part of the Irish population lived on potatoes and buttermilk. It wasn't a good diet, but it filled the people's stomach. Then a potato disease hit Ireland. Hundreds of thousands of people died during a couple of years of starvation and disease such as cholera, typhus and dysentery. (Because they were so weak they weren't able to fight diseases). Many people fled abroad. In 1851 alone some 250,000 people emigrated from Ireland. The population of Ireland fell dramatically. From over 8 million in 1841 it fell to about 6 1/2 million in 1851 and it continued to fall. An estimated 1 million people died during the famine, known as the GREAT FAMINE. Ireland never really forgave the British government for not being able to help them during that time.

Famine memorial in Dublin

The peace lines or peace walls are a series of separation walls in Northern Ireland that separate Republican and Nationalist Catholic neighbourhoods from Loyalist and Unionist Protestant neighbourhoods. They have been built in areas in Belfast, Derry, Portadown and elsewhere. The purpose of the peace lines is to minimise violence between Catholics and Protestants.

The peace line in Belfast, seen from the Protestant side.

A 5.5 metre high Peace Line in Belfast

The peace line in Belfast, seen from the Catholic side.

Gates in a peace line in West Belfast.

The content of this digital booklet was created with the help of my 7th grade students ( 7.C) in the school year of 2017 / 2018 as part of the Erasmus + project " Going the extra mile" in my primary school "Đuro Ester" in Koprivnica, Croatia. A thank you also goes to Mrs. Alenka Vratić who provided us with photos from her private family album. Andreja Kerovec Letica, English language teacher at Primary school "Đuro Ester" in Koprivnica, Croatia, August 2018

The national flag: the colours represent the Catholics (green) and the Protestants in Ireland (orange), with white representing the wish for peace between them ( see "History").

The National Coat of Arms: a gold harp with silver strings on a blue background. The harp was adopted as the emblem of the Irish Free State when it separated from the United Kingdom in 1922.&nbsp;

Other big cities: Cork, Galway, Limerick

National anthem: "Amhrán na bhFiann" ("The Soldiers' Song") <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV7lGmgFovM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV7lGmgFovM</a>

THE CONFLICT BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

The Troubles is an expression for violent outbursts between Catholics and Protestants which started in the late 1960s. They refer to about thirty years of acts of intense violence during which 3,254 people were killed. From 1967 to 1972 the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA), which found its role model in the US civil rights movement, led a campaign of civil resistance against the discrimination of Catholics. In other words: Catholics in Northern Ireland experienced discrimination when it came to buying / renting houses or flats, getting a job, being in need for the services of the police which was and still is largely Protestant. They faced discrimination also in the political system like in elections for example.

Apart from the Irish rock band U2, another one, The Cranberries, also made a protest song written about the 1993 IRA ( Irish Republican Army) bombing in Warrington, and in memory of two young children who died in that attack. Their song "Zombie" is a timeless piece of music which criticizes the madness of war and violent conflict: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ejga4kJUts">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ejga4kJUts</a>

Murals in Northern Ireland

Redhead Convention, County Cork The convention started as a joke between a redheaded brother and sister. Today, it attracts hundreds of gingers from all over the world. ( happening in August)

Kilkenny Arts Festival You’ll attend this festival in Kilkenny Castle. It was founded by a group of musicians. ( happening in August)

Fleadh Traditional Irish Music Festival The official name is Fleadh Cheoil na hEirann, but it is often shortened to Fleadh for obvious reasons. The location changes every year, but the traditional Irish music festival always occurs in August

Dublin Horse Festival Also in August, if you’re a fan of horse sports , this will be your favorite festival in Ireland.

Ireland is an island in Northwestern Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean.&nbsp;The island is surrounded in the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean and to the northeast lies the North Channel. To the east, the Irish Sea connects to the Atlantic Ocean through St George's Channel and the Celtic Sea to the southwest.&nbsp;

Highest point: Carrauntoohil (1,038&nbsp;m) located in the Macgillycuddy's Reeks mountain range in the southwest.

Longest river: the River Shannon (386 kilometres&nbsp;)

The west coast is more rugged than the east, with numerous islands, peninsulas, headlands and bays.&nbsp;There are a number of large lakes along Ireland's rivers, of which Lough Neagh is the largest.&nbsp;

Ireland consists of a mostly flat low-lying area in the midlands, surrounded by mountain ranges such as the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Comeragh Mountains, Blackstairs Mountains, Wicklow Mountains, the Mournes, Glens of Antrim, Sperrin Mountains, Bluestack Mountains, Derryveagh Mountains, Ox Mountains, Nephinbeg Mountains and the Twelve Bens/Maumturks group. Some mountain ranges are further inland in the south of Ireland, such as the Galtee Mountains (the highest inland range),Silvermine and Slieve Bloom Mountains.&nbsp;

The River Shannon enters the Atlantic Ocean after Limerick city at the Shannon Estuary. Other major rivers include the River Liffey, River Lee, River Blackwater, River Nore, River Suir, River Barrow, River Bann, River Foyle, River Erne, and River Boyne

The climate is mild, moist and changeable with lots of rainfall and no temperature extremes. Ireland's climate is defined as a temperate oceanic climate.

Generally there are warm summers and mild winters. There are no extreme weather conditions with tornadoes and similar weather features being rare. January and February are the coldest months of the year, and mean daily air temperatures fall between 4 and 7&nbsp;°C during these months. July and August are the warmest, with mean daily temperatures of 14 to 16&nbsp;°C .

64% of the total land area is agricultural.

EDUCATION

Ireland has three levels of education: primary, secondary and higher education. Education is compulsory between the ages of six and fifteen years, and all children up to the age of eighteen must complete the first three years of secondary, including the Junior Certificate examination (an educational qualification by the Department of Education and Skills given to students who have successfully completed the junior cycle of secondary education and achieved a minimum standard in their examination ). Typically a student takes 9 to 13 subjects – including English, Irish and Mathematics – as part of the Junior Cycle. The examination doesn't qualify a pupil for college or university; instead, a school leaver in Ireland will typically take the Leaving Certificate Examination two or three years after completion of the Junior Certificate if he/ she wishes to study and continue their education .

The Programme for International Student Assessment currently ranks Ireland as having the fourth highest reading score, the ninth highest science score and thirteenth highest mathematics score, among OECD countries, in its 2012 assessment.

In Ireland, almost all primary and secondary schools require the wearing of a compulsory uniform. These can vary from school to school but for the most part include trousers for boys and a skirt or pinafore for girls as well as a shirt, a jumper and a necktie. For the past years many schools also offer trousers for girls. Some schools require blazers rather than jumpers. Some primary schools now let their pupils wear a school tracksuit rather than a formal uniform.&nbsp;

National Museum of Ireland

St Stephen's Green - park in Dublin

Grafton Street - Dublin's shopping street with a lot of performing artists

The Guinness Storehouse - see for yourself where the most famous beer is made

The Old Jameson Distillery - where Irish whiskey is made

&nbsp;Temple Bar - Dublin's cultural quarter with a lively nightlife&nbsp;

About 500 BC the Celts arrived in Ireland. They brought iron tools and weapons with them. The Celts were people who liked war and they built stone forts across Ireland. At that time Ireland was divided into many small kingdoms and war between them was frequent. The priests of the Celts were called Druids and they worshiped many gods. At the top of Celtic society were the kings and aristocrats. Below them were the freemen who were farmers. At the bottom were slaves. In the 4th century Christianity spread to Ireland, probably through trade with England and France. In 432 a man named Patrick arrived in Ireland. He lived in Western England until he was captured by Irish raiders at the age of 16 and was taken to Ireland as a slave. He had a vision in which he read a letter asking him to come to Ireland. And so he did. Patrick became a missionary to Ireland until his death in 461 and later its patron saint. Legend has it that he chased off all the snakes on the island.

It is celebrated on 31st October in many countries all over the world, but it has its origins in the Irish culture. Halloween began around two thousand years ago in Ireland, England, and Northern France with the ancient religion of the Celts (Paganism).&nbsp;The Celts celebrated their New Year on 1st November and this day marked the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death.&nbsp;On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.&nbsp;People thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes, so they started wearing costumes thinking that this way the ghosts couldn't recognise them. As the influence of Christianity spread into Celtic lands, in the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs, to replace the Pagan festival of Samhain.&nbsp;In 834, Pope Gregory III moved All Saint's Day from May 13th&nbsp;to November 1st. In this way October 31st became All Hallows' Eve ('hallow' means 'saint'). November 2nd, called All Souls Day, is the day set apart in the Roman Catholic Church for the commemoration of the dead.&nbsp; Trick -or-treating began with the poor in the 15th century. During the All Souls Day festival in England, poor people would beg for “soul cakes,” made out of square pieces of bread with currants. Families would give soul cakes in return for a promise to pray for the family’s relatives. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.&nbsp;Children still go from house-to-house, but instead of ale, food, and money, they get candy.

Ireland became a member of the United Nations in December 1955. In the 1970s a huge economy crisis hit the country, but through reforms Ireland became one of the world's fastest growing economies by the late 1990s and earned the nickname Celtic Tiger. This period lasted until the global Financial crisis of 2007–08. However, since 2014, Ireland has experienced strong economic growth and has become an immigrant country.&nbsp;

In Northern Ireland , the British and Irish governments started to seek a peaceful resolution to the violent conflict. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement, was approved in 1998 in referendums north and south of the border. Problems like sovereignty, civil and cultural rights, decommissioning of weapons ( taking out of service because they are not going to be used any more), demilitarisation, justice, and policing were most important to the agreement.

A brief history of Ireland can also be watched under the following links: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQvaGt9B6H0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQvaGt9B6H0</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCJMQgfHXNI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCJMQgfHXNI</a>

In Ireland food was traditionally based on meat and dairy products, combined with vegetables and seafood. Examples of popular Irish dishes include boxty, colcannon, coddle, stew, and bacon and cabbage. Ireland is famous for the full Irish breakfast, which involves a fried or grilled meal generally consisting of bacon, egg, sausage, pudding, and fried tomato.&nbsp;

Colcannon: a traditional Irish vegetarian dish of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage

Boxty: a traditional Irish potato pancake.

Coddle: an Irish dish which is often made to use up leftovers without a specific recipe.

Name

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