Ireland project

IRELAND

Basic information

The capital of Ireland is Dublín

Irish people speak two langugjes: Irish and English

There are 4 857 000 habitants in Ireland

The currency in North Ireland is the pound and in South Ireland is the euro

Culture 

It has been influenced by Anglo-Norman, English and Scottish culture. Irish culture has a global reach and festivals such as St. Patrick's Day and Halloween are celebrated all over the world.

Gastronomy

The main ingredient of Irish cuisine is potato. The best known fish are salmon and cod. One of the drinks most associated with Ireland is the Guinness that is usually served in pubs, malt whiskey is well known, as well as Irish coffee.

Typical Irish Food

Boxty: Potato cake

Coddle: sausages wrapped in bacon mixed with potatoes and onions.

Colcannon: mashed potatoes with cabbage and onions

Fish and chips: battered fish with chips

Seafood chowder: white seafood soup

Symbols

The triskelion represents physical, mental and spiritual well-being

Shamrock is a symbol of good luck, especially if it has four leaves.

The harp is the traditional symbol of Ireland and it reflects the immortality of the soul.

It is the combination of the traditional Christian cross with a ring (a symbol of solar energy, a source of life)

Traditions

Those cute little goblin men so typical of Irish images are the leprechauns, protagonists of Irish popular folklore.

In Ireland the most popular sport is rugby, but there are two that are typical of the Irish tradition: Gaelic football and Irish hurling.

Some celebrations, such as Halloween and Christmas, actually belonged to the ancient pagan Celtic calendar: Sahmain on Halloween and Yule on Christmas.

The party par excellence of Ireland is the festival of Saint Patrick, celebrated on March 17 of each year. It is so popular that it is also celebrated in many places in the world.

Politics

The Government and policy of Ireland consists of a representative democratic parliamentary republic. There are several political parties in Ireland. The political landscape is dominated by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, historically opposed entities.