The Irish Tradition
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Out of all the chaos and strife, many rock-solid traditions arose, all the while adding to Irish culture and giving this people an identity that's recognizable the world over.
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And part of that identity is awash in green. Green has become the most Irish hue. This is in part because this temperate island is literally very green with foliage.
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- Culture of Ireland - history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family.
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The green shamrock, with its three leaves, is what St. Patrick purportedly used to teach the Christian Trinity to potential converts. And although blue was the color originally associated with St. Patrick's Day , green eventually became the symbolic color of choice. This is because natives who supported Irish-Catholic nationalism often pinned shamrocks to their clothing.
Similar patterns exist in urban areas, where gender and class are important determinants of the inheritance of property and capital. The main kin group is the nuclear family, but extended families and kindreds continue to play important roles in Irish life. Descent is from both parents' families. Children in general adopt their father's surnames. Christian first names are often selected to honor an ancestor most commonly, a grandparent , and in the Catholic tradition most first names are those of saints. Many families continue to use the Irish form of their names some "Christian" names are in fact pre-Christian and untranslatable into English.
Children in the national primary school system are taught to know and use the Irish language equivalent of their names, and it is legal to use your name in either of the two official languages. Child Rearing and Education. Socialization takes place in the domestic unit, in schools, at church, through the electronic and print media, and in voluntary youth organizations.
Particular emphasis is placed on education and literacy; 98 percent of the population aged fifteen and over can read and write. The majority of four-year-olds attend nursery school, and all five-year-olds are in primary school. More than three thousand primary schools serve , children. Most primary schools are linked to the Catholic Church, and receive capital funding from the state, which also pays most teachers' salaries. Post-primary education involves , students, in secondary, vocational, community, and comprehensive schools.
Third-level education includes universities, technological colleges, and education colleges. All are self-governing, but are principally funded by the state. About 50 percent of youth attend some form of third-level education, half of whom pursue degrees. General rules of social etiquette apply across ethnic, class, and religious barriers. Loud, boisterous, and boastful behavior are discouraged. Unacquainted people look directly at each other in public spaces, and often say "hello" in greeting. Outside of formal introductions greetings are often vocal and are not accompanied by a handshake or kiss.
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Individuals maintain a public personal space around themselves; public touching is rare. Generosity and reciprocity are key values in social exchange, especially in the ritualized forms of group drinking in pubs. The Irish Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion.
There is no official state religion, but critics point to the special consideration given to the Catholic Church and its agents since the inception of the state. In the census 92 percent of the population were Roman Catholic, 2. The Jewish community comprised. No information on religion was returned for 2. Christian revivalism is changing many of the ways in which the people relate to each other and to their formal church institutions.
Folk cultural beliefs also survive, as evidenced in the many holy and healing places, such as the holy wells that dot the landscape. The Catholic Church has four ecclesiastical provinces, which encompass the whole island, thus crossing the boundary with Northern Ireland. The diocesan structure, in which thirteen hundred parishes are served by four thousand priests, dates to the twelfth century and does not coincide with political boundaries.
There are approximately twenty thousand people serving in various Catholic religious orders, out of a combined Ireland and Northern Ireland Catholic population of 3.
The Church of Ireland, which has twelve dioceses, is an autonomous church within the worldwide Anglican Communion. Its Primate of All Ireland is the Archbishop of Armagh, and its total membership is ,, 75 percent of whom are in Northern Ireland. There are , Presbyterians on the island 95 percent of whom are in Northern Ireland , grouped into congregations and twenty-one presbyteries. Rituals and Holy Places. In this predominantly Catholic country there are a number of Church-recognized shrines and holy places, most notably that of Knock, in County Mayo, the site of a reported apparition of the Blessed Mother.
Traditional holy places, such as holy wells, attract local people at all times of the year, although many are associated with particular days, saints, rituals, and feasts. Internal pilgrimages to such places as Knock and Croagh Patrick a mountain in County Mayo associated with Saint Patrick are important aspects of Catholic belief, which often reflect the integration of formal and traditional religious practices. The holy days of the official Irish Catholic Church calendar are observed as national holidays.
Death and the Afterlife. Funerary customs are inextricably linked to various Catholic Church religious rituals. While wakes continue to be held in homes, the practice of utilizing funeral directors and parlors is gaining in popularity. Medical services are provided free of charge by the state to approximately a third of the population. All others pay minimal charges at public health facilities. There are roughly doctors for every , people. Various forms of folk and alternative medicines exist throughout the island; most rural communities have locally known healers or healing places.
Religious sites, such as the pilgrimage destination of Knock, and rituals are also known for their healing powers. The national holidays are linked to national and religious history, such as Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas, and Easter, or are seasonal bank and public holidays which occur on Mondays, allowing for long weekends.
The literary renaissance of the late nineteenth century integrated the hundreds-year-old traditions of writing in Irish with those of English, in what has come to be known as Anglo-Irish literature. Some of the greatest writers in English over the last century were Irish: They and many others have constituted an unsurpassable record of a national experience that has universal appeal. High, popular, and folk arts are highly valued aspects of local life throughout Ireland.
Walls separate individual fields on Inisheer, one of Ireland's Aran Islands. Graphic and visual arts are strongly supported by the government through its Arts Council and the formed Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht, and the Islands.
All major international art movements have their Irish representatives, who are often equally inspired by native or traditional motifs. Among the most important artists of the century are Jack B. Yeats and Paul Henry. Performers and artists are especially valued members of the Irish nation, which is renowned internationally for the quality of its music, acting, singing, dancing, composing, and writing. U2 and Van Morrison in rock, Daniel O'Donnell in country, James Galway in classical, and the Chieftains in Irish traditional music are but a sampling of the artists who have been important influences on the development of international music.
Irish traditional music and dance have also spawned the global phenomenon of Riverdance. Irish cinema celebrated its centenary in Ireland has been the site and the inspiration for the production of feature films since Major directors such as Neill Jordan and Jim Sheridan and actors such as Liam Neeson and Stephen Rhea are part of a national interest in the representation of contemporary Ireland, as symbolized in the state-sponsored Film Institute of Ireland. The government is the principal source of financial support for academic research in the physical and social sciences, which are broadly and strongly represented in the nation's universities and in government-sponsored bodies, such as the Economic and Social Research Institute in Dublin.
Institutions of higher learning draw relatively high numbers of international students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and Irish researchers are to be found in all areas of academic and applied research throughout the world. Sociological Perspectives , Irish Urban Cultures , An Anthropology of Irish Catholics , Government of Ireland, Department of Foreign Affairs. History and Ethnic Relations Emergence of the Nation.
Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space The public architecture of Ireland reflects the country's past role in the British Empire, as most Irish cities and towns were either designed or remodeled as Ireland evolved with Britain. Food and Economy Food in Daily Life. Social Stratification Classes and Castes. Social Welfare and Change Programs The national social welfare system mixes social insurance and social assistance programs to provide financial support to the ill, the aged, and the unemployed, benefitting roughly 1.
Nongvernmental Organizations and Other Associations Civil society is well-developed, and nongovernmental organizations serve all classes, professions, regions, occupations, ethnic groups, and charitable causes. Gender Roles and Statuses While gender equality in the workplace is guaranteed by law, remarkable inequities exist between the genders in such areas as pay, access to professional achievement, and parity of esteem in the workplace. Marriage, Family, and Kinship Marriage. Socialization Child Rearing and Education. Etiquette General rules of social etiquette apply across ethnic, class, and religious barriers.
Medicine and Health Care Medical services are provided free of charge by the state to approximately a third of the population. Secular Celebrations The national holidays are linked to national and religious history, such as Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas, and Easter, or are seasonal bank and public holidays which occur on Mondays, allowing for long weekends. The Arts and Humanities Literature. The State of the Physical and Social Sciences The government is the principal source of financial support for academic research in the physical and social sciences, which are broadly and strongly represented in the nation's universities and in government-sponsored bodies, such as the Economic and Social Research Institute in Dublin.
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The Irish Tradition | Biography & History | AllMusic
I have always disliked Ireland being called part of the British Isles. We are not British, descendents of the Britons we are Irish. Ireland is a seperate country with a different culture and language. We are no longer part of the British Empire, although many map makers seem to forget that. It was an empire that many over time have never wanted to be part of. The prison guard who laughingly said to him, "You are a guest of her majesty the Queen now Mr. Wilde replied, "Well if this is how she treats guests she shouldn't be allowed to have any".
I feel the same way about the British Empire and other empires, their legacys are ones of enslaving populations and manipulating the wealth of other countries to their benefit. With the historical treatment of the British Empire towards the Irish people since the Empires founding, why would any Irishperson want have their country referred to as the second largest Island in the British Isles.. Thank you, this site was very helpful for a college paper, much appreciated.
The Irish Tradition
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And I also need to know when did was this published. I would appreciate it a lot. Found this website very helpful, but would also like to know when this was published and the name of this article. As most said, the webiste was very very helpful to me. I also need the name of the author or editor and when it was published! Hello, I too found this website helpful in a class assignment. Could you please forward me the reference information for my citation?
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They seemed to have paired up a couple of times to rebel against Britan and to support a future with peace between the two clans. Is there really a difference between the two? Can you please send me author and cite info so I can use this information for a presentation? Thanks a million for all the help: This has been an extremely helpful article for my assignment.
The Leprechaun has been estimated to figure to a large degree in Irish folklore. According to the tales, the leprechaun is a mischievous fairy type creature in emerald green clothing who when not playing tricks spend all their time busily making shoes, the Leprechaun is said to have a pot of gold hidden at the end of the rainbow , and if ever captured by a human it has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for release.
Legend has it he built the Giant's Causeway as stepping-stones to Scotland, so as not to get his feet wet; he also once scooped up part of Ireland to fling it at a rival, but it missed and landed in the Irish Sea — the clump became the Isle of Man and the pebble became Rockall , the void became Lough Neagh. The many legends of ancient Ireland were captured by Lady Gregory in two volumes with forwards by W.
These stories depict the unusual power and status that Celtic women held in ancient times. Halloween is a traditional and much celebrated holiday in Ireland on the night of 31 October. In Ireland, traditional Halloween customs include; Guising — children disguised in costume going from door to door requesting food or coins — which became practice by the late 19th century, [17] [18] turnips hollowed-out and carved with faces to make lanterns, [17] holding parties where games such as apple bobbing are played.
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. 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. 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 s, and inspired by the American folk music movement, there was a revival of interest in the Irish tradition.
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 s and s, 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. Irish 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 In contrast Northern Ireland , like the rest of the United Kingdom, has no official language. English, however, is the de facto official language. Several other languages are spoken on the island, including Shelta , a mixture of Irish, Romany and English, spoken widely by Travellers.
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. 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 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 traditions and culture of Ireland are known across the world and whilst millions celebrate and enjoy Irish traditions, many are not aware of their origins. Lough Gur, an early Irish farming settlement. As archaeological evidence from sites such as the Céide Fields in.
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 — , which more or less undid all the growth in population of the previous century.
The cause of which is attributed by some to an adherence to laissez faire economic policies by the government which kept food exports at the pre famine level leading to disease, death 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. 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. 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 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. 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. Clubs usually vary in terms of the type of music played, and the target audience. Belfast has a unique underground club scene taking place in settings such as churches, zoos, and crematoriums. 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 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".
National and international organisations have labelled Ireland as having a problem with over-consumption of alcohol.