Ireland
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Geography:
Éire (the national name of Ireland) is an island in the
Atlantic Ocean, separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea.
Central plain of
Ireland is surrounded by mountains (it resembles a basin).
The longest river is
the Shannon.
The climate is mild,
wet (warm summers, mild winters), thanks to Gulf Stream, without it this island
would be very cold.
It is divided into 2
major political units: Northern Ireland (= part of the UK), Republic of
Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is also divided into 26 countries.
Population:
The population is
about 4 million (4, 250 mil.) but most of Irish citizens live outside of
Ireland, in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia. About 90 per cent of the
population are traditionally Catholic.
The first official
language is Irish (also called Gaelic), it is an compulsory subject at school,
and second is English, which is used in everyday life.
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History:
The first settlement
can be tracked back to 8 000 BC. It was originally inhabited by the Celts.
In the 5th century St. Patrick brought them Christianity. From the
twelfth century Normans from England moved to Ireland, at first peacefully,
than confiscating the land. It continued with a long series of revolts, the
country was devastated by famines, many people emigrated to the US. In 1801 the
Act of Union made Ireland a part of the UK. An independent Irish state was
established in 1922 but the six northern countries remained a part of the UK.
There were some struggles between the Catholics and Protestants until the Good
Friday Agreement in 1998.
Ireland joined the
United Nations in 1955 and the European Union in 1973. It is not a member of
NATO.
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Political system:
Ireland is a
constitutional republic with a parliamentary system of government. The
Parliament consists of an upper house (Senate) and a lower house (House of
Representatives). The head of the government is the prime minister, the chief
of state is the president.
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Famous places:
Dublin - the capital. It is situated on the east coast of the
island. It is a Viking city with an Irish name. It is visited for it’s
traditional pubs (Temple Bar), medieval Dublin castle and St. Patrick's
Cathedral - the largest church in Ireland
The Cliffs of Moher - on the south-western coast, the cliffs
consist mostly of sandstone and they reach (up) 200m. There used to stand a
fort called Moher but it was demolished.
Blarney castle - medieval, south coast, Blarney Stone - who kisses
it he will get the gift of eloquence (výřečnost)
+ Klimney, Limerick
(medieval towns), picturesque villages
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Famous people:
Writers: Jonathan
Swift, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Bram Stoker,...
Musicians: The
Dubliners, U2, Ash,...
Actors: Pierce
Brosnan, Colin Farrel,...
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Holidays, symbols, traditions:
The most typical
Irish holiday is St. Patricks’s Day (March 17), the patron saint of Ireland. The celebrations include parades,
concerts, theater productions, fireworks, and of course drinking and feasting
(hodování). People dress in funny costumes in green color.
The national symbols
are harp and shamrock
The Irish flag consists
of three equal stripes (green (catholics), white (peace), orange (protestants)).
Traditional food: Irish
stew (= very thick soup), Boxty (= potato pancake), seafood, breakfast =
bacon, sausages, eggs, fried potatoes and tomatoes (like in England), beer and
whiskey
Ireland has a rich mythology
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