I CRAIC

A TALK ON IRELAND AND IRISH CULTURE

GENERAL INFORMATION

THE ISLAND OF IRELAND

THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND CONSISTS OF 26 COUNTIES (PROVINCIAS).

THESE 26 COUNTIES ARE ORGANISED INTO 4 PROVINCES ( COMUNIDADES).

THE 4 PROVINCES

• MUNSTER IN THE SOUTH – CARLYNN´S PROVINCE

LEINSTER IN THE EAST

CONNAUGHT IN THE WEST

ULSTER IN THE NORTH

NORTHERN IRELAND.

• ULSTER = 9 COUNTIES

• NORTHERN IRELAND = 6 OF THE 9 COUNTIES OF ULSTER.

• NORTHERN IRELAND IS NOT A PART OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND.

• NORTHERN IRELAND BELONGS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM.

RIVERS

• THE LONGEST RIVER IN IRELAND IS THE RIVER SHANNON

• IT IS 386 KMS LONG.

LAKES

KILLARNEY CO. KERRY CONTAINS SOME OF THE BEST LAKES IN IRELAND

LOUGH NEAGH

• LOUGH NEAGH IS THE LARGEST LAKE IN IRELAND AND BRITAIN.

• IT IS 396 KM (SQUARED)• IT IS ONE OF THE FORTY LARGEST

LAKES IN EUROPE.• THE LAKE IS SITUATED IN 5 OF THE 6

COUNTIES IN THE NORTH• ANTRIM, DOWN, TYRONE, ARMAGH,

DERRY.

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY

• Sixty million years ago Antrim was subject to intense volcanic activity which created the Giant’s Causeway.

• The causeway is a haven for rare flora and fauna and is very popular among Botanists.

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY MYTH

• TWO GIANTS – 1 IRISH AND 1 SCOTTISH.• IRISH GIANT = FINN MacCOOL, A GENTLE

GIANT.• SCOTTISH GIANT = BENNANDONNER, A

VIOLENT GIANT.• THEY AGREED TO HAVE A TEST OF

STRENGTH.• SO, FINN MacCOOL MADE A ROAD FOR

BENNANDONNER IN THE SEA (GIANT’S CAUSEWAY).

• THE ROAD JOINED IRELAND AND SCOTLAND.

• AFTER MAKING THE ROAD FINN WAS VERY TIRED AND TOOK A LITTLE SIESTA.

• BUT BENNANDONNER WAS ARRIVING TO HIS CAVE.

• OONAGH- FINN’S WIFE PANICKED!

• FINN WOULD NOT STOP SLEEPING!!

• SHE HAD TO THINK QUICKLY!!

• THEN……SHE HAD AN IDEA

• SHE WOULD PRETEND FINN WAS A SLEEPING BABY!

• SHE DRESSED HIM IN BABY CLOTHES

• THEN…BENNANDONNER ARRIVED….,

• “WHERE IS FINN?” HE SHOUTED.• “WHERE IS THE COWARD?”

• “SHHHHHH” SAID OONAGH, “YOU WILL WAKE THE BABY!!”

• “THAT’S FINN’S BABY?”, ASKED BENNANDONNER.

• “YES”, SAID OONAGH, “HE IS VERY SMALL FOR 6 MONTHS OLD!!!”

• BENNANDONNER PANICKED…IF THE 6 MONTH OLD BABY WAS THIS BIG..HOW BIG WAS FINN?!!!

• SO BENNANDONNER RAN AWAY

• BREAKING THE ROAD AS HE WENT.

NEWGRANGE

• This is one of the most important ancient sites in Europe.

• These passage tombs were built during the Stone Age (around 3000BC, so they are older than the Pyramids).

1916/EASTER RISING

• THE EASTER RISING TOOK PLACE ON 24 APRIL, 1916 IN DUBLIN.

• THE IRISH REBELS LOST BUT THE BAD TREATMENT THEY RECEIVED WON THEM MASS SYMPATHY.

• ON EASTER MONDAY 1,600 IRISH VOLUNTEER FORCE (IVF) AND THE CITIZEN ARMY TOOK OVER IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

• THERE WAS A LOT OF DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY IN DUBLIN BECAUSE OF THE RISING.

• 1,600 IRISH REBELS VS 20,000 ENGLISH SOLDIERS

• BECAUSE OF THIS THE IRISH PEOPLE DID NOT SUPPORT THE REBELS.

• PADRAIGH PEARSE & JAMES CONNOLLY READ ´ THE PROCLAMATION OF THE REPUBLIC´.

THE IRISH WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

• IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE ANGLO-IRISH WAR.

• THIS WAS A GUERILLA WAR BETWEEN IRISH REBELS AND BRITISH SOLDIERS.

• FROM JULY 21ST 1919 – 11TH JULY 1921.

THE I.R.A

• THE I.R.A (THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY) = THE SAME GROUP AS THE IVF (THE IRISH VOLUNTEER FORCE) FROM THE EASTER RISING. THEY CHANGED THE NAME TO MAKE THEM APPEAR MORE FORMAL.

THE BLACK AND TANS

• THE BLACK AND TANS = EX-WORLD WAR 1 SOLDIERS CONTRACTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO HELP FIGHT THE IRISH REBELS.

• THEY GOT THIS NAME BECAUSE OF THEIR UNIFORM = KHAKI TROUSERS AND A BLACK JUMPER.

I.R.A VS BLACK AND TANS

• THE IRA USED GUERILLA TACTICS ON THE BRITISH SOLDIERS AND KILLED MANY IMPORTANT ENGLISH FIGURES.

• THE IRA WAS MERCILESS.

• THE BLACK AND TANS WERE A POLICE FORCE RATHER THAN AN ARMY SO THEY HAD A LOT OF CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC.

– THE BLACK AND TANS TRIED TO STOP IRA SUPPORT WITH VIOLENCE.

– THEY BURNED HOUSES, CREATED A STRICT CURFEW AND USED ORDINARY PEOPLE AS HUMAN SHIELDS.

– HOWEVER, THIS INCREASED SUPPORT FOR THE IRA.

MICHAEL COLLINS

• HE WAS THE LEADER OF THE I.R.A.

• HE USED A LOT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE BRITISH IN IRELAND.

• HE CONTROLLED A MERCILESS TEAM OF 12 ASSASINS CALLED “THE SQUAD” OR “THE 12 APOSTLES”.

• BRITISH INTELLIGENCE COULD NOT FIND OUT THEIR IDENTITIES.

ANGLO IRISH TEATY

• THE WAR ENDED IN JULY 1921.• THE BRITISH WON.• DE VALERA THE LEADER OF SINN

FEIN – THE POLITICAL PART OF THE IRA WANTED TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT WITH BRITAIN.

• BUT DE VALERA DID NOT WANT TO GO TO ENGLAND. HE SENT MICHAEL COLLINS.

• DE VALERA KNEW THAT THE RESULT OF THE TREATY WOULD NOT BE GOOD.

• THE TREATY DIVIDED IRELAND INTO 2 COUNTRIES.

• THE IRISH FREE STATE (THE IRISH HAD A LOT OF AUTONOMY BUT ENGLAND WAS STILL THE LEADER IN SOME POLITICAL AREAS)

• AND NORTHERN IRELAND WHICH WAS COMPLETELY UNDER ENGLISH CONTROL.

• MICHAEL COLLINS WAS DISAPPOINTED BY THE TREATY BUT BELIEVED IT GAVE IRELAND “THE FREEDOM TO ACHEIVE FREEDOM”.

• HE SAID “ I HAVE SIGNED MY DEATH WARRANT”.

• BUT THE IRISH PEOPLE, TIRED OF THE VIOLENCE, VOTED FOR THE TREATY.

• THIS TREATY CAUSED THE IRISH CIVIL WAR.

THE IRISH CIVIL WAR

• THE ANGLO IRISH TREATY DIVIDED SINN FEIN AND THE IRA IN TWO.

• PRO-TREATY SINN FEIN AND THE REGULAR IRA VS. ANTI-TREATY SINN FEIN AND THE IRREGULAR IRA.

• COLLINS = PRO TREATY

• DE VALERA = ANTI TREATY

• THE CIVIL WAR LASTED FROM JUNE 1922 TO MAY 1923.

• IN 1922 MICHAEL COLLINS WAS SHOT DEAD BY THE ANTI TREATY IRA.

• THE NEW LEADER OF THE IRISH FREE STATE IS MUCH STRICTER WITH THE ANTI-TREATY IRA AND EXECUTES 77 PEOPLE IN 6 MONTHS.

IMPORTANT EVENTS

• IN 1949 IRELAND GAINS TOTAL INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM.

• IT IS NOW THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND.• THE TRICOLOUR IS THE NATIONAL FLAG.• GREEN = THE ISLAND OF IRELAND AND

CATHOLICS• ORANGE = NORTHERN IRELAND AND

PROTESTANTS• WHITE = PEACE BETWEEN BOTH GROUPS

THE TROUBLES

“OUR REVENGE WILL BE THE LAUGHTER OF OUR CHILDREN”

• THE TROUBLES IS THE NAME USED TO DESCRIBE THE PROBLEMS IN NORTHERN IRELAND.

• CATHOLICS WERE TREATED AS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS IN THE NORTH. PENAL LAW WAS STILL MORE OR LESS PRACTICED.

• ON JANUARY 1967 THE NORTHERN IRELAND CIVIL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION WAS FORMED.

• THIS LED TO A RISE IN TENSION BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS.

• A LOT OF VIOLENCE OCCURED.

• THE BATTLE OF THE BOGSIDE –

AUGUST 1969.

BLOODY SUNDAY

• 30TH OF JANUARY 1972

• CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT VS BRITISH TROOPS.

GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT

• SIGNED ON THE 10TH OF APRIL 1998.

• THE MAIN IDEAS WERE:

– THAT ALL PEOPLE IN THE NORTH SHOULD HAVE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUALITY.

– CO-OPERATION BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS.

FAMOUS IRISH PEOPLE

WRITERS

James Joyce : Ulysses

C.S. Lewis: Chronicles of Narnia

Oscar Wilde: The Picture of Dorian Gray

William B. Yeats: The Lake Isle of Innisfree

Bram Stoker: Dracula

Johnathon Swift: Gullivers Travels

ACTORS

Colin Farell:Minority Report, Phone Booth, S.W.A.T., Alexander, Miami Vice, New World,In Bruges

Pierce Brosnan: James Bond,Mamma Mia

Cillian Murphy: 28 Days Later, Intermission, Breakfast on Pluto,Red Eye, Batman Begins

Liam Neeson: Schindler’s List,Love Actually, Batman Begins, Kingdom of Heaven, Rob Roy, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Johnathon Rhys Meyers: Velvet Goldmine, Alexander,The Tudors

Gabriel Byrne: Excalibur,The Usual Suspects,End of Days, Vanity Fair.

Stephen Rea: V FOR VENDETTA,MICHAEL COLLINS

Ciaran Hinds:Excalibur,Mary Reilly,Oscar and Lucinda,Road to Perdition, The Phantom of the Opera,Veronica Guerin

THE 17TH OF MARCH

ST. PATRICK’S DAY

ST. PATRICK

• ST. PATRICK IS THE PATRON SAINT OF IRELAND

• HE BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY TO THE PAGAN CELTS.

• HE USED THE SHAMROCK TO EXPLAIN THE HOLY TRINITY.

• 3 LEAVES = 1 PLANT, • THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE

SPIRIT = 1 GOD

THE BIGGEST PARTY IN IRELAND

• ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY PEOPLE USUALLY GO TO THE CHURCH.

• THEN EAT TOGETHER.

• WEAR GREEN

• WEAR SHAMROCKS

• EVERY TOWN HAS A PARADE

• AND HAVE A LOT OF FUN

THE PARADES

• The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland but in the United States

• It took place on the 17th of March 1762 in New York.

• It was organised by Irish soldiers and was a protest against discrimination.

• Today, the Saint Patrick’s Day parade is the world's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants.

• Nowadays, St. Patrick’s Day is a worldwide event.

• In Chicago in the United States they dye their river green for the occasion!!!!

Chicago

Dublin

Cork

FUN FACTS

• Celtic rock group The Pogues were originally called "Pogue Mahone," which translates into “kiss my a**" in Gaelic.

• The "Oscar" statuette handed out at the Academy Awards was designed by Cedric Gibbons, who was born in Dublin in 1823.

• An old legend says that, while Christ will judge all nations on judgment day, St. Patrick will be the judge of the Irish.

• Montgomery Street in Dublin was once the largest red light district in all of Europe, with over 1600 prostitutes plying their trade. An old Irish song called “Take Me Up To The Monto” memorializes this era.

• The Newgrange passage tomb in County Meath was constructed around 3200 BC, making it more than 600 years older than the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.

• Kilkenny-born architect James Hoban designed the original White House in Washington after winning a competition sponsored by President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson in 1792.

• James Joyce once called Guinness stout "the wine of Ireland."

• The tallest identical twins ever born were the Knipe Brothers from Magherafelt in County Derry who were 7ft 2in. They were born in 1761.

THE END