June 27, 2017

Fakta tentang irlandia

  1. Secara tradisional, Irlandia dibagi dalam 26 county (contae atau condae dalam bahasa Irlandia) yang masih digunakan hingga kini dalam konteks kebudayaan dan olahraga. Irlandia juga memiliki 4 provinsi: Connacht, Ulster, Leinster, dan Munster.
  2. Irlandia melahirkan orang-orang terkenal seperti Michael Fassbender, Pierce Brosnan, Cillian Murphy dan Colin Farrell. Negara ini juga melahirkan The Corrs, band beraliran folk-rock yang berhasil dalam lingkup internasional.
  3. Irlandia adalah pulau bebas ular. Namun Irlandia memiliki spesies musang dan kuskus.
  4. Pada ketinggian 688 meter di atas Samudera Atlantik, Croaghaun (di Achill Island) adalah tebing tertinggi kedua di Eropa. 
  5. Taman kota terbesar ketiga di Eropa adalah Phoenix Park di Dublin, setelah La Mandria di Venaria Reale dan Richmond Park di London.
  6. Diperkirakan bahwa lebih dari 80 juta orang keturunan Irlandia tinggal di luar Irlandia. Jumlah tersebut 14 kali lebih banyak dari penduduk Irlandia sendiri.
  7. Irlandia mencakup lima per enam pulau dengan nama yang sama, sisanya seperenam pulau adalah Irlandia Utara, yang merupakan bagian dari Britania Raya. 
  8. Berdasarkan sensus tahun 2000, sekitar 34 juta orang Amerika memiliki keturunan Irlandia. Jumlah terbanyak terdapat di New York dan New England.
  9. Setengah dari penduduk Australia memiliki darah Irlandia.
  10. Irlandia mengkonsumsi rata-rata 131,1 liter bir per tahun. Jumlah tersebut merupakan yang tertinggi kedua setelah Republik Ceko. 
  11. Pabrik Irlandia yang terkenal adalah Guinness, Smithwicks dan Harp Lager. Sedangkan tiga simbol paling terkenal di Irlandia adalah Shamrock, harpa, dan salib Celtic. 
  12. Banyak nama keluarga Irlandia dimulai dengan "Mac" atau "O '...", yang berarti masing-masing "anak ..." dan "cucu ..." di Gaelic. 
  13. Slane Concert telah diadakan setiap tahun sejak 1981. Seniman yang pernah diundang termasuk The Rolling Stones, Guns N 'Roses, REM, dan Red Hot Chili Peppers. 
  14. Irlandia telah memenangkan tujuh kali Eurovision Song Contest (tahun 1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994 dan 1996). Kemenangan seperti ini belum pernah diraih negara lain.
  15. Titik tertinggi Irlandia terletak di Carrauntoohil, yakni 1.041 meter. Sedangkan titik terendah terletak Samudra Atlantik, yakni 0 meter.
  16. Irlandia adalah pulau terbesar ketiga di Eropa dan terbesar kedua puluh di dunia. Sekitar 15% tanah Irlandia telah ditanami.
  17. Sampai 1973, banyak perempuan yang bekerja di pelayanan publik memilih pensiun setelah mereka menikah. 
  18. Konstitusi Irlandia pertama ditandatangani di Dublin Shelbourne Hotel. 
  19. Tidak ada kode pos atau ZIP di Irlandia di luar Dublin dan Kota Cork. 
  20. James Joyce pernah menyebut Guinness stout sebagai "anggur dari Irlandia".
  21. Shannon adalah bandara pertama di dunia yang bebas bebas bea cukai pada tahun 1947
  22. Salah satu acara radio yang paling populer di pedesaan Irlandia pedesaan adalah siaran harian berita kematian lokal. 
  23. The Newgrange di County Meath dibangun sekitar 3200 SM, sehingga lebih tua 600 tahun dari Piramida Giza di Mesir, dan 1.000 tahun lebih tua dari Stonehenge.
  24. Irlandia disebut Éire di Irlandia. Selain itu, negara ini juga dikenal sebagai Republik Irlandia. 
  25. Irlandia telah memenangkan Eurovision Song Contest sebanyak tujuh kali. 
  26. Dalkey, pinggiran Dublin, adalah Irlandia "Beverly Hills", rumah bagi sejumlah selebriti Irlandia, seperti penulis Maeve Binchy, Roddy Doyle dan Hugh Leonard, para sutradara film Neil Jordan dan Jim Sheridan, serta beberapa tokoh musik internasional termasuk anggota U2 Bono dan The Edge, Enya, dan Van Morrison 
  27. Setelah delapan abad berjuang melawan Britania Raya, kemerdekaan berhasil diraih oleh rakyat Irlandia.
  28. Pada Juli 2013, lebih dari 4,75 juta orang tinggal di Irlandia. Sejumlah 84% penduduknya menganut Katolik Roma.
  29. Ibukota Irlandia, Dublin, ditinggali oleh seperempat dari total penduduk. 
  30. Penulis terkenal dari Irlandia adalah Jonathan Swift - Perjalanan Gulliver, Bram Stoker - Dracula dan James Joyce - Ulysses. Mereka telah memberi kontribusi besar bagi dunia sastra.
  31. Irlandia melahirkan William Edward Wilson, orang pertama yang secara akurat mengukur suhu matahari (6059 C).
  32. Sejak Zaman Perunggu Irlandia telah memiliki Olimpiade sendiri yang disebut Tailteann Games. 
  33. Nama seorang warga Irlandia, Kapten James Boikot, adalah asal mula Istilah 'boikot'.
  34. Pub tertua di Irlandia, Sean Bar, didirikan sekitar 900 tahun yang lalu.
  35. Seluruh negara di Uni Eropa sudah melegalkan aborsi, kecuali Irlandia.
  36. U2 adalah ekspor musik paling terkenal Irlandia. 
  37. Halloween berasal dari Festival Samhain Irlandia.
  38. Irlandia James Hoban, orang Irlandia, merancang The White House.
  39. Nama tempat terpanjang di Irlandia adalah Muckanaghederdauhaulia. Sedangkan kata terpanjang di Irlandia adalah Sruffaunoughterluggatoora.
  40. Di Irlandia, jumlah ponsel lebih banyak daripada jumlah manusia. Irlandia adalah salah satu eksportir terbesar hardware dan software di dunia. 
  41.  Di Irlandia, danau disebut loughs.
  42. Bahasa leluhur orang Irlandia adalah Irish Gaelic. Selain bahasa Irlandia dan Inggris, Gaelic adalah bahasa yang umum digunakan di Irlandia.
  43. Di Irlandia, jumlah orang yang berbicara dalam bahasa Irlandia 8 kali lebih banyak daripada orang yang berbicara dalam bahasa Gaelic. 
  44. Dalam tradisi ulang tahun Irlandia, orang memegang anak yang berulang tahun secara terbalik sehingga kepalanya menyentuh lantai. Tradisi ini diyakini membawa keberuntungan.
  45. Orang Irlandia memperoleh libur nasional pada Hari Saint Patrick. Libur ini juga dianut oleh banyak negara lain di seluruh dunia. 
  46. Olah raga tradisional Irlandia, Sepak bola Gaelic dan Hurling, menjadi olahraga paling populer di negeri ini. Sedangkan tinju menjadi olahraga yang paling sukses dalam Olimpiade.
  47. Beberapa wilayah Irlandia memperoleh 275 hari hujan dalam setahun.
  48. Presiden Irlandia menjabat sebagai kepala negara dalam jangka waktu 7 tahun. 
  49. Irlandia memiliki makanan-makanan unik, di antaranya puding drisheen yang terbuat dari sapi, babi atau darah domba. Ada juga puding putih yang merupakan campuran daging babi, sereal, roti, lemak dan lemak.
  50. Titanic, kapal yang tenggelam dalam pelayaran perdananya, dibuat di Irlandia. 
  51. Irlandia memiliki tambang seng terbesar di Eropa, dan kelima terbesar di dunia. 
  52. John Tyndall, orang Irlandia, adalah ilmuwan pertama yang pernah secara khusus disebut sebagai fisikawan.
  53. Keberadaan drakula diduga terinspirasi dari legenda Irlandia, di mana seorang kepala suku jahat dibunuh dan bangkit dari kuburnya setiap malam untuk meminum darah rakyatnya.
  54. Irlandia adalah salah satu negara awal Uni Eropa yang mulai menggunakan mata uang euro pada tahun 2002. 
  55. Pada 2002, Irlandia adalah negara pertama di dunia yang memberlakukan pajak lingkungan untuk tas belanja plastik. Kemudian pada 2004, Irlandia menjadi negara pertama yang memperkenalkan larangan merokok di tempat umum.
copy dari sini nih.
 

June 26, 2017

Russia

Matryoshka – The Russian Nesting Doll


 

It's hard to find a symbol of Russia more popular than the traditional Russian nesting doll. These decorated wooden dolls "with a secret" are also called matryoshka dolls or babushka dolls. They are recognized even in the countries thousand miles away from Russia. Taking a Russian nesting doll back home is a must among tourists from Europe and the United States alike. The lovers of exotics collect matryoshkas in Australia and South Africa. The simplicity and originality of matryoshka dolls attract the fans of Russian folk art from around the world. Bright and picturesque Russian nesting dolls decorate the fireplaces and bookshelves in the homes of thousands of Russians.

The history of Russian nesting dolls

Some historians of Russian life argue that matryoshka dolls originated from Japanese traditional dolls. However it's known that Russian masters would make hollow detachable Easter eggs from the wood long before the first nesting doll was made. The first Russian nesting doll set appeared in Moscow in 1890's. It was carved by Vasily Zvyozdochkin from a design by a folk crafts painter Sergey Malyutin. The doll set consisted of eight dolls of decreasing sizes placed one inside the other. All eight dolls depicted children -- the outermost was a girl holding a rooster, six inner dolls were girls, the fifth doll was a boy, and the innermost was a baby.
Despite the fact that first matryoshka dolls were intended for children, their price was so high that only adults could afford to buy them on special occasions. Matryoshka dolls were often given as a present to young women from their beloved ones. In 1900, the dolls earned a bronze medal at the World Exhibition in Paris. Soon after, Russian nesting dolls became wildly popular. The toys were being produced in several well-known manufacturing centers, the most famous of them being Sergiev Posad and Semenov. In the early twentieth century, Russian nesting dolls were being exported abroad in large quantities. The popularity of the dolls even gave rise to a few companies in Germany which produced counterfeit nesting dolls and sold them as Russian toys.

How are Russian nesting dolls made?

It takes a lot of skill to make a Russian nesting doll set. Traditionally, matryoshka dolls were made from linden or birch and their production would involve the participation of the whole family. The dolls of the cylindrical form were painted in different ways: it could be a peasant girl dressed in a sarafan and a headscarf, a man or a child. Matryoshka dolls are often painted holding a basket of berries, bread, or a bunch of flowers in their hands.
The production process would begin with the smallest, innermost doll that was lathed from a single piece of wood and wouldn't separate as opposed to the larger figures. The number of nested dolls in a set could vary from two to sixty however a classic set normally included five nested figures. The carved dolls were covered with special glue to fill the cracks and reduce the roughness, after which the dolls were painted to follow a particular theme.
Today, the same process is used in for hand-made nesting dolls some Russian villages. The nesting dolls can be painted to follow the traditional theme or any other style, including fairy tales characters, animals, famous political leaders, historical figures, musicians and popular movie stars.
A fancy set like that might make a good gift. When in Russia, you can purchase Russian nesting dolls at most places where souvenirs are sold. In Moscow, Izmaylovo Market is an excellent souvenir venue where hundreds of vendors offer myriads of gifts for sale. It's a good idea to reserve a hotel in Moscow and dedicate a full day to shopping at the market.

Russian nesting dolls: Record-breakers

In 1913, a factory in the city of Semyonov produced a matryoshka dolls set that consisted of 48 figures and was painted in traditional red and yellow colors.
In the meantime, the biggest Russian dolls set was presented at the exhibition in Japan in 1970. Russian masters from Semenov showcased a matryoshka set that included seventy-two figures. The production of such matryoshkas requires exceptional skills and talent, so their mass production is not possible.


Russian Samovars


 

   Samovars and tea-drinking are an indispensable element of Russian culture. In modern Russia, samovars are rarely used to boil water for tea as originally intended, however many families place samovars in the center of the table during holiday celebrations. Reserving pride of place for a samovar at the festive table is both a tribute that Russians give to their ancestors and a ceremony that embodies warm-hearted hospitality.

What is a Samovar?

A samovar is a device traditionally used to heat and boil water for tea. The word samovar in Russian is derived from "сам" meaning self and "варить" meaning to boil. The name can be loosely translated into English as "self-boiler". Samovars are made from metal and consist of a large urn-shaped container and a metal pipe running vertically through the middle. To boil the water inside a samovar, the pipe is filled with solid fuel such as pine cones, charcoals and wood chips which are set on fire. A small tea pot is used to brew a tea concentrate. The tea pot is often placed on top of a samovar to keep it heated with the passing hot air.
The tea is served by pouring tea concentrate into a cup and diluting it with boiled water. The water is released through a faucet at the base of the metal container. Samovars were one of the earliest home appliances in Russia. Families and guests would sit at a large dinner table to have a leisurely talk and discuss the latest events while drinking hot tea.

What is a Samovar singing about?

Russian people believed that the samovar has a soul. This belief was mainly based on the fact that samovars were producing different sounds when being heated with fuel. The shape of the samovar's body accounts for amazing acoustics and water makes peculiar noises when it is being brought to the boil. It was common to say that "a samovar is singing" (самовар поёт).

Who invented a Samovar?

The oldest pottery samovar-like was found in Azerbaijan. Its age was 3700 years, which is about 1700 older than a samovar discovered in Egypt. There were similar devices found in China but they weren't used for making tea.
 
In Russia, the first copper samovar was made in 1778 by the Lisitsyn brothers in Tula, a city known for its metalworkers and arms-makers. Within the first 70 years, numerous samovar-makers in Tula were producing 120 thousand samovars every year. Samovars were mainly made from nickel and copper and particular attention was paid to details. The handles and the faucet could be made in the form of vines or the claws of a dragon, while the body of the samovar could be engraved by hand.
The samovar manufacturing process consisted of 12 stages with individual masters specializing on each stage of production. Interestingly, the population of the whole village could be specializing on manufacturing of a single element, such as the handles of the samovar. The final assembly and trimming of samovars was performed at factories. By the early twentieth century there were about 170 different models of samovars. Samovars were sold by weight—the heavier the samovar the higher the price.

Samovar proverbs

Today, Tula is known as the historical center of samovar production. There is a Russian proverb В Ту́лу со свои́м самова́ром не е́здят, which means "You don't take a samovar to Tula". It is used in the same sense as "to bring coals to Newcastle".

Samovars in modern Russia

Modern factories produce both antique and electric samovars. The traditional models are mostly purchased as souvenirs. The electric samovars use an electric heating element instead of the fuel pipe. Electric samovars serve the same purpose as the electric kettle and can be easily used in any household in Russia.
If you are going to buy a samovar made in Russia to bring back to your country, remember that Russian samovars are made according to the Russian electric standards. Russia has 220 volt electricity and a different electric plug. You will need to consult with the manufacturer about possibility of using such a samovar in your country. Whether you use it to boil water or not, a Russian samovar will always make a great souvenir or a home decor element.
Today, there are several museums dedicated to the "Russian tea machine". The most famous museum is Mikhail Borschev's private collection of more than 400 samovars. If you'd like to further explore the wonders of Russian folk arts you can visit the online samovar museum at http://www.samovaroff.net/ (the site is available in Russian only).

source

mudik selain indonesia.

Ternyata tradisi mudik enggak cuma ada di Indonesia saja loh! Ada banyak negara lain yang mempunyai tradisi mudik, meskipun mungkin mereka tidak melakukan mudik menjelang lebaran. Memang sepertinya ada banyak sekali orang yang merantau, jauh dari kampung halaman. Jadi bukan mustahil kalau pasti ada yang namanya tradisi mudik di dunia ini. Nah! Ini dia 6 Tradisi Mudik Unik Dari Berbagai Belahan Dunia.

1. CHINA
 Kalo di China budaya rutinitas mudiknya ini biasa dilakuin saat hari raya Iimlek sob, sama sih kaya Idul Fitri-nya kita dimana saat itu merupakan momen yang pas untuk saling silaturahmi satu sama lain. Sebagian besar masyarakat di China lebih memilih pulang ke kampung halamannya untuk melakukan imlek dengan keluarganya atau pergi ke daerah pedesaan.
Bisa lo bayangin deh segimana macetnya jalanan disana, It’s China bro merupakan negara yang memiliki jumlah penduduk terbanyak di seluruh dunia. Nah, yang beda di China pada saat mudik mereka nyiapin hadiah buat dikasihin sama orangtua dan kerabat, disana juga biasanya mengenakan pakean dan perhiasan terbaik gitu yang secara gak langsung ngegambarin tingkat kemakmuran di daerah perantauan mereka.

2. KOREA
Budaya mudik di Korea bisa dilihat saat Chuseok yaitu hari libur resmi dan dirayakan secara besar-besaran pada bulan ke-8 di hari ke-15 penanggalan bulan, nah loh gimananya tuh? Gua juga kurang paham. Nah hari Chuseok juga biasa disebut hari panen, festival bulan musim panen, atau hangawi (hari besar ditengah musim gugur).
Buat masyarakat di Korea kalo udah ngedenger kata Chuseok udah deh hal-hal yang terlintas dipikiran mereka itu kemacetan parah, mudik, dan peringatan arwah leluhur hiii syerem. Jadi Chuseok itu juga merupakan kesempatan masyarakat Korea untuk mengucap syukur kepada arwah leluhur, melakukan ritual seperti Charye dan Seongmyo dan menghabiskan waktu dengan makan dan minum bersama keluarga.
Nah ga cuma kita yang punya makanan ketupat saat lebaran, orang Korea pun memiliki makanan khas saat Chuseok yaitu kue Songpyeon yang terbuat dari tepung beras yang berisi kacang atau wijen. Saat malam sebelum Chuseok setiap anggota keluarga akan duduk bersama membuat kue tersebut sambil ngeliat bulan widiii sok romantis ye. Nah nah nah lagi nih buat yang masih single alias JOMBLO mereka akan buat Songpyeon yang sangat bagus karena katanya bisa bikin mereka dapet pasangan yang cantik dan tampan nantinya. Recomended nih buat temen-temen yang mau memperbaiki keturunan.

3. INDIA
Kalau di India, tiap tahun masyarakat akan pulang kampung untuk merayakan Festival Cahaya atau Diwali (Deepavali). menurut kalendar Gegoleran Gregorian, entah itu kalender apa yang pasti kepercayaan orang-orang disana, biasanya perayaan ini jatuh pada bulan Oktober atau November, dan dirayakan selama 5 hari berturut-turut. Saat hari perayaan rumah-rumah disana didekorasi dengan kilauan dimana-mana dan malam Diwali pun meriah dengan petasan-petasan di sepanjang jalan.
Sebelum hari Diwali biasanya kereta-kereta disana pasti udah rame sob, karena perjalanan mudik ke kampung halaman aja disana dijadiin semacem ritual gitu, ngeriyyyy. Jika gak kepengen keabisan tiket kereta calon pemudik harus mesen tiket dari jauh-jauh hari tuh biar kebagian kursi. Selain rame oleh pemudik, ditambah juga oleh ramenya wisatawan yang berlibur saat hari raya diwali, bisa lo bayangin kaya apa padetnya jalanan di India.

4. BANGLADESH
Kegiatan mudik Idul Fitri pun ke kampung halaman masing-masing sangat rame di negeri ini, kenapa engga? Bangladesh merupakan negara yang mayoritas-nya adalah muslim. Beberapa hari sebelum Idul Fitri arus mudik di Bangladesh sudah sangat terlihat padat merayap menyerbu terminal bus, kereta api, dan perahu sungai demi mendapatkan tiket mudik.
Bangladesh Railway (BR), menjual tiket untuk memudahkan perjalanan sekitar 300 ribu orang dengan lusinan kereta khusus. Kabarnya kereta api menjadi transportasi mudik favorite disana karena masyarakat disana sangat menghindari perjalanan darat yang jalanannya rusak parah dan bergelombang akibat musim hujan mas bro.

5. MALASYIA
Sama seperti Bangladesh, negara tetangga kita Malaysia pun merayakan Idul Fitri karena mayoritas masyarakatnya yang memeluk agama islam. Nah, kalo istilah mudik di kita namanya pulang kampung, kalo di Malaysia istilah disana dinamakan balik kampong hehe lucu bahasanya.
Setelah gua pahami kayanya gak jauh berbeda budaya mudik kita dengan negara tetangga ini, dari sebelum mudik yang biasanya mereka sibuk belanja di pusat perbelanjaan dan masyarakat kampung yang sibuk berbenah menyambut kedatangan anak-anak dan kerabatnya dari kota. Saling maaf memaafkan sesama anggota keluarga dan kerabat hingga menyempatkan untuk mengunjungi makam keluarganya yang sudah meninggal. Juga tradisi memberi uang alias THR juga ada di negara ini. Bedanya di Malayia mereka punya dua kali hari mudik, saat Idul Fitri dan juga saat Imlek, karena saat libur Imlek orang-orang di Malaysia memanfaatkan liburnya untuk balik kampong.

6. AMERIKA SERIKAT

Ternyata ga cuma negara-negara di bagian asia saja yang melakukan mudik, di Amerika Serikat pun ternyata sangat akrab loo dengan tradisi ini. By the way kapan mereka mudik? Yak mereka pulang ke kampung halaman saat hari Thanksgiving tiba, dan perayaan ini jatuh setiap hari kamis keempat di bulan November.
Saat Thanksgiving warga di AS berkesempatan untuk pulang dan berkumpul dengan keluarga serta kerabat mereka dengan berpesta dan berdoa bersama di musim gugur sebagai bentuk terima kasih mereka kepada Squanto, karena konon pria Indian itu telah mengajarkan penduduk Plymouth, Massachussets, cara bertahan hidup dengan menangkap belut dan menanam jagung.
Nah, saat Thanksgiving pun warga AS memiliki makanan khas yaitu kalkun dengan kentang yang dilengkapi dengan kuah daging, bedeehhhh. Adapun makanan lain yaitu sejumlah labu yang bakalan bikin pesta meriah di meja makan mereka.

7. Arab Saudi
Menjelang Idul Fitri, penduduk Arab Saudi yang kebagian menerima tamu akan mendekorasi rumah mereka seindah mungkin. Mereka juga akan menyajikan hidangan lezat untuk menyambut kerabat-kerabatnya yang sedang melakukan mudik.

Sejumlah perayaan juga digelar dalam rangka memeriahkan hari besar umat Islam ini, seperti mengadakan pagelaran teater, pertunjukan musik atau parade. 


source
sumber 
 




idul fitri......

mohon maaf lahir batin ya....




source

June 2, 2017

Budaya Barat

Budaya Barat (kadang-kadang disamakan dengan peradaban Barat atau peradaban Eropa), mengacu pada budaya yang berasal dari Eropa.
Istilah "budaya Barat" digunakan sangat luas untuk merujuk pada warisan norma-norma sosial, nilai-nilai etika, adat istiadat, keyakinan agama, sistem politik, artefak budaya khusus, serta teknologi. Secara spesifik, istilah budaya Barat dapat ditujukan terhadap:
Konsep budaya Barat umumnya terkait dengan definisi klasik dari Dunia Barat. Dalam definisi ini, kebudayaan Barat adalah himpunan sastra, sains, politik, serta prinsip-prinsip artistik dan filosofi yang membedakannya dari peradaban lain. Sebagian besar rangkaian tradisi dan pengetahuan tersebut umumnya telah dikumpulkan dalam kanon Barat.[1] Istilah ini juga telah dihubungkan dengan negara-negara yang sejarahnya amat dipengaruhi oleh imigrasi atau kolonisasi orang-orang Eropa, misalnya seperti negara-negara di benua Amerika dan Australasia, dan tidak terbatas hanya oleh imigran dari Eropa Barat. Eropa Tengah juga dianggap sebagai penyumbang unsur-unsur asli dari kebudayaan Barat.[2][3]
Beberapa kecenderungan yang dianggap mendefinisikan masyarakat Barat moderen, antara lain dengan adanya pluralisme politik, berbagai subkultur atau budaya tandingan penting (seperti gerakan-gerakan Zaman Baru), serta peningkatan sinkretisme budaya sebagai akibat dari globalisasi dan migrasi manusia.


sumber : https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budaya_Barat

June 1, 2017

Culture of Ireland

The culture of Ireland includes customs and traditions, language, music, art, literature, folklore, cuisine and sports associated with Ireland and the Irish people. For most of its recorded history, Ireland's culture has been primarily Gaelic (see Gaelic Ireland). It has also been influenced by Anglo-Norman, English and Scottish culture. The Anglo-Normans invaded Ireland in the 12th century, while the 16th/17th century conquest and colonization of Ireland saw the emergence of the Anglo-Irish and Scots-Irish (or Ulster Scots). Today, there are notable cultural differences between those of Catholic and Protestant (especially Ulster Protestant) background, and between travellers and the settled population.
Due to large-scale emigration from Ireland, Irish culture has a global reach and festivals such as Saint Patrick's Day, Halloween, are celebrated all over the world.[1] Irish culture has to some degree been inherited and modified by the Irish diaspora, which in turn has influenced the home country.
Though there are many unique aspects of Irish culture, it shares substantial traits with those of Britain, other English-speaking countries, other predominantly Catholic European countries, and the other Celtic nations.

Contents

Farming and rural tradition


Lough Gur, an early Irish farming settlement
As archaeological evidence from sites such as the Céide Fields in County Mayo and Lough Gur in County Limerick demonstrates, farming in Ireland is an activity that goes back to the very beginnings of human settlement. In historic times, texts such as the Táin Bó Cúailinge show a society in which cattle represented a primary source of wealth and status. Little of this had changed by the time of the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Giraldus Cambrensis portrayed a Gaelic society in which cattle farming and transhumance was the norm.

Townlands, villages, parishes and counties

The Normans replaced traditional clan land management (Brehon Law) with the manorial system of land tenure and social organisation. This led to the imposition of the village, parish and county over the native system of townlands. In general, a parish was a civil and religious unit with a manor, a village and a church at its centre. Each parish incorporated one or more existing townlands into its boundaries. With the gradual extension of English feudalism over the island, the Irish county structure came into existence and was completed in 1610.
These structures are still of vital importance in the daily life of Irish communities. Apart from the religious significance of the parish, most rural postal addresses consist of house and townland names. The village and parish are key focal points around which sporting rivalries and other forms of local identity are built and most people feel a strong sense of loyalty to their native county, a loyalty which also often has its clearest expression on the sports field.

Land ownership and land hunger

Traditional Irish cottage in Co. Antrim
Modern Irish home in Co. Donegal
With the Elizabethan English conquest, the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, and the organised plantations of English and Scottish settlers, the patterns of land ownership in Ireland were altered greatly. The old order of transhumance and open range cattle breeding died out to be replaced by a structure of great landed estates, small tenant farmers with more or less precarious hold on their leases, and a mass of landless labourers. This situation continued up to the end of the 19th century, when the agitation of the Land League began to bring about land reform. In this process of reform, the former tenants and labourers became land owners, with the great estates being broken up into small- and medium-sized farms and smallholdings. The process continued well into the 20th century with the work of the Irish Land Commission. This contrasted with Britain, where many of the big estates were left intact. One consequence of this is the widely recognised cultural phenomenon of "land hunger" amongst the new class of Irish farmer. In general, this means that farming families will do almost anything to retain land ownership within the family unit, with the greatest ambition possible being the acquisition of additional land. Another is that hillwalkers in Ireland today are more constrained than their counterparts in Britain, as it is more difficult to agree rights of way with so many small farmers involved on a given route, rather than with just one landowner.

Holidays and festivals


The majority of the Irish calendar today still reflects the old pagan customs, with later Christian traditions also having significant influences. Christmas in Ireland has several local traditions, some in no way connected with Christianity. On 26 December (St. Stephen's Day), there is a custom of "Wrenboys"[2] who call door to door with an arrangement of assorted material (which changes in different localities) to represent a dead wren "caught in the furze", as their rhyme goes.
The national holiday in the Republic of Ireland is Saint Patrick's Day, that falls on the date 17 March and is marked by parades and festivals in cities and towns across the island of Ireland, and by the Irish diaspora around the world. The festival is in remembrance to Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Pious legend credits Patrick with the banishing of the snakes from the island, and the legend also credits Patrick with teaching the Irish about the concept of the Trinity by showing people the shamrock, a 3-leaved clover, using it to highlight the Christian belief of 'three divine persons in the one God'.
In Northern Ireland on The Twelfth of July, commemorates William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne is a public holiday. The holiday is celebrated by Irish Protestants the vast majority of whom live in Northern Ireland and is notable for the numerous parades organized by the Orange Order which take place throughout Northern Ireland. These parades are colourful affairs with Orange Banners and sashes on display and include music in the form of traditional songs such as The Sash and Derry's Walls performed by a mixture of Pipe, Flute, Accordion, and Brass marching bands.
Brigid's Day (1 February, known as Imbolc or Candlemas) also does not have its origins in Christianity, being instead another religious observance superimposed at the beginning of spring. The Brigid's cross made from rushes But today many materials are used. Any material that is used for making the cross should ideally be blessed. St. Brigid's day represents a pre-Christian solar wheel.
Other pre-Christian festivals, whose names survive as Irish month names, are Bealtaine (May), Lúnasa (August) and Samhain (November). The last is still widely observed as Halloween which is celebrated all over the world, including in the United States followed by All Saints' Day, another Christian holiday associated with a traditional one. Important church holidays include Easter, and various Marian observances.

Religion


The ruins of the ancient monastery at Clonmacnoise, County Offaly
St Brigid's Crosses are often made for St Brigid's Day
Shamrocks are often worn on St Patrick's Day
Christianity in the form of both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism is the most widely practised religion in Ireland.[3][4] Christianity was brought to Ireland during or prior to the 5th century[5] and its early history among the Irish is in particular associated with Saint Patrick, who is generally considered Ireland's patron saint.[6] The Celtic festival of Samhain, known as Halloween, originated in Ireland and is now celebrated all over the world.[7]
Ireland is a place where religion and religious practice have always been held in high esteem. The majority of people on the island are Roman Catholics; however, there is a significant minority of Protestants who are mostly concentrated in Northern Ireland, where they make up a plurality of the population. The three main Protestant denominations on the island are the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland. These are also joined by numerous other smaller denominations including Baptists, several American gospel groups and the Salvation Army. As well as these Protestant Churches, other minority denominations include Eastern Orthodox, Jehovah's Witnesses and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). In addition to the Christian denominations there are centres for Buddhists, Hindus, Bahais, Pagans and for people of the Islamic and Jewish faiths.
In the Republic of Ireland, the last time a census asked people to specify their religion was in 2011. The result was 84.16% Roman Catholic, 2.81% Church of Ireland (Anglican), 1.07% Islam, 0.54% Presbyterian, 0.9% Christian, 0.99% Orthodox, approximately 2.07% other religious groupings and 5.88% identified as having no religion. About 1.59% did not state their religious identity.[8] Amongst the Republic's Roman Catholics, weekly church attendance dropped from 87% in 1981 to 60% in 1998, though this remained one of the highest attendance rates in Europe.
In Northern Ireland in 2011, the population was 40.8% Roman Catholic, 19.1% Presbyterian, 13.7% Church of Ireland (Anglican), 3% Methodist, 5.8% other Christian, 0.8% other religion and philosophy, 10.1% with no religion and 6.8% religion not stated.[9]

Folklore


Modern depiction of a Leprechaun
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.[10] More acknowledged and respected in Ireland are the stories of Fionn mac Cumhaill and his followers, the Fianna, form the Fenian cycle. 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 Irish king Brian Boru who ended the domination of the so-called High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, is part of the historical cycle. The Irish princess Iseult is the adulterous lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romance and tragedy Tristan and Iseult. The many legends of ancient Ireland were captured by Lady Gregory in two volumes with forwards by W.B. Yeats. These stories depict the unusual power and status that Celtic women held in ancient times.
photograph
A traditional Irish Halloween turnip lantern
Halloween is a traditional and much celebrated holiday in Ireland on the night of 31 October.[11] The name Halloween is first attested in the 16th century as a Scottish shortening of the fuller All-Hallows-Eve,[12] and according to some historians it has its roots in the gaelic festival Samhain, where the Gaels believed the border between this world and the otherworld became thin, and the dead would revisit the mortal world.[13]
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,[14][15] turnips hollowed-out and carved with faces to make lanterns,[14] holding parties where games such as apple bobbing are played.[16] Other practices in Ireland include lighting bonfires, and having firework displays.[17] Mass transatlantic Irish and Scottish immigration in the 19th century popularised Halloween in North America.[18]

Literature and the arts


Irish dancers in Irish dancing costumes, which often feature lace or an embroidered pattern copied from the medieval Irish Book of Kells.[19]

Irish traditional music sessions are commonplace in most Irish public houses
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. Particularly famous examples of such works are those of James Joyce, Bram Stoker, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde and Ireland's four winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature; William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney. 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.[20] The Irish language has the third oldest literature in Europe (after Greek and Latin),[21] the most significant body of written literature (both ancient and recent) of any Celtic language, as well as a strong oral tradition of legends and poetry. 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 1960s, and inspired by the American folk music movement, there was a revival of interest in the Irish tradition. This revival was inspired by groups like The Dubliners, the Clancy Brothers and Sweeney's Men and individuals like Seán Ó Riada. The annual Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the largest festival of Irish music in Ireland.
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 1970s and 1980s, 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. This trend can be seen more recently in the work of bands like U2, Snow Patrol, The Cranberries, The Undertones and The Corrs.
Irish Nobel Prize in Literature laureates
W.B. Yeats
(1865–1939)
George Bernard Shaw
(1856–1950)
Samuel Beckett
(1906–1989)
Seamus Heaney
(1939–2013)
William Butler Yeats by George Charles Beresford.jpg George Bernard Shaw 1925.jpg Samuel Beckett, Pic, 1.jpg Seamus Heaney (cropped).jpg

Languages


An Irish-language information sign in the Gaeltacht
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 40.6% of people in the Republic of Ireland claiming some ability to speak the language in the 2011 census.[22] Article 8 of the Constitution of Ireland states that Irish is the national and first official language of the Republic of Ireland.[23] English in turn is recognised as the State's second official language.[23] Hiberno-English, the dialect of English spoken in most of the Republic of Ireland, has been greatly influenced by Irish.[24]
In contrast Northern Ireland, like the rest of the United Kingdom, has no official language. English, however, is the de facto official language. In addition, Irish and Ulster Scots have recognition under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, with 8.1% claiming some ability in Ulster Scots and 10.7% in Irish.[25] In addition, the dialect and accent of the people of Northern Ireland is noticeably different from that of the majority in the Republic of Ireland, being influenced by Ulster Scots and Northern Ireland's proximity to Scotland.
Several other languages are spoken on the island, including Shelta, a mixture of Irish, Romany and English, spoken widely by Travellers. Two sign languages have also been developed on the island, Northern Irish Sign Language and Irish Sign Language.
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.[26]

Food and drink

Early Ireland


A pint of Guinness
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 in Ireland


Three men digging for potatoes in Ahascragh, Co. Galway (Circa 1900)
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 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 (1845–1849), which more or less undid all the growth in population of the previous century. The cause of which was partially due to an adherence to laissez faire economic policies by the government which kept food exports at the pre famine level leading to disease and emigration.[27][28]

Modern times


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. Supermarket shelves now contain ingredients for, among others, traditional, European, American (Mexican/Tex-Mex), Indian, Polish and Chinese dishes.
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.[29] Due to the current "anti-meat fad", the government has broadcast television advertisements to discourage meat consumption. In the Northern Ireland, the Ulster fry has been particularly cited as being a major source for a higher incidence of cardiac problems, quoted as being a "heart attack on a plate". 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.[30]
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


A typical Irish pub in County Donegal
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, even though Ireland has a recognised problem with over-consumption of alcohol. In 2003, Ireland had the second-highest per capita alcohol consumption in the world, just below Luxembourg at 13.5 litres (per person 15 or more years old), according to the OECD Health Data 2009 survey.[31] According to the latest OECD figures, alcohol consumption in Ireland has dropped from 11.5 litres per adult in 2012 to 10.6 litres per adult in 2013. However, misuse of alcohol in Ireland remains a problem with research showing that in 2013, 75% of alcohol was consumed as part of binge drinking session.[32] 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. "Clubbing" has become a popular phenomenon amongst young people in Ireland during the celtic tiger years. 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.[33]
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 2004.[34] A majority of the population support the ban, including a significant percentage of smokers. 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". A similar ban, under the Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 came into effect in Northern Ireland on 30 April 2007.[35][36]

Sport


Gaelic football

Hurling ball and hurley
Sport on the island of Ireland is popular and widespread. Throughout the island a wide variety of sports are played, the most popular being Gaelic football, hurling, soccer, rugby union and hockey. Gaelic football is the most popular sport in Ireland in terms of match attendance and community involvement, and represents 34% of total sports attendances at events in the Republic of Ireland and abroad, followed by hurling at 23%, soccer at 16% and rugby at 8%.[37] and the All-Ireland Football Final is the most watched event in Ireland's sporting calendar.[38] Swimming, golf, aerobics, soccer, cycling, Gaelic football and billiards/snooker are the sporting activities with the highest levels of playing participation.[39] Soccer is the most popular sport involving national teams. The success of the Ireland team at the 1990 FIFA World Cup saw 500,000 fans in Dublin to welcome the team home.[40] The team's song "Put 'Em Under Pressure" topped the Irish charts for 13 weeks.[41]
In Ireland many sports, such as rugby union, Gaelic football and hurling, are organized in an all-island basis, with a single team representing the island of Ireland in international competitions. Other sports, such as soccer, have separate organising bodies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Traditionally, those in the North who identify as Irish, predominantly Catholics and nationalists, support the Republic of Ireland team.[42] At the Olympics, a person from Northern Ireland can choose to represent either the Great Britain team or the Ireland team. Also as Northern Ireland is a Home Nation of the United Kingdom it also sends a Northern Ireland Team to the Commonwealth Games every four years.

Media

Print

Two types of traditional Irish boats, a currach (above) and a Galway hooker (below)
In the Republic of Ireland there are several daily newspapers, including the Irish Independent, The Irish Examiner, The Irish Times, The Star, The Evening Herald, Daily Ireland, the Irish Sun, and the Irish language Lá Nua. The best selling of these is the Irish Independent, which is published in both tabloid and broadsheet form. The Irish Times is Ireland's newspaper of record.
The Sunday market is quite saturated with many British publications. The leading Sunday newspaper in terms of circulation is The Sunday Independent. Other popular papers include The Sunday Times, The Sunday Tribune, The Sunday Business Post, Ireland on Sunday and the Sunday World.
In Northern Ireland the three main daily newspapers are The News Letter, which is Unionist in outlook, The Irish News, mainly Nationalist in outlook and the Belfast Telegraph. Also widely available are the Northern Irish versions of the main UK wide daily newspapers and some Scottish dailies such as the Daily Record.
In terms of Sunday papers the Belfast Telegraph is the only one of the three main Northern Irish dailies that has a Sunday publication which is called the Sunday Life. Apart from this all the main UK wide Sunday papers such as The Sun on Sunday are widely available as are some Irish papers such as the Sunday world.
There are quite a large number of local weekly newspapers both North and South, with most counties and large towns having two or more newspapers. Curiously Dublin remains one of the few places in Ireland without a major local paper since the Dublin Evening Mail closed down in the 1960s. In 2004 the Dublin Daily was launched, but failed to attract enough readers to make it viable.
One major criticism of the Republic of Ireland newspaper market is the strong position Independent News & Media has on the market. It controls the Evening Herald, Irish Independent, Sunday Independent, Sunday World and The Star as well as holding a large stake in the cable company Chorus, and indirectly controlling The Sunday Tribune. The Independent titles are perceived by many Irish republicans as having a pro-British stance. In parallel to this, the Independent titles are perceived by many opposition supporters as being pro Fianna Fáil[citation needed].
The Irish magazine market is one of the world's most competitive, with hundreds of international magazines available in Ireland, ranging from Time and The Economist to Hello! and Reader's Digest. This means that domestic titles find it very hard to retain readership. Among the best-selling Irish magazines are the RTÉ Guide, Ireland's Eye, Irish Tatler, VIP, Phoenix and In Dublin.

Radio

The first known radio transmission In Ireland was a call to arms made from the General Post Office in O'Connell Street during the Easter Rising. The first official radio station on the island was 2BE Belfast, which began broadcasting in 1924. This was followed in 1926 by 2RN Dublin and 6CK Cork in 1927. 2BE Belfast later became BBC Radio Ulster and 2RN Dublin became RTÉ. The first commercial radio station in the Republic, Century Radio, came on air in 1989.
During the 1990s and particularly the early 2000s, dozens of local radio stations have gained licences. This has resulted in a fragmentation of the radio broadcast market. This trend is most noticeable in Dublin where there are now 6 private licensed stations in operation.

Television

Different television stations are available depending on whether you are in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland the main terrestrial television stations are the main UK wide channels BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Both the BBC and ITV have local regional programing specific to Northern Ireland produced and broadcast through BBC Northern Ireland and UTV.
In terms of Satellite-carried channels in Northern Ireland these are the same as for the rest of the United Kingdom including all Sky channels.
In the Republic of Ireland some areas first received signal from BBC Wales and then latter from BBC Northern Ireland when it began broadcasting television programmes in 1959 before RTÉ Television opened in 1961. Today the Republic's main terrestrial channels are RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, TV3 which began broadcasting in 1998 and Teilifís na Gaeilge (TnaG), now called TG4 which started its Irish language service in 1996.
British and satellite-carried international television channels have widespread audiences in the Republic. The BBC and ITV families of channels are available free to air across the Republic and there is widespread availability of the four main UK channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 and Channel Four) but only limited coverage from Five. Sky One, E4, and several hundred satellite channels are widely available. Parts of the Republic can access the UK digital TV system Freeview.

Film

The Republic of Ireland Film industry has grown rapidly in recent years thanks largely to the promotion of the sector by Bord Scannán na hÉireann (The Irish Film Board)[43] and the introduction of generous tax breaks. Some of the most successful Irish films included Intermission (2001), Man About Dog (2004), Michael Collins (1996), Angela's Ashes (1999), My Left Foot (1989), The Crying Game (1992), In the Name of the Father (1994) and The Commitments (1991). The most successful Irish film directors are Neil Jordan, John Carney, and Jim Sheridan. Irish actors include Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole, Maureen O'Hara, Michael Gambon, Colm Meaney, Gabriel Byrne, Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cillian Murphy, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Saoirse Ronan, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Dornan and Colin Farrell.
Ireland has also proved a popular location for shooting films with The Quiet Man (1952), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Braveheart (1995), King Arthur (2004) and P.S. I Love You (2007) all being shot in Ireland.

Cultural institutions, organisations and events


The Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin.

Institute of Education and Celtic Culture, Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland
Ireland is well supplied with museums and art galleries and offers, especially during the summer months, a wide range of cultural events. These range from arts festivals to farming events. The most popular of these are the annual Dublin Saint Patrick's Day Festival which attracts on average 500,000 people and the National Ploughing Championships with an attendance in the region of 400,000. There are also a number of Summer Schools on topics from traditional music to literature and the arts.
Major organisations responsible for funding and promoting Irish culture are: