I. S. F. D. Inspector Profesor Albino Sánchez Barros

Profesorado de Inglés

The culture of the English peoples

Topic: Northern Ireland

Course: 1st Year. Morning shift

Date: June 17th, 2014

Teacher: Amalia Malanca

Students: Avila, Rosalía

Godoy, Evelin Anahí

Gómez Trapani, Esther

Toledo, Tamara Giselle

Villagra, Ana Carolina

INDEX

Index………………………………………………………………………..1

Introduction and fact files………………………..…………………………2

National symbols……………………………………………………..….…3

Culture…………………………………………………………………...…3

Irish Folklore………………………………………………………...…….4

History and Government………………………………………………..…5

The troubles………………………………………………………….…....5

Appendix…………………………………………………………….……6

INTRODUCTION – FACT FILES

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Northern Ireland is bound to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the northeast by the North Channel and it is located at the west side of Great Britain.

The west side of Northern Ireland mostly consists of cliffs, hills and low mountains, however most of the country is relatively flat farm land, crossed by rivers such as the river Shannon and several lakes.

CLIMATE

Northern Ireland has cool winters and mild summers. It is consistently humid because it rains a lot throughout the year that is why the land has a magical emerald green color.

POLITICAL DIVISION

Northern Ireland occupies about a sixth of the Ireland island total area. It is formed of six of the nine counties of the Irish province of Ulster. Its capital city is Belfast. Its population ascends to a little more than two million inhabitants. English is the official language and also Irish or Gaelic which is mainly spoken in areas located along the western seaboard.

ECONOMY

The economy of Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four economies in the United Kingdom and it is basically an industrial economy, most notably in ship building and textiles. Euro is the official currency of Northern Ireland.

RELIGION

Christianity is the largest religion in Northern Ireland with a 40% of the total population, the Presbyterianism occupies the second position with a 19% and Anglicanism with a 13.7%. Religious communities such as Hinduism, Judaism are among the other percentage.

NATIONAL SYMBOLS

The flags

Northern Ireland has not had its own flag since 1972. During official events, the Union flag is used which is the official of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The “Saint Patrick´s saltire” is sometimes used by the government to represent Northern Ireland alongside the other countries.

And the “Ulster Banner” is still used by unionists and in a number of some sporting events.

However, neither Saint Patrick´s saltire nor the Ulster Banner may be flown on government buildings.

CULTURE

SAINT PATRICK

Saint Patrick´s day is the most widely celebrated holiday and it is characterized by vigorous parades.

Saint Patrick was a Christian missionary who was born in Britain in the V century. At the age of 16, he was captured by Irish raiders and taken as a slave. After 6 years of captivity, he escaped and returned to Britain. He quickly joined the Church and studied to be a priest. In the year 432, he was called back to Ireland as a bishop to Christianize the Irish from their native polytheism, so he started to preach the gospel at those times when Ireland was divided.

After nearly thirty years of evangelism, he died on 17th March 461and by the VII century, he was named as the Patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick´s day becomes a feast characterized by the attendance of church services, wearing shamrocks, wearing green and the lifting of restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol, usually Irish beer and whiskey.

The shamrock

The shamrock was one of Saint Patrick´s teaching methods. He used it to explain the doctrine of the Holly Trinity to the Christian Irish people. By showing the shamrock he highlighted the Christian dogma of the “three divine persons in one God”.

According to this, the shamrock is known as a symbol of Ireland, in fact it is Ireland´s national flower. It is a three-leaf clover and it is often confused with the four-leaf clover which is an Irish symbol of good luck.

There is an image of Saint Patrick banishing snakes from the island chasing them into the sea after they assailed him. The snakes or serpents symbolize the pagan priests of his time.

THE FEAST

The national holiday in Ireland is Saint Patrick´s day on 17th March and is marked by parades and festivals in cities and towns across Ireland. The holiday was made an official feast in the early 17th century.

Saint Patrick´s day is also celebrated in other countries outside Ireland such as Great Britain, Canada, The United States, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina among others.

Originally the colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue, however green ribbons and shamrocks started to appear in these celebrations and over the years has been associated with this day. The phrase “the wearing of the green”, means to wear a shamrock on one´s clothing.

In our country, especially in Buenos Aires, all night parties are celebrated in designated streets in Reconquista, where there are several Irish pubs. Today, Saint Patrick is perhaps the most celebrated saint in the world.

IRISH FOLKLORE

The Leprechaun

Leprechauns are a part of mythology and folklore. They are known to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the Celts. They are bearded old men and small enough to sit on someone´s shoulder and they are smartly dressed in green suites with hats and buckled shoes.

The story tells they have pots of gold hidden deep in the Irish countryside. To protect the gold, the fairies gave them magical powers to use if ever captured by human or animal. To escape being imprisoned the leprechaun would grant three wishes or to vanish into thin air.

They are also very keen musicians who play tin whistles, the Irish harp and various other traditional instruments. They love mischief and pranks of all sorts.

GOVERNMENT

HISTORY

The history of Northern Ireland can be traced back to the 17th century during the reign of Elizabeth I. The Crown confiscated lands of Ireland after suppressing three Irish rebellions. The Anglican Englishmen then settled. A bitter and bloody political conflict between Protestants and Catholics had started.

Political separation of Northern Ireland did not come until the early 20th century when “Nationalists” represented by the Catholic and “unionists” represented the Protestant side divided into two warring camps. Nationalists wanted Northern Ireland to be a part of the Republic of Ireland and the Unionists wanted to remain under the representation of the United Kingdom. And this is how hostilities between Catholics and Protestants started.

In an attempt to pacify both sides, the British decide to sign the Government of Ireland act, which divided Ireland into two different political entities, each with some powers of self-governments. The act was accepted by the Protestants but rejected by the Catholics who wanted total independence for a unified Ireland.

THE TROUBLES

Northern Ireland was an integral part of the United Kingdom, however in 1972 after three years of sectarian violence between these two sides resulted in more than 400 dead and thousands injured. Britain then suspended the Ulster Parliament.

The Irish Republican Army appeared in the picture. They were nationalist extremists who were against the treaty and against Protestantism. So for 24 years, 3600 people would lose their lives in what has been called “The Troubles”.

The Troubles ended in 1998 with historic peace accords and this “peace” has been maintained, more or less, since then.

Nowadays, there are still some scars left, some wounds that haven´t heal. Checkpoints have disappeared, festivals abound and however, from time to time there is a rash of xenophobic attack in Belfast and children still go to separate schools. So, however mature the peace is, it is always at risk of falling apart.

APPENDIX

1. Northern Ireland

2. Flag of Northern Ireland

3. Saint Patrick

4. Shamrock

5. The Leprechaun

6. The Troubles

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