IRELAND (Eire)

As this year we are going to visit Ireland it is almost a must to write a post about this unique country.

Ireland

Irish flag

What comes to our mind when we say the word 'Ireland'?
Well, many things, of course, so let's focus on landscape, folk music, drinks and sports.

Irish sheep

What defines Irish countryside is the word 'green' mainly due to the effects of the Irish weather.
But apart from that, if we think about her landscape, we will probably have the image of flocks of sheep grazing the grass calmly...

...or maybe that one of shipwrecks after the fight against a rough sea next to the cliffs of Moher. 

Cliffs of Moher

But this country is more than that. Ireland has also some big cities and industrialised areas which make this place a modernised European country.

Dublin

If we think about Ireland we also think about music. Having the harp as one of the country's symbols, we could say that Ireland is the birthplace of Celtic music and dances. Irish folk music, which has many connections with Galician folk music, is well-known and easily recognizable all over the world. But the proof is in the pudding, so let's watch this!

Irish dance in Tipperary

Irish drinks are also popular worldwide. The most common every day drink is tea but Ireland is also known by her famous whiskey (with an 'e') brands.  Irish coffee, the cocktail style drink, is also popular but Ireland's most famous drink is Guinness. Guinness is a dark beer called stout and nowadays it is more than just a drink. Guinness is a symbol. Guinness stands for Ireland.

A Guinness ad

Apart from soccer, rugby or golf, Irish people play traditional sports such as Gaelic football or hurling. 

It would be pointless trying to explain the rules of this game. Just watch the video. An image is worth more than a thousand words!!

                                                                      Gaelic football

Let's do the same with hurling. Watch the video and pay attention to the differences between both. For example the ball, the stick they play with (called 'hurley'),... 'Camogie' is the name of this sport when the players are women!!

Eventually, it is impossible to write a post about Ireland without mentioning Irish writers and poetry or talking about Dublin. These will be the topics of future posts. Meanwhile, don't forget to check the ones about U2 or St. Patrick's Day they will help you understand this great country better.