Ireland –The Emerald Isle

Ireland –The Emerald Isle Area: 70 273 km² Population of Eire:3 523 000 (1991 census) Capital: Dublin Language: Irish (official)

Nothern Ireland Area: 13,843 km² Population of Northern Ireland: 1 589 400 Capital: Belfast Language: Irish (official)

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland. Area: 114.99 km² Population (2002): 495,781

Belfast Belfast is the capital and largest city of the Nothern Ireland. Area: 115 km² Population (2001): 276,459

National symbols Shamrock National Day: St. Patricks day 17th March National Plant: Shamrock Flag: The Irish flag is also known as the TRICOLOUR The Irish National Athem: The Soldier’s Song (Amhran na bhFiann) There's a dear little plant that grows in our Isle Twas st . Patrick himself, sure, that set it; And the sun of his labour with pleasure did smile, And with dew from his eye often wet it. It grows through the bog, through the brake, through the mireland, And they call it the dear little shamrock of Ireland. St. Patrick

Saint Patrick Day St. Patrick's Day honors St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. We celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17. Americans march in parades, dance the Irish jig and gather to sing Irish songs. People wear green in memory of Ireland, the Emerald Isle and wear shamrocks, clover with three leaves. March 17 was not the day St. Patrick was born but the day he died. Even though we don't know the date of his birth, most scholars believe the year was 385 AD and the year of his death was 461 AD. St. Patrick was born in Scotland, studied religion to become a priest and then went to Ireland to teach the people about God. There are many wonderful stories about St. Patrick, some true and some not true. The most famous legend is that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. This did not happen but the Irish will tell you that you cannot find a snake throughout the whole country of Ireland.

National Flags Flag of Nothern Ireland Flag of St. Patrick 19th century unofficial Irish flag Flag of the Republic of Ireland

Irish Geography Climate: Mild temperate.Rainfall is 2500mm (100inches) in the West to 750mm (30 inches) in the East. Highest point Eire: Carrantuohill 1041 metres Highest point N.Ireland: Slieve Donard 852 metres Principal rivers: Shannon, Suir, Boyne, Barrow, Erne Largest Lake: Lough Neagh in the centre of Northern Ireland

Irish Music The instruments of Irish music are the fiddle, the bodhran (a single handed drum) the uieann pipes and harf. • IRISH POP GROUPS: • Chris de Burgh • The Corrs • Enya • Samantha Mumba • Sinead O’Connor • U2 • Westlife Chris de Burgh

U2 U2 is an Irish Rock band featuring Bono (Paul David Hewson) on vocals, guitar and harmonica, The Edge (David Howell Evans) on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Adam Clayton on bass, and Larry Mullen, Jr. on drums.

Enya Enya, birth name Eithne Ní Bhraonáin (sometimes presented in the media as the Anglicized Enya Brennan; born May 17, 1961), is Ireland's best-selling solo musician. As a musical group, Enya is really three people: Enya herself, who composes and performs the music; Nicky Ryan, who produces the albums; and Roma Ryan, who writes the lyrics in various languages. Enya is a phonetic approximation of how Eithne is pronounced in her native Irish. Enya is one of the biggest selling female artists in history, and was the world's biggest selling female artist of 2001 and 2002.

Irish Food Starter: Potato soup Onion soup Smoked salmon mousse Fish: trout salmom Main courses: Pork in Guinness Spiced Beef Irish Stew Roast leg of lamb and mustanrd Dublin Coddle Spiced chicken and Whiskey and Pineapple Baccon/Ham Gammon steaks with Wiskey sauce Beef and Bacol Roll Potato soup

Irish Food Tea time: Guinnes fruit cake Irish brown bread Soda bread Scones Thick Shothbread Flapjacks Gingerbread Pancakes Drinks: Hot Whiskey Irish Coffe Vegetables: Calcannon Baked parsnips Potatoes: Potato cakes Champ Boxty Dessert: Gaelic Souffle Fruit Crumble Bread and Butter Pudding Scones

Irish Fauna Only 31 mammal species are native to Ireland, again because it was isolated from Europe by rising sea levels after the Ice Age. Some species, such as the Red Fox, Hedgehog, Stoat, and Badger are very common, whereas others, like the Red Deer and Pine Marten are rare and only seen in certain national parks and nature reserves around the island. Some introduced species have become thoroughly naturalised, e.g. rabbits and the Brown Rat. See List of Irish Mammals. About 400 bird species have been recorded in Ireland, many of which are migratory, either arctic birds who come in the winter, or birds such as the Swallow which come from Africa in the summer to breed. Ireland has a very rich marine avifauna, with many large seabird colonies dotted around its coastline such as those on the Saltee Islands and Skellig Michael.

Sport in Ireland Traditional sports -Gaelic football -Hurling -Gaelic handball -Rugby union -Greyhound racing -Equestrianism The Irish Sports Council regulates all sporting bodies in Ireland

Gaelic football Gaelic football (Irish: peil ghaelach) is a form of football played mainly in Ireland where it is the most popular sport. Teams of 15 players kick or punch a round ball towards goals at either end of a grass pitch. There is no offside rule.

Hurling Hurling (Irish Language, Iomáint) is an outdoor team sport of Celtic origin, played with sticks and a ball. The game, played primarily in Ireland, is arguably the world's fastest field team sport in terms of gameplay (however the ball travels faster in other field games such as hockey). It resembles the games of shinty that is played primarily in Scotland and bandy that was played formerly in England and Wales. Hurling played by women is also known as camogie. Hurling is one of Ireland's native sports.

It is proper to tour places which: • Cashel. • Killarney. • Bunratty Castle. • Clonmacnoise. • Drogheda. • Newgrange. • Glendalough. Cashel

It has executed presentation Michał Markiewicz March 17, 2006

Ireland –The Emerald Isle