Republic of Ireland: about 3.5 Mio. people - almost
all the people speak English, and about one-fourth also speak Irish, a Gaelic
language that is the traditional tongue of Ireland - Irish is spoken as a vernacular by a relatively small
number of people, however, mostly in areas of the west - the constitution provides both: Irish and English as
official languages - Northern Ireland:
about 1.6 Mio. people - the majority of the people there are of Scottish or
English ancestry/origion and are
commonly known as the
Scotch-Irish - the remainder of
the population is Irish, principally native to Ulster - English is the only one
official language - unlike the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland does not encourage the use of the Gaelic
language
The capital and largest city is Dublin, with a population (1986,
greater city) of 920,956. Cork
is the second largest city (and has a huge port), with a population of 173,694
Interesting things:
- Music and Dancing:
the
Irish traditionally dance mainly with their feet without much significant
movement of the arms or hands – “The Chieftains” are a well-known Irish folk
group - they became famous by playing traditional Irish songs and melodies
using traditional instruments - the Irish have also become famous for modern
music - tock rock group “U2” and the singer “Bob Geldof” are well known around
the world
- Horses:
Irish
race horses are famous around the world - Ireland is well known for breeding
and training excellent racehorses - most Irish horses are ponies - they are
noted for their strength and temperament - donkeys are also associated with
Ireland because of their strength and their ability to survive on very little
food
- Sport:
Ireland
is a wet country - Irish rivers are full of fish, trout and salmon in
particular - traditional Irish sports are hurling and Gaelic football - Golf is
a game which has its roots in Scotland but it has been played in Ireland for
many years
Links:
Dublin Travel - City Tourist Guide, Ireland
The Sights of Ireland on the Web
|
|
|
|
|
|
