Northern Ireland- an infrequent guest in tourist brochures; people don’t come here for a beach holiday or on shopping tours. However, this country has something to surprise and interest tourists who are tired of ordinary destinations.
about country
According to British customs Northern Ireland is traditionally called a country, although it is not an independent state. Since 1921 it has been part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. After the declaration of Irish independence from Great Britain, 6 counties of the historical province of Ulster received the right to a referendum on independent separation from the British Empire.
Local residents, mostly Protestants, voted to remain part of Britain.
This is how it was formed administrative part United Kingdom - Northern Ireland.
The population of Northern Ireland is 1 million 800 thousand people and is mixed:
- 55 % - Protestants British origin, immigrants from Scotland;
- 45 % - Irish Catholics, the indigenous inhabitants of the island.
Main resort areas and cities
The main holiday and tourist areas in Northern Ireland include:
- Capital city Belfast with numerous historical and resort sites;
- City Londonderry(local Irish Catholics prefer to call it simply Derry) is suitable for lovers of the sea coast;
- small town Antrim in the county of the same name it is considered a center of ecotourism.
Traditions and culture
The culture of Northern Ireland is mixed. On the one hand, this is a traditional British culture with English foundations and customs, on the other, Irish, originating in the ancient Celtic history of the island’s indigenous inhabitants. For example, in Northern Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is considered a public holiday, unlike in the UK.
Still loved in Northern Ireland Monday, almost every month a day off is celebrated on this day of the week, for example:
- June- on the first Monday of the first summer month;
- Augustovsky- the first day of the week of the first month of August;
- October- on the last Monday of this month;
- Easter Monday- celebrated first after the day of the Holy Resurrection.
Read about the location of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the world and European map.
In all cities there are mainly two-story houses, as residents claim that above the second floor they feel dizzy.
Even if you speak fluently English language, there may still be problems translating the Irish accent. The inhabitants of the emerald country are very distort words For example, the name of popular beer bars in English is pronounced “pub”, but the Irish have a different opinion about the pronunciation - they pronounce it “pub”.
Sights - photos with names
Despite its modest size and population, Northern Ireland has retained a bunch of interesting historical sights.
In addition, the country is developing culturally and recently many interesting objects have appeared that are recommended for visiting.
Monuments
In Northern Ireland, the most famous are monuments and works made within the framework of contemporary art.
- Big fish in Belfast - one of the city's most famous monuments. Installed in 1999, its author is John Caidness. The 10-metre fish is covered in 'scales', which are tiles with text and images about Belfast's history.
- A striking example of contemporary art - metal sculpture "Girl on the Ball", located in the center of Belfast on the River Lagan embankment. The monument is loved by tourists for its originality and impressive size - the height of the “girl” is more than 19 meters.
Belfast's unusual historical monuments include numerous street graffiti, painted on the walls of buildings in this city.
Most of the drawings are devoted to political and armed confrontation two communities of the city: Irish Catholics and Protestant Unionists. And although the confrontation between communities ended almost 20 years ago, the walls of Belfast houses are still decorated with more than 2 thousand images dedicated to this sad page in the history of Northern Ireland.
Temples, cathedrals, castles
Northern Ireland is real country of castles. A turbulent history with numerous invasions and internal clan strife contributed to the construction and preservation of these defensive buildings.
Architectural buildings
As an integral part of the British Empire, Northern Ireland followed the same path in the development of architecture as Great Britain. Architecture lovers will find a lot of interesting things here.
Museums
In Belfast and other cities in Northern Ireland you can visit interesting museums such as:
- Titanic Museum, opened just a few years ago, has already gained enormous popularity. Housed in an impressive modern building, the museum is the largest exhibition on Earth dedicated to a British steamship wreck. The location of this museum in Belfast should not be surprising, since it was in this city that the liner was built and launched in 1911;
- Ulster Museum in Belfast is dedicated to the history of Ireland, archaeological finds, jewelry, subjects of art and science. In the international department of the museum, the Egyptian Hall with the mummy of Princess Takabuchi is of particular interest;
- Shilin Irish Lace Museum located in the village of Bellanaleck. The museum displays more than 700 exhibits of ancient hand-made lace, including those from the 19th century. The museum has a store where you can buy handmade clothes and lace.
Check out the most famous sights of the planet in , what you see will take your breath away!
Gardens and parks
You can take a break from the bustle of the city in local parks, gardens or alleys.
Natural attractions
The nature of Northern Ireland is distinguished by the harsh and somewhat monotonous beauty of its moorlands and rocky seashores. At the same time, there are several very interesting natural objects here.
The most popular natural feature in Northern Ireland is Giant's Causeway, or the Giant's Causeway, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a unique natural monument of more than 40 thousand basalt columns formed by a volcanic eruption.
The height of the largest of the columns reaches 12 meters. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are columns with a different number of angles. Connected together, they form a road leading from the edge of the cliff to the sea cliff. The Giant's Causeway is located near the town of Bushmills in the northeast of the island.
On Rathlin Island The Irish Sea can be reached by ferry from Ballycastle. In this special protected area of Northern Ireland you can watch birds and seals, explore sea caves or dive among 40 shipwrecks.
Marble Arch Caverns are under the protection of UNESCO. The tour inside the caves takes more than an hour, part of the journey is covered by boat along an underground river. Marble Arch is also famous for its stalactite measuring over 2 meters.
Any visits to the caves are only possible with a specially trained guide, because you can easily get lost there.
- There is no need to confuse Northern Ireland, even though they are on the same island, but this is completely different countries.
- Summer - best time for a trip to Northern Ireland. There is nothing terrible in the local winter, but rain and strong winds will not add comfort during a winter trip;
- If you happen to visit Northern Ireland in the summer, don’t miss the annual Orange marches Protestants, taking place on July 12. The spectacle is impressive and in our time practically safe;
- British cuisine is unlikely to surprise you with its exquisite taste, but in the local Irish cuisine you can easily find something interesting, well at least Irish bread or bacon with cabbage;
- Visit Bushmills town and its oldest distillery in the world, producing whiskey for many centuries. A tasting of the distillery's products is included in the excursion.
Look Interesting Facts about the sights of Northern Ireland in this video:
It has an ancient and rich culture, as long as the country has existed, backgammon has been trying to preserve and preserve the culture of the country for as long. Ireland's culture is rich in a large number of customs and folk traditions.
One of these traditions is fairs, which have been held since ancient times; the manifestation of such a tradition has become an excellent occasion for various entertainments. People in Ireland love to dance, so whenever there is an occasion, for example, at fairs, people dance folk dances, musicians, magicians, and acrobats perform in the squares in the city center. Every Irish dance is a work of art. Almost every resident of the country loves to dance. This peculiar feature of the Irish is visible in everything. The fairs also host various competitions, a great example being harlin-on which is a form of hockey and Gaelic football.
There is an interesting tradition in Ireland, On New Year's Eve, it is customary to leave the doors of the house open so that anyone who comes can feel welcome. There is an atmosphere of general trust in Ireland, especially during these holidays. And, indeed, nothing ever happens here, because the residents sacredly honor holiday traditions of your country.
As in any other country, so in Ireland there is one most important and important holiday; in Ireland, such a holiday is considered the day St. Patrick's
, it is celebrated annually on March 17th. Celebrating this day is a special event for the Irish. Preparations begin in advance so that everything goes well on the day of the holiday.
On this holiday, people dress in green clothes, and in addition to the parades, on this day it is customary to organize parties with music and a lot of beer. But back in the day, times were a little different, namely, all the pubs closed because most of the residents went to church for mass. Today is St. Patrick's Day - it's music and favorite dances again.
The cuisine of Ireland is slightly different from the cuisines of other European countries; it does not have any specialties, its basis is ordinary peasant food. Modern kitchen, which is now in Ireland , originated in the second half of the sixteenth century, along with the appearance of potatoes in the country.
Irish stew is considered the most important dish in Ireland; potatoes are its main part. There are an infinite number of recipes that can be used to prepare stew, and it is now almost impossible to determine the first one. But it is assumed that the stew once included all the ingredients that could be found in the kitchen. A modern recipe for making stew looks like this: onions, rutabaga, potatoes, lamb neck, thyme, salt and spices.
Potatoes are also used to prepare another important Irish dish, colcannion. It is prepared from chopped cabbage, mashed potatoes, and of course add onions and seasonings.
If an Irishman and a Russian get together in a conversation about food, then they will certainly reach one undeniable opinion: herring always goes well with potatoes. Pickled or as part of a casserole, herring is eaten in Ireland all year round; this casserole together with herring is called “Jensson's Temptation”. But it is considered a special delicacy if you manage to catch a small herring, from May to September.
In addition to all the dishes from Irish cuisine, without any doubt we can say that the main attraction is Irish whiskey, and Irish coffee is not far behind it. Hot coffee along with whiskey perfectly warms you up in rainy weather, which often happens in the country.
Celts in origin. About 94% of the population is Irish. National minorities include the British, Scots and Jews. The country is also home to immigrants from different countries European Union (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania), from China, Russia, Ukraine and other countries.
Among the believing population, the majority are Christians (96%). These are mainly Catholics (93%) and Protestants (3%).
Language
The country's official languages are Irish and English. English is used more often in communication. The Irish (Gaelic) language belongs to the Celtic branch of the Indo-European family. At the moment, the Irish government is doing a lot to support and popularize this language among the population.
National traits
The Irish are distinguished by friendliness and politeness. Local residents show a healthy curiosity towards foreigners; as a rule, they are cautious towards the British. National character The Irish are distinguished by their attentiveness and desire to help.
Rules of conduct for tourists
Gestures and facial expressions
- For greetings both acquaintances and strangers The Irish raise their index finger, nod their heads, and shake hands.
- IN tactile contacts You have to be moderate with the Irish. Hugs between men are not accepted in the country. But sometimes it is appropriate, for example, at a football match.
Behavior in public places
- Smoking is prohibited in Irish restaurants, bars, hotels, and cinemas.
- According to tradition, bar visitors strive to buy drinks not only for themselves, but also to treat others.
- On a birthday, it is customary for friends to treat the birthday person to drinks, and not vice versa.
- Punctuality will be appreciated by the Irish.
- Business communication often takes place in the form of a long lunch.
- In a taxi, it is customary to sit in the front seat.
Present
Candy and flowers are considered acceptable gifts. Sending flowers the day after a meeting as a sign of gratitude is considered in good form.
Topics of conversation
- Recommended topics: sports, hobbies, politics, family. In conversation, you can use the word “grand” (“good”) to please the Irish.
- Not recommended topics: religion, feminism, relations with Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Cloth
The dress code is generally accepted. Suits are recommended for business meetings dark color. When traveling to Ireland, it is recommended to take an umbrella with you.
National holidays, observances and festivals of Ireland
March 17 - St. Day Patrick's Day and Irish Independence Day. A big holiday for the Irish. On this day you can watch musical performances and try national cuisine.
The last Friday before Easter is Holy Friday
First Monday in May - Easter Monday
First Monday in June - Juneteenth Holiday
First Monday in August - August holiday
Last Monday of October - October holiday
Often the celebration of pagan and Christian holidays coincides.
Among Irish festivals the most popular are the Oyster Festival in County Galway (September), the Jazz Festival (February - in Galway, October - in County Cork), the Dublin International Film Festival, the literary festival "Authors Week" in County Kerry (June), in August you can visit horse shows and horse racing, the “Folk Festival” - a folk festival held in Belfast (September), the Irish Gourmet Festival in County Cork (October) and many others.
– this is a special place... beautiful, with a rich history. It has also become home to talented writers such as Oscar Wilde. Ireland has contributed greatly to the development of literature and traditional folk music along with the beautiful movements of Irish dance, which reflects the rich culture of this beautiful country. Irish castles set in lush and green plains speak of rich history this glorious place. This article will take you on a journey around Ireland and introduce you to its culture and traditions, some of which have already been forgotten, and some of which still exist today.
Irish culture has only a few divisions between people with different religion and tongue. Therefore, today more and more immigrants are coming to this place.
Lifestyle
The people of Ireland are known to be very hospitable and friendly. A family in Ireland has a very important. The traditions of Irish culture can be seen in Irish villages. There are a huge number of traditions followed here, which contrast greatly with modern life in Irish cities. There are also many people in Ireland who live in luxurious mansions.
Modern Irish people are used to communicating with each other more openly. They believe that it is better to talk about their feelings than to bottle them up.
English is still the main language in Ireland. Although the national dialect can be heard in many villages. Irish originated from the Celts, so some older Irish can speak traditional Irish.
Houses here are still built according to old traditions and style. Bright, cheerful colors can be seen on the walls of most homes with colorful doors. Moreover, in Ireland these are most often houses with a terrace; central heating has replaced traditional fireplaces here.
Activities and industries
Farming has been around in Irish culture for a very long time. In the old days, keeping cattle gave the Irish a decidedly high status. In the past, men did all the main work on the farm. Women were usually only involved in selling the products they received. However, today women are also actively involved in farming. In Ireland, agriculture has always been the main activity. Products were imported in large quantities throughout the world. It is known that to this day Irish farmers use old farming methods. Some of the most basic products in Ireland are meat, milk, barley, turnips, wheat, etc. Ireland's industry also flourishes in textiles, pharmaceuticals and even fishing.
Religion
Despite the fact that there is no official religion in Ireland, special preference is given to Catholicism. However, you can meet Roman Catholics, Christians, Jews, Presbyterians, and even representatives of other religions, such as Islam.
music and dancing
The Irish are known throughout the world for their love of music and dancing. Traditional music still holds a strong priority in the country's music scene, despite the influences of various music from abroad. There is a huge amount musical groups who play folk music. Famous among the musicians was Torla O'Carolan, who composed more than 200 compositions. Celtic music is also part of Irish culture. Irish musicians are becoming famous all over the world, not only in their own country. In the 20th century, sean-nos (an ancient form of Irish narrative song) has gained enormous importance. The excellent flautist James Galway has distinguished himself in classical Irish music. Classical Irish music was revived only a few years ago, this was mainly influenced by the division of the island into northern and southern parts. Now Northern Ireland belongs to the United Kingdom, and southern - to the Republic of Ireland.
Irish dance is so beautiful that it can bewitch even those who have no particular love for dancing. Riverdance is a very popular group that performs many Irish dances. Step dancing remains popular here to this day. As for the session-nos dances, the old traditional step and its modern variations, they are very popular all over the world.
Literature and art
Ireland is home to many of the best writers of all time. In this beautiful place, 4 Nobel Prize winners in literature wrote their masterpieces (20th century). Writers such as Oscar Wilde and William Butler made enormous contributions to the development of literature. The art of cinema and painting is also an integral part of Irish culture. Irish art is evidenced by carvings at New Grange and manuscripts from the Middle Ages.
Food
Stories about ancient Irish culture often mention honey. When it comes to meat, the Irish prefer poultry. Potatoes became an integral part of the diet of the Irish working class. Well, today food preferences are formed under the influence of the whole world. Although meat has always been a staple food in Ireland, fast food has also gained popularity. New Irish products are being produced in large quantities to support healthy eating among the Irish this mainly refers to fresh vegetables.
Even though traditional Irish culture is not as visible today due to pub culture, its features can still be seen in different parts Ireland.
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// 27.10.2009
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Traditions of Ireland
On March 17, a fantastic greening is observed all over the world - everything is painted in green color, pubs serve green beer and green buns, the faces of carnival participants are certainly painted green, and all this because this day is the Day of the Emerald Country, the extraordinary mysterious Ireland. They say that on March 17, any inhabitant of the planet can feel like an honorary Irishman - all you have to do is go to the nearest Irish restaurant and drink Patrick's Glass - the famous Irish whiskey from a green bottle. And now you have already joined the multimillion-dollar party having fun on the Day of the Patron of Ireland. Why do we need this, you ask? It’s just that St. Patrick’s Day is an occasion to declare your love to the amazing emerald country of Ireland and once again feel the extraordinary charm of its culture.
A lot has been written about St. Patrick and just as much has probably been invented. His main merit was the adoption of Christianity throughout Ireland. Thanks to him, this process took place completely peacefully and absolutely of good will. Saint Patrick, according to historians, was a charismatic figure, a gifted preacher and a true patriot of the country, they say that he had a vision and he realized that his destiny was to make Ireland a prosperous Christian country. He reached the heart of every Irishman by very simply explaining the symbolism of the Holy Trinity - by picking a shamrok from a nearby meadow. “Just as three leaves grow from one stem, so God is triune (Father, Son and Holy Spirit),” said St. Patrick, preaching Christian commandments in the endless meadows of Ireland. In a word, since ancient times the shamrock has been a symbol of Ireland. And in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, costumed carnivals are held throughout the country and around the world on March 17, toasts are raised to the prosperity of Ireland, and countless special, only Irish drinks and dishes are eaten and drunk.
Indeed, in Ireland everything is somehow special, for example, “living water”. You probably guessed that we are talking about whiskey. Do you think we spelled it wrong? Absolutely not! Throughout the world, whiskey is whiskey, and only in Ireland the name is as close as possible to the Old Celtic one (uiskie). Therefore, Scotch whiskey is whiskey, but Irish whiskey is whiskey. As they say, feel the difference.
Irish whiskey has been officially produced industrially since the 17th century. The Irish, due to their conservatism, still adhere to the most ancient traditions in the production of whiskey. The main difference between Irish whiskey is that it goes through the distillation process three times, due to this, purity and softness are achieved. You will also certainly notice shades of other drinks in Irish whiskey - bourbon, port, sherry. The Irish use old oak barrels for bottling, in which other drinks have already been stored. Whiskey absorbs some of the qualities of these drinks and acquires a soft, unique taste. Even outwardly, the Irish decided to emphasize the dissimilarity of their whiskey - all bottles of Irish whiskey are shaped like a pot-bellied “still” with a thick “neck”. And, of course, all the bottles are emerald green. The most famous brand of Irish whiskey is undoubtedly Jameson, with almost 1.5 million glasses consumed around the world every day, that's approximately 62,500 glasses per hour or almost 20 glasses per second! The first Russian to try whiskey and appreciate this drink was Tsar Peter the Great. Returning to Russia after a trip to Europe, he admitted: “Of all the wines, Irish wine is the best!”
By the way, the Irish even managed to add a drop of whiskey to their coffee, and another world-famous brand appeared - the famous “Irish coffee”! The story of its creation is simple. In 1942, bartender Joe Sheridan, who worked at the airport, came up with a special drink made from coffee, cream, sugar and whiskey. The passengers liked the cocktail so much that it spread with them all over the world and became incredibly popular as a unique “Irish coffee”!
In addition to whiskey and Irish coffee, you will certainly love Irish cuisine - it is one of the most delicious in the world. What is the secret of success? The Irish are great at cooking... natural products, environmentally friendly, fresh and High Quality meat and milk. The Irish are very fond of a variety of potato dishes and freshly baked bread. Add to this the freshest oysters, trout and salmon, and you will understand why Irish cuisine is so popular - everything is delicious, there is a lot of everything, everything is very fresh and home-made! The classics of Irish traditional cuisine are numerous stews, white and black pudding, various casseroles from potatoes, cabbage and mushrooms, dishes from pig's feet, stewed or baked lamb, poultry, different kinds bread: soda, potato, fruit and even Guinness pies. The Irish are very generous people, and an Irish feast is always a generous treat and a celebration from the heart!
Almost forgot about one more thing acting person any holiday in Ireland - famous beer! Of course, one of the most favorite drinks is dark beer, stout. All over the world, Guinness is considered the best dark beer, but in Ireland there are two more famous producers of dark beer: Murphy’s and Beamish & Crawford. Very unusual and interesting in taste, the traditional Irish sweetish red ale Beamish, the famous Caffrey’s ale, is a cross between black beer and ale. A very famous beer called Smithwicks. It is brewed in Ireland's oldest brewery, and a stronger version of this beer is exported around the world and is known as Kilkenny Irish Beer.
But besides the culinary components of any Irish holiday, and especially St. Patrick's Day, the main thing is the unique spirit of communication, these are costumed performances and dancing from the heart, these are fireworks and theatrical parades.
I don’t know about you, but I just can’t wait to go to the Irish restaurant “GREEN DUCK”, taste Irish national dishes and drinks, drink Patrick’s glass, feel the charm of this holiday and dance a fiery Irish jig to the bagpipes!
