In many ways, Ireland and the United States have much in common within the major elements of culture: material culture, language, aesthetics, education, religion, attitudes, values, and social organization. In this section, I will be exploring the unique characteristics of Irish culture that I learned about during my time in the country!
Ireland has a rich and extensive history. Around 500 B.C.E., the Celts, a people group from Central Europe, arrived in Ireland. The Celts dominated the island for a thousand years. Society revolved around warrior kings who ruled regional kingdoms. In 55 B.C.E., the Romans conquered the Celts who had settled England but Ireland remained untouched. The Romans did not see conquering Ireland as being worth the trouble; they believed the land was too cold and desolate. Consequently, Celtic culture in Ireland continued to grow and thrive uninfluenced by the Roman Empire.
When Christianity arrived in Ireland with St. Patrick in 432 C.E., the course of Ireland's history changed forever. Catholicism is still very prominent in Ireland and the ethos is visible in government and education. Over the next 700 years, from roughly 800 to 1500 C.E., Ireland endured repeated invasions, pillaging, and attacks from Vikings from Norway and Anglo-Normans. In the 1600s, England invaded Ireland and conquered the island. For the next 700 years, Ireland was a colony of the British Empire. Irish people were sold into slavery, villages were destroyed, and many had their land stolen. In an attempt to eradicate Irish culture and identity the Protestant English passed legislation called the Penal Laws. Catholics were not allowed to vote, hold office, buy land, join the army, or play the harp (national instrument of Ireland which played a significant part in passing down oral history and tradition).
The Great Potato Famine (1845-1849) and Easter Rising (1916) were significant factors that fueled the call for home rule and Irish independence. The Irish finally succeeded in gaining independence from Britain in 1922 after a yearlong civil war. Six counties in the north remained under British rule, now known as the country of Northern Ireland, which remains a part of the United Kingdom. The rest of the island became the Republic of Ireland. During the later half of the 20th century, Ireland's economy boomed. Today, the Republic of Ireland stands its own as a free and prosperous nation.
One thing that really surprised me was the Irish language. For centuries, the native language of Irish people spoke Gaelic (also referred to as Irish). However, colonization contributed significantly to the decline of the language. Children in school were punished for communicating in Irish; instead, citizens were expected and pressured to speak only English. Today, the government requires schools to teach Irish as a language and many signs and documents contain writings in both English and Irish. The language is making a comeback but less than five percent of the Irish population are fluent in their native language.
The language itself is fascinating. Gaelic does not include the letters j, k, q, x, or z; there is no "th" sound either. It is impossible to guess at what words mean and you will fail miserably if you try to pronounce written words correctly. I gained a great appreciation for the complexity and uniqueness of the language while I lived there!
Here's a list of cool Irish words I learned while in Ireland:
Garda= police
Múinteoir= teacher
Éire= Ireland
Gaol= jail
A list of English slang and names I learned while in Ireland:
Bank holiday= government holiday
Rubber= eraser
Bin= trashcan
Torch= flashlight
Chemist= pharmacist
Courgette= zucchini
Craic= fun, good conversation
Crisps= potato chips
Cuppa= cup of tea or coffee
"Done and dusted"= completed
"That's class"= that's great, good
GAA= Gaelic Athletic Association
Pitch= playing field
Grand= good, well
Holiday= vacation
Lift= elevator
Mental= crazy
Christianity, more specifically, Catholicism, is the most common religion in the Republic of Ireland. An increase in secularism and decrease in Christianity has been taking place in the past few decades. The ethos of Catholicism remains a powerful influence in politics and education.
In urban and rural areas, the most common style I noted was American city fashions. In other words, you will likely blend in well if you wear what you might see people wearing in New York City. Many young people wore leggings, sneakers, and sweatshirts. No cowboy boots or buckles were seen. The popular "Cottagecore" trends were not popular here, either.