Irish Culture

Ireland is one place which will always remain special to me; this beautiful place is rich in history and has also been the home to many talented writers including the likes of Oscar Wilde. Ireland has made a large contribution in literature and the very traditional folk music combined with the beautiful steps of the Irish dance all reflect the rich culture of Ireland. The Irish castles that dot the lush, green countryside speaks volumes about the rich history of this glorious place. Let me take you on a trip that explores the Irish culture and the traditions that were seen and are followed by some today.

The Irish culture has quite a few divides between the people with regards to the religion or even the language issues. Today, this place is seeing an increase in the population with the new immigrants being added places all over.

Irish Culture: Lifestyle
The people of Ireland are known to be very hospitable and friendly in nature. Having a family life is considered of great importance in Ireland. The traditional ways of the Irish culture can be seen in the rural areas of Ireland. Here, a lot of traditional customs are followed which is quite a contrast to the modern life that is led in the urbane areas of Ireland. Ireland also has a large number of people who own their own palatial residencies.

The modern Irish culture follows a more open method of communication between the Irish people. The Irish believe in displaying their affection rather than curbing the same.

English still remains to be the most spoken language today. The native dialect can be found in some of the rural areas of Ireland. The Irish language was introduced by the Celts and many senior citizens can be found speaking in the traditional Irish language.

The homes in Ireland still follow the same rule and are built in a similar fashion, as was the pattern of the olden days. Bright and cheerful colors can be seen splashed on the walls of most homes with colorful doors. Homes of Ireland are generally terrace houses with the central heating system having replaced the traditional fireplace.

Irish Culture: Professions and Industry
Farming in the Irish culture dates way back into history. In the olden days, the ownership of cattle was considered to be a status symbol. When it comes to farming, the males handle many activities that are related to it. Women are known to market some of the produce. In the past, men handled most of the affairs connected with the profession. Today, women have also taken up challenges in this area. At one time, agriculture was always the main activity. A large section of the production is exported internationally. The Irish farmers are known to use the latest methods for their farming needs. Some of the main products in agriculture are dairy and meat products, barley, turnips, wheat etc. The Irish industry has also flourished in areas of textiles, clothing, pharmaceuticals and even in the fishing industry.

Irish Culture: Religion
Although there is no official religion for Ireland, special consideration has been given to the Catholic Church. One can see the Roman Catholics, Methodists, Jewish, Presbyterianism and even a small percentage of other religions such as Islam existing in Ireland.

Irish Culture: Music and Dance
The Irish are known for their love for music and dance. The traditional music of Ireland still has a strong foothold in the music scene despite the various influences from abroad. There are quite a number of bands that still play the traditional Irish music. The most famous amongst the musicians was Turlough Carolan who composed over 200 musical compositions. Celtic music is also considered to be a part of the Irish culture. Ireland also saw a lot of music groups gaining popularity on the international map. Towards the later period of the 20th century, Sean-nós had a major role to play in Irish music. Amongst the most honored in classical Irish music, Sir James Galway has always been considered to be an excellent flautist. Classical Irish music has seen its revival only in the past few years; this is primarily because of the divide of the island (North and South). The area of the Northern Ireland falls under UK and the Southern falls under the Republic of Ireland.

Read more about Irish music

The beauty of the Irish dance is such that it can mesmerize even those who have no particular interest in dance. My personal favorites remain to be Riverdance (a show performed in 1994), which showcased quite a few dances of Ireland. Step dancing remains to be the most popular till date. Sean-nós dancing, old step dancing and the modern versions of step dancing are popular all over the world.

Irish Culture: Arts and Literature
Ireland boasts the finest writers of all times. The Irish have made a significant contribution in the world of literature. This beautiful place even has 4 winners of the Nobel Prize for literature (20th century). Writers such as Oscar Wilde and William Butler Yeats all made a major contribution in the literary world. Visual and graphic arts also have a strong foothold in Ireland. Some of the early association of art is seen in the carvings that were found at sites at Newgrange and illuminated manuscripts that belonged to the medieval period.

Irish Culture: Food
Stories related to the old Irish culture have the mention of honey being widely used especially to make mead. Meat was widely eaten along with poultry products. The potato formed a major part of the food in Ireland amongst the labor class. Today, the food habits have influences from all over the world. Although meat has always been the main item in Irish food, fast food has also taken over. New Irish dishes are being churned out to maintain some healthy eating habits amongst the Irish people; these focus mainly on fresh vegetables.

Today, although the traditional Irish culture may not be visible everywhere with the advent of the pub culture, one can still catch glimpses of the Irish culture in various parts of Ireland.