Ireland Introduction
Ireland contains many castles, stone towers and stone walls, some in ruins and some which have been restored. The fortified castles of Ireland were used for defense against intruders. There are many famous castles in Ireland, but the most famous is perhaps The Blarney Castle, which is famed for its stone, which is believed to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it.
Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures, particularly in the fields of literature and, to a lesser degree, science and education.
The public architecture of Ireland reflects the country's past role in the British Empire, as most Irish cities and towns were either designed or remodeled as Ireland evolved with Britain. Since independence, much of the architectural iconography and symbolism, in terms of statues, monuments, museums, and landscaping, has reflected the sacrifices of those who fought for Irish freedom. Residential and business architecture is similar to that found elsewhere in the British Isles and Northern Europe.
The main industries are food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, and pharmaceuticals, and Ireland is fast becoming known for its roles in the development and design of information technologies and financial support services.
We’ll try to describe briefly some of the most important aspects about history, cultural heritage, local traditions, traditional sports (Gaelic sports), food and places to visit nowadays and the most important for this course: English as a second language. Maybe some people don’t know that English is the second official language of Ireland, in fact Irish Gaelic is recognized as the first official language, but in the last years English has had a vital importance in the social relations even more than the native Irish language, and we think this is happening all around the world. English is becoming very important because of the globalization, economy and new technologies that make us learn this language.
Ireland is a country with plenty of costumes and traditions known internationally. The ancient history of this country is very mystical and interesting, full of cultural heritage and important historical events. Is very common to know or have heard stories about Vikings or about Saint Patrick’s Day and immediately comes to your mind Ireland, green color or shamrocks.
