Culture of Ireland

The Irish national psyche is characterised by the colourful and often troubled history of its people. The Celtic peoples, who first arrived in Ireland around 500BC, are generally credited with laying the foundations of what we perceive today to be modern Irish culture. Today Irelands culture is defined not only by these early immigrants but also by English and American influences as well as Irelands participation within a broader European culture. The following topics are designed to give the reader a brief insight into the Irish culture and people.

Population

Just over 4.5 million people live in the republic of Ireland today with 1.7 living in northern Ireland, bringing the total population of the island of Ireland to somewhere in the region of 6 million. Prior to the great famine of 1845 -51 the population of the country was in excess of eight million however death and emigration saw this reduced by a half. This trend of emigration continues to this day and Ireland has the dubious honour of loosing more of its native citizens to emigration than any other European country.

This trend of emigration stopped briefly during the years of the Celtic tiger and, for the first time in its history, Ireland attracted inward immigration. Many Irish returned home and large numbers of foreign nationals were attracted to the country to avail of new job opportunities which existed here. 10% of Irelands population is now foreign-born and this new phenomenon has challenged the boundaries of racial tolerance and integration in the country. The recent international financial crisis, however, has had a significant impact on Ireland and the trend of emigration has started once again with many young Irish going abroad, particularly to the U.S., Canada and Australia, in search of a brighter future.

Approximately 40% of Irelands population live in the capital city Dublin and its commuter zones. The other main areas of population concentration are Galway, Limerick and Cork. Ireland possesses a relatively young population with almost 50% of the population aged under 44 and only roughly 10% of the population aged over 65.

Religion

Roman Catholicism is by far the most widely practiced religion in Ireland and the Irish people have a proud history of devout adherence to their faith. St. Patrick is generally credited with bringing the new religion of the Roman Empire to Ireland somewhere in the 4th Century. For many years the catholic church enjoyed an influential and privileged position in the everyday lives of Irish people. Although this significance has waned dramatically in recent years due to widespread revelations of child sex abuse by priests and the churches position on controversial issues such as divorce, abortion, contraception and homosexuality the country still has one of the highest rates of regular mass attendance in the Western world.. At the time of the last census held in the country in 2006 86.8% of Irish people identified themselves as Roman Catholics followed by 3% Anglican and the remainder an assortment of Islam. Methodist and Jewish wile some 4.4% claimed to be of no religion.

Sport

Sport is widely popular in Ireland and the Irish take enormous pride in their two native sports - Gaelic Football and Hurling. Both sports are intrinsically linked with Irish culture and identity and for many the Irish summer is characterised by the successes or failures of their respective teams In 1894 the Gaelic Athletic Association was founded with the objective of the “preservation and cultivation of National pastimes”. The GAA formulated official rules for the sports of Gaelic Football and Hurling with their origins in contents fought between rival clans over large areas of the local of countryside. This took place within a wider context of a re-awakening of Irish culture in the midst of resentment towards the growing influence of English culture in Ireland. The GAA divided the island on a club-county-province level, in which the club teams are organized mostly according to parish line. Both Gaelic football and hurling are played by two teams of 15 players with goalposts, similar to those of rugby, situated at each end of the pitch. Games are fast and both possess a strong physical element combined with wonderful skills. A chance to attend one of these games during a visit to Ireland will delight any visitor and is not to be missed.

While these traditional Gaelic games enjoy pre-eminence in terms of popularity and attendance figures many other major sports inspire comparable interest and excitement among the Irish. Soccer is particularly popular and the national team receives widespread and passionate support. The national teams qualifications for the 1990 and 1994 world cups sparked a growing interest in soccer in the country. The domestic league, however, is of a poor quality and the English Premiership evokes more enthusiasm from Irish soccer fans. Rugby has become increasingly popular in recent time thanks largely to the successes of the Irish provincial teams in European club competitions. While the national team has flattered to deceive at times they are still highly regarded and represent Irelands best chance at major international success. Golf is enormously popular and many fine golf courses dot the Irish countryside. Boxing is also popular in the country and has proved to be Irelands most successful discipline in the Olympics.

Pub Culture

Well-known across the world for their friendly and lively atmosphere, pubs are at the centre of every Irish social occasion and pub culture, as it is termed, pervades Irish society across all cultural divides. The Irish people are justifiably renowned for their affability and warm welcomes and it is in these public houses that many visitors will experience these traits.

The stereotypical image of the Irish pub with its cosy warm atmosphere, full of character and live traditional Irish music provides any visitor with a wonderful insight into the very essence of the nations culture. These pubs, where status and wealth hold no sway, provide a great opportunity to converse with local people and gain an understanding of the Irish psyche. For the most authentic experience visitors should seek out more remote pubs away form the large cities and towns.

Any visitor to Ireland will have very little difficulty in locating one of these pubs, in fact the only difficulty a visitor may face is trying to choose one from the many on offer. It is a long established fact that the Irish have a problem with the over consumption of alcohol and Ireland has the second highest per capita alcohol consumption in the world. This trend of over consumption of alcohol has grown in recent years and shows no sign of abating as all social occasions in the country continue to revolve around the pub.