All about Ireland

ALLABOUTIRELAND

RUBÉN SABIO PRADOS

HISTORY OF IRELAND

The first evidence of human presence in Ireland dates to around 33,000 years ago;[1] further findings have been found dating to around 10,500 to 8,000 BC.The first recorded Viking raid in Irish history occurred in 795 AD when Vikings from Norway looted the island. Early Viking raids were generally fast-paced and small in scale. These early raids interrupted the golden age of Christian Irish culture and marked the beginning of two centuries of intermittent warfare, with waves of Viking raiders plundering monasteries and towns throughout Ireland. Most of those early raiders came from western Norway.Home Rule became certain when in 1910 the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) under John Redmond held the balance of power in Commons and the third Home Rule Bill was introduced in 1912. Unionist resistance was immediate with the formation of the Ulster Volunteers. In turn the Irish Volunteers were established to oppose them and enforce the introduction of self-government.

TRADITIONS AND FOODS

The day includes feasting, spring cleaning, and making Brigid's crosses with rushes. St. Patrick's Day, held on 17 March, originally was to celebrate Christianity coming to Ireland but has become a day to celebrate all things Irish around the world. In Ireland, the day features traditional music, dancing, and parades.

The popular food of irelandSoda bread. Every family in Ireland has its own recipe for soda bread, hand-written on flour-crusted note paper and wedged in among the cookery books. ...Shellfish. ... Irish stew. ... Colcannon and champ. ... Boxty. ... Boiled bacon and cabbage. ... Smoked salmon. ... Black and white pudding.

PLACES TO VISIT

Killarney National Park and Muckross House & GardensIf visiting the Kerry region, the 19th-century Muckross House, Gardens, and Traditional Farms, set in spectacular Killarney National Park.Standing close to the shores of Muckross Lake, one of three Killarney lakes famed worldwide for their splendor and beauty.

Rock of Cashel (Tipperary) – St. Patrick’s rockAccording to Irish mythology, the Rock of Cashel originated when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, leading to the landing of the Rock in Cashel. The Cathedral was built between 1235 and 1270 and is also known as Cashel of the King’s and St. Patrick’s Rock.