Ireland, the Land of Saints and Scholars. April 5th @ St. Bernard’s School 2013

What are the main ingredients of Irish culture?

• Irish language• Story telling, music and dance• Literature• Food

Why saints and scholars?

• Patron saint, St. Patrick converted Ireland to Christianity 456AD. • 7th century Irish Monks provide written history of Celts.

• Monks are Europe's guardians of scholarship and theology after the Dark Ages (476 - 800), copied manuscripts of Greek and Latin writers.

• The Book of Kells, 8th century illuminated manuscript, copy of the Gospels.• 6th to 9th century Irish monks spread Christianity in Europe.

The Irish and how they get that way.

• Celts – 500 BC.• Norwegian Vikings – 795 AD - (Fitz Gerald).• Danish Vikings – 851.• Normans – 1167.• English. The end of Gaelic Ireland.• Flight of wild geese – 1690 – 1730, Irish nation reduced to peasants.• Famine – 1841 – 1851 – 1.5 million died, end of widespread Gaelic language. • Immigration 1845 – 1855 - 2 million.• Gaelic League, 1900s revival of Gaelic language and arts.• Free state 1922, independence from England.• Celtic Tiger.

Irish cultural experience.

• Irish cottage.• Fireside story telling.• Dancing and music.

Music and dance• Niall O’Leary School of Irish Dance.• Traditional Irish musical Instruments (fiddle, bodhran, uilleann pipes).• Folk and traditional Irish music.• Chieftains, Clancy Brothers, Dubliners, Van Morrison, U2.

Enduring Irish Mythology• Ancient warriors, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, Cu Chulainn and Na Fianna.• Fairies, superstition. • Leprechauns (leath bhrógan, meaning shoemaker).

Literature

W. B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Becket, Seamus Heaney.

Other notable Irish writers and poets. • Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) “Gulliver’s Travels” • Abraham "Bram" Stoker (1847 – 1912) – “Dracula”• Patrick Kavanagh (1904–1967) ”The Great Hunger”• Peig Sayers (1873 – 1958) “Peig” • James Joyce (1882 – 1941) “Ulysses”• Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) “The importance of being Earnest”• Frank O’Connor (1903 – 1966) “Guests of the nation”• Brendan Francis Behan (1923 – 1964) “Borstal Boy”• Brian Friel (1929 - ) “Dancing at Lughnasa”• John B. Keane (1928 – 2002) “The Field”• Maeve Binchy (1940 – 2012) “Circle of Friends”• Colum McCann (1965 - ) “Let the great world spin”

Traditional food recipes

• Chef Wells• Corned beef and cabbage.• Irish stew • Trifle

• Bacon, potato and cabbage.

Religion• Roman Catholic S.I., 84.2%, N.I. 43.8%• Pagan Celtic Druids. • Celtic Christianity arrives with St. Patrick, 5th century.• Norman invasion in 1169 introduced Roman Catholic church. • English, penal laws, 18th century, deny Roman Catholics political and economic

power.• 20th century Catholic church controlled schools, hospitals, social services.• Our Lady of Knock 1879.• Pope John Paul II 1979.

Eamon De Valera’s political timeline

• 1882 Born NYC.• 1908 Joined Irish League.• 1916 Easter rising leader.• 1919-1921 War of independence. • 1922-1923 Civil war.• 1937 Irish constitution.• 1948 Irish republic.• 1959 Irish president.• 1975 Died.• See DVD presentation.

Quiz - Irish or not?• Corned beef and cabbage?• U2• Bono and the Edge (U2)• Daniel Day Lewis• Pierce Brosnan (James Bond).• St. Patrick• Snakes• Colin Farrell• Will Ferrell• Eamon De Valera• Niall Horan

Irish in USA• Forty million Irish Americans.• Politics, sports, entertainment.• John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Ronald Regan, plus nine other US presidents.• Grace Kelly, Gene Kelly, Hollywood movie stars.

DVD Movies.

• Where we grew up plus…• St. Patrick’s day parade NYC.• Scenic Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.• History of Irish language.• GAA.• Famine.• Eamon De Valera.

Familiar symbols

• Flag • Green• Shamrock • Leprechaun• St. Patrick’s Day• Shillelagh