Population & Culture Ireland

Population & Culture

The Irish culture has been building its identity throughout thousands of years.....You will appreciate it through all the discoveries this country has to offer.

However the two Irish traditions that are well known around the world remain the music and the traditional dances. Everywhere you go in Ireland, from the simple pub to the big festivals, is an opportunity to listen to some Irish music.

The Irish dance is for its part a dance of competition and is taken very seriously during the regional and and national championships. If you want to try it, do it during a Ceilidh (Irish festival).

In northern Ireland, the Ulster-Scot culture is currently going through a revival. This culture expresses itself essentially through the dance and the music. Violin, tambourine and flute are the main instruments of this music which is played along different types of traditional dances (Highland dancing, Scottish country dancing, Ulster-Scot Square and Courity dancing). These events are becoming more and more popular so do not hesitate to participate in one.

The history of Ireland is filled of myths and legends, from epic warriors and saints tales to magical stories about fairies and sprites. This Celtic mythology is without a doubt the building block of the Irish culture. Among these tales, the one of Finn McCool is the most beloved.

The pub is at the heart of the social, cultural and musical life of every Irish town. People do not go there only to have a drink but rather to philosophize on life, to exchange political views, to listen recitals, to sample a local dish, to listen to some traditional music or simply to enjoy a pint of Guinness in front of a camp fire. Whether you want to meet the locals or only indulge the atmosphere of the place, visiting an Irish pub is intimately connected with the experience of traveling in Ireland.