Irish culture
History
The cultural history of Irish stems from around 8000bc with the invasion of the British Mesolithic. They were mainly hunters and gathers and had a monastic culture. The culture faced a major blow after the invasion of other communities through a series of wars. The Viking influenced and affected the cultural standing of the Irish people as they were assimilated into the land. Most of the Irish cultural practices are also derived from the British, as it became the sovereign rule of the land. The country was mainly dominated by Catholics but later on, the protestants made their way into it and changed their perspective. The fear of total invasion made the Irish people implement strong policies that will strengthen their culture, which was mainly influenced by the catholic religion. Even though they managed to sustain it for some time, with more immigrants, the people had no otherwise but to accept and assimilate diversity (Cleary, 1966).
Language
The national language of the Irish people is British English. This is because the Britons were some of the first settlers and invaders of the land and hence influenced them much. However, with assimilation and migration, other tribes are finding their way into the country and hence influencing the language. Some of the languages that have been appreciated in the country include Spanish, French and Germany.
Religion
Roman Catholic is the main religion in Ireland whose percentage stand at 86. This was the earliest and strongest religion that the land has ever had. The patron saint of the Ireland religion is Saint Patrick who was the major influence of the people. The Halloween, which is a religious festival celebrated across the world has its origin in Ireland. Despite the high number of Roman Catholics in the land, other religions are respected and esteemed. There is a strict observance of religious practices, which mainly defines the people. Apart from Christianity, which is dominant, we also have other religions such as Buddhists, Hindus, Bahais Islam and Jews. Over the years, religion has played a vital role in the people of Ireland; however, with each passing generation other factors such as philosophy and science are taking toll on the land (Gibbons, 1996). This has been observed especially in the field of politics, medicine and the likes.
Food
Mead is the cultural food of the Irish people, which is made using honey. Meat is also an important aspect of Irish culture with the main animal products being composed of cattle, sheep and pigs. Pigs however remain to be the most preferred when it comes to meat products. Potatoes have also been an important source of nutrients in the Irish culture where various foods are made using the product (Lloyd, 2011). With immigration and assimilation of other cultures, Irish has become a victim of western fast foods such as fries, alcohol and fried meat. It is because of this reason that Irish faces a great health risk of life style diseases. The government is currently engaged in awareness programs to discourage people from indulging in unhealthy food products. The Irish food market is composed of, American (Mexican/Tex-Mex), European, Polish, Indian and Chinese dishes. Alcohol drinking in Ireland is revealed by the presence of numerous pubs, which has become a major social gathering.
Dressing
Irish culture of dressing is based on many factors like class, occasion, weather and gender. Knee high, skirts and shirts are associated with both genders. However, the shirts for the women are mostly used as undergarments, which are topped by sleeveless dresses. The most recognized traditional dress is the kilt while the male skirt is mostly associated with the Scottish culture. The people to pledge their loyalty to their land usually wear the kilt. It is because of this that the English invaders of Ireland discouraged it. The abrupt changes of climate in Ireland make most people to dress in different layers of clothes, which they can easily shed of when it gets hotter. Aran sweaters are mostly preferred during the mild weather seasons. They are waterproof and hence preventing them from excessive moisture. The stitches used to make sweaters have significant meaning on the culture and nature of people.
Dance and celebration
The Irish dance is probably the most influential aspect of culture that the world has adopted. There different categories of dance styles preferred on various occasion. The dance is anonymously known for the foot and leg movement. The rest of the body, which is the hands and the entire upper part, remains stationary. Female dancers usually wear pleated short skirts and skintight to enhance the movement of the legs. The Irish people are also known for the couple dance where a male and a female dance mostly facing each other and holding hands throughout the dance. The movements may be slow or faster depending on the occasion. There is also the step dance, which is mainly associated with young girls. They dance steadily moving their fits in an almost zigzag movement. Two types of shoes, soft shoes or ghillies and hard shoes (McCarthy, 1999) mainly do the dancing. Dance competitions are also done to promote the culture. This is common in learning institutions and various social groups. The dancing has also been adapted in churches and other social gatherings to entertain guests. The music played during the dance ranges from classics to instrumentals. Rarely do they dance with vocal music.
References
Cleary, J. (1966). Proud are we Irish: Irish culture and history as dramatized in verse and song. California: Quadrangle Books.
Gibbons, L. (1996). Transformations in Irish culture. Michigan: University of Notre Dame Press.
Lloyd D. (2011). Irish Culture and Colonial Modernity 1800-2000: The Transformation of Oral Space. London: Cambridge University Press.
McCarthy, M. (1999). Passing It on: The Transmission of Music in Irish Culture. New York: Cork University Press.
