We invite you to get acquainted with interesting facts related to the history of Ireland and its modern life. After all, many do not even guess why the shamrock became a national symbol, where Halloween actually originated, where the creator of Dracula studied and when fairies leave the mound. If you want to know the answers to these questions, then read our article to the end.
Eire Country
"Eire" is the name of the country in Irish, which is the state language on par with English, which means "state". According to legend, in the 5th century Saint Patrick used the clover leaf when explaining the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity to the ancient Celts. Since then, Saint Patrick has been considered the patron saint of Ireland, and the shamrock is its national symbol.
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Irish Halloween
The origins of the holiday of Halloween are in Ireland, where in pagan times, on the evening of October 31, a series of festivities called Samhain began. Samhain marked the end of the Celtic year and was associated with the end of the harvest and other agricultural work. Also on this day, tribute was paid to the veneration of the dead. Lighting fires was an indispensable feature of the holiday, as were Jack's lamps made from turnips or other root vegetables. They had to drive away evil spirits, released for one night into the world of the living.
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Titanic was born here
The most ill-fated and most famous ship of the 20th century was built in Belfast. Nowadays, on the site of the old shipyard, the wonderful Titanic Belfast Museum has been created, in which, on an area of more than 12 thousand square meters, exhibitions are placed that tell about the history of design, construction and the short life of the ship.
Where did the creator of Dracula study?
The oldest educational institution in Ireland, founded at the end of the 16th century, is located in the heart of Dublin and is called Trinity College. It is the place where such famous people as Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Bram Stoker spent their university days. The Trinity College library houses the pearl and shrine of the Irish people - the Book of Kells, written at the end of the 6th century. It is a richly decorated manuscript gospel, created, according to one version, by monks from the monastery of St. Columba on the Scottish island of Iona.
It's not beer that kills people
The Irish, whose per capita consumption is about 130 liters of beer per year. The historical brewing tradition in Ireland is highlighted by the fact that the oldest pub in Europe called Sean's Bar was founded around 900 in Athlone. And, of course, we must not forget about Arthur Guinness, who at the end of the 18th century developed a recipe for one of the most popular beer brands in the world - Guinness beer.
In Dublin, the Guinness Storhouse Beer Museum is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. By the way, in the same city, there are 666 licensed pubs, and they have been serving there, according to the laws of the state, from the age of 18. Also one of the modern Irish traditions is drinking beer at the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, which takes place annually on March 17th.
Mound of fairies
One of the largest and oldest monuments of megalithic art in Europe, Newgrange, is located 40 km from Dublin in the Boyne Valley, the time of its creation dating back about 5,000 years ago. It is a large round embankment with a stone passage and a chamber inside. The embankment is surrounded by 97 large, upright ornamental stones. It is difficult to say what this structure was - a burial mound or a temple, but its scale and historical flavor amaze the imagination.
According to Celtic legends, on the Samhain holiday on the night of November 1, the fairies come out of the mound. Skilled ancient builders erected the mound in such a way that on the day of the winter solstice, the rays of the sun briefly fall into the inner chamber.
Haunted castle
Lip Castle is one of the most famous castles in Ireland, located near the town of Roscrea. It was founded at the end of the 15th century by the O'Caroll clan. The cruel nature of the owners of the castle has led to the fact that for many years the castle was called the most terrible place in the area. That only is the Bloody Chapel, in which, in an internecine struggle, a brother killed his brother. And until now, according to local residents, ghosts can be found in the castle itself and in its vicinity.
The castle is currently owned by singer and songwriter Sean Ryan. Probably, he is not afraid of representatives of the other world and, by the way, lets tourists on excursions.
We also recommend an interesting article - The Path of the Giants in Ireland.
