A lot of expats get ready for the practical parts of moving abroad before they leave, like researching the new area, making travel plans, or filling out visa applications. Intercultural communication is often overlooked when moving to a new country, but it should be at the centre of your move abroad. And just because you might be moving to a country that speaks the same language, there can still be lots to learn.
Everyone who moves to Ireland needs to know this. It’s not enough to just learn the local language. Getting to know a country’s culture can involve a lot of different things, such as:
# Cuisine
# Communication
# Attitudes towards smoking, drinking, and drugs
# Sociability
# Religion
# Gestures and body language
Here, we’ll talk about Irish culture and customs to help you get a head start as you start making plans to move there.
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Introduction to Irish culture
Ireland is a beautiful country that has been taken over many times. It is often called the Emerald Isle. Ireland still has traces of its ancient culture, and its traditions reflect the country’s often hard history. Irish culture has been mostly Gaelic for most of what we know about its history. However, it has been heavily influenced by Anglo-Norman, English, and Scottish cultures through invasions and settlements.
What is Irish culture?
Ireland’s culture is known for its music, writing, and dancing. The arts and language are also important parts of the country’s history and people. Even though leprechaun stories, Irish folklore, and Irish dancing might be the first things that come to mind when you think of Ireland’s culture, there is a lot more to learn and love.
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Religion in Ireland
Religion has always been an important part of life in Ireland. Before Christianity came to Ireland, the Celts followed a religion called druidism, which aimed to bring people together and teach them to respect nature. St. Patrick came to Britain around the year 432 and brought Christianity with him. This led to a lot of new traditions and changes in Irish culture and way of life. In the 1600s, protestant families started moving to Ireland, which was the start of religious, economic, political, and social conflict.
Today, Christianity is the main religion in Ireland, and the largest church is Catholic. In recent years, the number of Orthodox Christians, Hindus, and Muslims has grown a lot, mostly because of immigration.
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Cultural Irish Clothing
Clothing in Ireland has changed with the times, just like it has everywhere else. Ireland’s history and weather have both had an effect on the clothes people wear there. As you can see, clothes are a big part of Irish dancing. People often think of the old Irish people when they see brightly coloured dresses with embroidery and traditional Irish brooches.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was common for Irish men to wear kilts as a sign of solidarity with other people who wanted to be free from England. These well-known pieces of clothing were a sign of rebellion. In fact, more rebellious people chose a shade of yellow called “saffron”, which was banned in England.
Because it rains a lot in Ireland, people there are used to wearing thin layers that they can add or take off as the weather changes. The Aran sweater, which was made of wool and kept rain off the skin, was another popular choice. Farmers and fishermen in Ireland wore these all year because they were cool in the sun and warm when it was cold.
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Irish Cuisine
Food says a lot about a place. The food they ate, the ingredients they had on hand, and how they made it all paint a picture of how people lived in the past. There are many different kinds of food to try in Ireland that come from old Irish customs. Here are a few popular Irish treats you might want to try:
Irish stew is a traditional stew made with lamb and vegetables.
Irish soda bread is a type of bread that can be made quickly and doesn’t need yeast. Irish stew is often served with soda bread.
Full Irish Breakfast: mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, bubble and squeak, baked beans, bacon, black pudding, sausage, Irish soda bread toast, and tea make up a full breakfast.
Shepherd’s Pie: lamb, vegetables, and gravy make up the filling, which is topped with mashed potatoes.
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Irish Language
Even though English is the most common language in Ireland, Gaeilge, a unique language, is also spoken. Gaeilge is a minority language because it is only spoken as a first language in places like Galway, Kerry, and Donegal. You might also find that Irish accents get stronger and harder to understand in very small villages, especially among older, more isolated Irish people.
There will be a lot of people in Ireland who can speak some Irish phrases. Here are some well-known Irish sayings:
Slainte! Cheers!
Dia Duit: “Hello!”
Failte -‘Welcome’
Is Mise…. – ‘My Name is’
Conas atá t, “How are you?”
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