Irish Customs and Tradition

December 10, 2012 at 7:18 pm (Ireland)

By Ignacio Agüero and Alvaro Henriquez

According to the Oxford dictionary, “Culture is the customs, beliefs, arts, traditions, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group”. This is the sustenance of any group of people organized in a specific place which gives life, feelings and identity to the daily living of a civilization. Along of the blog pages and the different essays, diverse aspects of the Irish culture were showed in various ways of expressions which showed the richness of this country culturally, gaining a space like one of the most marvelous places to visit and enjoy. Now, it is time to leave for a moment things Irish people do to express their cosmovision and folklore to give space to the innermost and implied of Irish people and their culture: themselves. Why are Irish people so particular? And what do they have that make them unique to the rest of the world? We will find a lot of particularities, some unknown for us, some of these a bit curious and others similar to other cultures which will be useful too to avoid being surprised if you are a visitor who do not understand how is the true Irish nature, but at the same time, you would like to be in this special country. Let’s take a look first in customs and later about Irish traditions.

Enjoying a party!!!

Enjoying a party!!!

In general, Irish people are very friendly, honest and easily treated which you will not have problem with them in terms of being friends. They are party lovers too and enjoy a lot to be with their families and friends. Foreigners are treated well in pubs and restaurants and you will surprise of the good mood which they present in the daily life making jokes every moment. They are good speakers doing the conversations longer than normal. Spite of these good characteristic, we do not have to forget that they have traditional customs, a classical thinking and they are people with great principles. These principles and classical thinking reflect how they are in social and business situations which we must to maintain a good composture and customs in front of them.

Greetings are warm like their personalities. For some people is a bit shocked that Irish people greet them with expressions like “How are you?” without to know the other. They have their traditional greeting “Céad míle fáilte” which means “a hundred thousand welcomes”. However, they use English expressions like “Hello” and “How are you?” The Irish greeting more common is “Dia dhuit” (God be with you) and to say good bye they use “Slán” (Go safe). Together with all these different types of greeting, Irish people handshakes strongly and kiss in the cheek to the women showing confidence each other.cead-mille-failte-irish-greeting

In terms of relationship, they care a lot their families, especially brother-to-brother relationship. In Ireland is common to see all the family living near of the other family members. This is because of this way is easier to be united in celebrations like Christmas or other family meetings. To visit other people is common during weekends or festive days, and they have the custom of calling by phone of the other people if they do not know a lot before to go to visit them.

As we could see in few lines, Irish people are not cold like the rest of European countries; even they receive appropriately and friendly foreign people who visit that country. But, we must have considerations about certain topics if we want to have a comfortable welcome and stay in Ireland. Topics like politics and religion are very sensible there because there were important conflicts against Catholics and Protestants which divided the country in two parts: Northern Ireland (which is part of UK) and Southern Ireland (which is independent after this conflict). This topic is as difficult to treat as to talk about dictatorship in countries like Chile (1973), Argentina and other countries of Latin America during the Cold War period. Irish people suffered for a long time with this conflict and the pressure of UK did very difficult the things during that time until Southern Ireland gained its independence in 1949. For that reason is better not talk about the control of UK in Ireland, more specific in Northern Ireland. Also, like this is a country where Catholic Church is very important, there are other topics that is better not mention: abortion, divorce and the use of contraceptive pills. This church has always been against these topics and it triggers moral debates which do not occur in other countries where Catholic church is not important. It is important to have in mind it to not commit mistakes nor offend accidentaly Irish people with these topics.

This pamphlet, printed in July 1993, provides a snapshot of the Socialist Workers Movement attitude during a pivotal time in the North, a point where the Peace Process had started.

This pamphlet, printed in July 1993, provides a snapshot of the Socialist Workers Movement attitude during a pivotal time in the North, a point where the Peace Process had started.

Other topic about customs not very complicated like the topic mentioned before but not less important is the direction of the traffic. In Ireland is a curiosity that people drive to the left side which is a different position we drive in America. At the beginning it is a bit complicated to get use to this direction if you come of a country where drive at right side, but like most of things, practice makes perfect.

Other important custom that they have is the prohibition to smoke in closed public places from 2004. This prohibition includes universities, offices, schools, pubs, restaurants and transports. However, various hotels, pubs and restaurants have allowed covered outdoor spaces where clients can smoke.

About schedules, they begin their days at 7 o’ clock approximately. Next, they have lunch at 12 p. m., have dinner at 6 p. m. and go to bed at 9 p. m. approximately. Also, they work from Monday to Saturday until 4 or 5 p. m. except Thursday that they work until 8 or 9 p. m. This is a daily rutine and allows to have free time for fun and to share with their families.

This free time allow Irish people enjoy different traditions they have from generations like Irish Christmas, Saint Patrick day and others. Now, let’s see a bit about the different traditions there are in this awesome country.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, “Tradition is a belief, custom or a way of doing something that has existed for a long time among a particular group of people; a set of these beliefs or customs are still passed from generation to generation”. Ireland is one of the countries with a lot of beautiful and specific traditions related to the seeking of self identity related to the eons of wars that suffered this country by many other cultures and this is one of the reasons of why Ireland is so unique with exotic people who have their particular way of living throughout every day of the year, all related to days or events that marked them as a culture.

mol1989b

Saint Patrick’s Day is one of the most beautiful traditional days celebrated in Ireland, is celebrated in March 17th in commemoration of Saint Patrick death (March 386-17th of 493 or c.460) and the arrival of Christianity to Ireland. It is a national celebration of the Republic of Ireland and a non-official fest in Northern Ireland. Today, Saint Patrick’s Day is probably the most celebrated sanctorum around the world. The Saint Patrick’s day is worldwide celebrated by all Irish, even people that doesn’t have Irish ancestry, it’s topic is related to all green and Irish things, either Christians or not Christian people celebrate this day dressing green, enjoying the Irish gastronomy which includes cabbage and Irish drinks and attending parades, in some places green dyed beer is sold for celebrating this day. The clover is the typical symbol in this country because it is related to the Saint Trinity teachings brought by Saint Patrick, many people use small clover shape brooches. the celebrations are continued all day long, also festivities and shows can be found in the pubs at the night in whole Ireland.

11385

Another tradition that complements Ireland in a big way is their Christmas because most of the Irish are Catholics, that is the reason of why Christmas traditions so influenced in this country. One of the most highlighted traditions in Irish traditions are the candles, a big candle is putted in the house entry or in a window which should be lighted by the youngest of the home in the Christmas Eve, this is a symbol to welcome the Holy Family and only could be blew out by a girl of woman called Maria.

The Irish Christmas lasts for five weeks in celebrations commemorating the birth of Jesus. The wood, the snow, the smell of punch and the waltz morph into a tale the Alpine country during these winter days. In Christmas Eve one of the most embedded Ireland festivities is the related to the Wren Boys, in which the young outlandishly dressed, go out on feast of Saint Stephen and noisily march in procession, they go usually dressed in masks and sticks and anyone who gives them money they gift back a feather that according to them is charged with good luck. In New Years Eve, on the night of December 31th in Dublin there is an appointment at 12pm with the bells of the Cathedral Church of Christ. Tradition dictates a meet around this Romanesque building to listen to the bells that announce that another years is beginning.

The Irish traditions and customs are an example to all societies because they keep celebrating vigorously every year the celebrations before named and more, even if they are in another part of the world, the celebrations, customs and traditions are so amazing that many people become charmed with Ireland and wanted the Irish nationality because they feel identified with this awesome Christianity linked culture as no other in the world.

Sources

–          Chandler, N. How Irish Traditions Work?. HowStuffWorks Inc. Retrieved on November 16th, 2012 from http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/national-traditions/irish-tradition.htm

–          Tradiciones de Irlanda. NuestroRumbo.com. (2011) Retrieved on November 16th, 2012 from http://www.nuestrorumbo.com/2011/10/07/tradiciones-de-irlanda

–          Traditions and customs in Ireland. YourIrish. Retrieved on November 16th, 2012 from http://www.yourirish.com/traditions/

–          Hardy, F.G.M.P. (2006). A Check of Britain and Ireland (revised ed.). London: British Society, available in Koeltz Books

–          Real Academia Española. (2001) Costumbre. In Diccionario de la Lengua Española (22nd ed.) [Dictionary of the Spanish Language]. Retrieve on November 16th, 2012 from http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=costumbres

 

–          Real Academia Española (2001) Tradición. In Diccionario de la Lengua Española (22nd ed.) [Dictionary of the Spanish Language]. Retrieve on November 16th, 2012 from http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=costumbres

Leave a Comment

Music & Arts

September 30, 2012 at 4:35 am (Ireland)
Tags: , ,

Ireland is an island located to the north-west of continental Europe. Politically is divided in Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland which is the southern part of Ireland that reached the independence in the XX century. Ireland is a place rich in culture and history that comes from 2000 years ago. It’s a heavily touristed region thanks to great varieties of art representations that it presents. Flora, fauna, geography, history, culture, art, music, literature, etc. all of these are interesting to know, visitand discover how it was evolutioning and how important are the Irish artist in these contemporaneous times around the world. Next, Music and arts will be showing to understand the great importance of this marvelous country and why people consider Ireland a great place to discover and enjoy.

The beautiful coastline view of Ireland

“Bountiful Ireland” – The beautiful coastline view of Ireland

Irish Music

Music is the human being’s inner feelings expressed in sounds, silence, pitches, rhythms, textures, dynamics and other sound qualities and all related to a context in certain culture, with it we can be immersed in that culture. Ireland has a long music related past that was evolving since the 3rd century and started as war songs and some histories related to it and transmitted via oral, because the Celtic culture had a warlike past so, most of their manners were related to war, however as humans they were evolving.

In the early ages of Ireland weren’t musicians but poets, these poets were called bards whose made many ballads and went to war with their masters to have a register of it. Most of the musical evidence related to the old Irish music was destroyed because the repeating wars between the kingdoms so there are not much evidence left before the 18th century.

Also in Ireland there were many monks that had the teacher role, however they taught focused in music in many learning centers made by themselves or teaching in one previously built. Some researchers of ancient cultures said that in Ireland lived the most skilled musicians in comparison with other kingdoms. They used to play the harps vigorously and were called by King Griffit of Wales and the Danes to play their harps. Also in the crusades, Italy adopted the harp. The harp was very popular as the Irish musicians. The most important people whose promoted the music were the monks and thanks to them the music was one of the most important things around Ireland, These monks were very welcome in everyplace.

The music played in the ancient Ireland was one of the most important things in daily life, proof of it are the ancient medieval registers. In the medieval age of Ireland pagan music used to be converted into religious music written in Latin and focused in churches but people in their houses kept playing pagan music.

When the invasion from Normandy to Ireland began in 1100. there was a division between outside and inside cultures, it generated that people  built English and Anglo-Norman learning centers that hadn’t much presence in terms of art among people. Invaders from Normandy were strong warriors who attacked and looted almost all Ireland but they eventually became assimilated and converted themselves into Irish people. Irish people always were experts in fields of poetry, astronomy and medicine. But the invaders used to delay the civilization development, example of that were the old laws called “Statues of Kilkeny” that its target was to stop the Norman King decline by forbidding and exiling English people from Ireland, then it was replaced by another English law and it generated that English people couldn’t have contact with Irish Poets or Musicians. At the end of the 14th century poets were active again in England because of the civil war.

At 16-17th century, Ireland was under the ruling of the Tudors and Cromwell so Ireland was very suppressed by these rulings and the Ireland arts had to be hidden into the poems by the bards and some secret teachers who tough to children in secret the culture and spirit of Ireland. The horrors made by the invasions to Ireland generated composing music were hard and it let space to making some of the most important kind of music for Irish people in these times, that was the “Work Songs” that preceded the Blues. However there aren’t survived too much Work Songs from Ireland because it wasn’t very popular among people but then peasants realized that was very useful to record them and the practice of these song raised again.  Nevertheless in the “Big Hunger” of 1845 people feel without spirit and was the great silence of Irish music, and thanks to the “Work Songs” we can know the old manners and culture of the Irish in a intimacy view.

The “Work Songs” were useful for people doing repetitive works and tasks because of the rhythmic nature of it, helped in a huge way to do the works that needed some kind of synchronization and works that were too boring like , so people was able to share their feelings among other workers against the master or just for fun and morphing a boring work into a orchestral and happy team promoted work. Humor was a essential element in many songs, changing some words into senseless syllables was characteristic in this kind of song of song also this characteristic can be found specially in the refrain.

Songs were very important and useful in the ancient daily life to ancient Irish druids, war songs of warriors, even to mothers making their children sleep.

Irish art

    The Irish art is mainly composed by ornamentation and illumination of script books; metal works; sculptures and buildings. All the influence of Irish art comes from Celtic culture and it was changing through years, but there are not evidence of this. The most important period of the Irish art was during the ending of IX century to the beginning of XII century, after that period, the art was degenerated by Danish irruptions and Anglo-Norman invasion.

Fragment of the book of Armagh – The beginning of the Gospel of Saint Mark, in Latin.

The Irish scribes developed a great work on penmanship for writing their books, holding great honour, skills not used by scribes of other countries. The used capital letters very larger and  mixed up with waves, spirals and another draws. Although, the ornamentation that they used were faces or forms of differents animals or mythological enties likes dragons, angels, serpents mixed with general designs in the other space on the pages of the books. In addition to this, they used to paint these pages with primary colors in the gaps of the letters. This art is called Illumination. The most important books are: Books of Kells, which is a copy of the four gospels in Latin and no other book  is compared with its style and develop; the Book of Armaghwhich contains a copy of the New Testament in Latin and the life of St. Patrick. Nowadays, both books are in Trinity College, Dublin.

Capital Letter “P” – Fragment of Book of Kells

    About metal works, the Irish artist put the same heart and soul to develop their art piecework, similar to the penmanship. The patterns used were the same that in manuscripts in diverse items made by gold, silver, bronze, gems and enamel. The most remarkable were the Cross of Cong, the Ardagh Chalice and the Tara Brooch. The Cross of Cong was elaborated in 1123 in order of the King of Ireland, Turlough O’ Connor and it is covered in bronze with draws of serpents and a crystal ball at center. The Ardagh Chalice is considered one of the most important treasure of the country, found in 1868 by two men who digging to discover potatoes. It is made by gold, silver and bronze even precious stones. The Tara Brooch was made in 700 A.C. A farmer woman discovered it and sold to a man who called it Tara Brooch because it was found in Tara’s hill.

Cross of Cong

Ardagh Chalice

Tara Brooch

    After the Act of Union in the year 1800, many artists moved to London, but artists who remained in Ireland established organizations that continue to support the artists such as the “Royal Irish Academy” founded in 1823 which presents an annual exhibition of contemporary Irish painters and sculptors. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Irish painters looked to the French impressionists for a new style. These included William Leech (1881 – 1968), Walter Osborne (1859 – 1903), John Lavery (1856 – 1941) and Roderic O’ Connor (1860 – 1940).

    Nowadays, all of these artistic representations are shown in the Museum of Modern Art, National Museum of Ireland and the National Gallery of Dublin, important places used in the tourism that well worth a visit because the best piece arts all of times are there.

National Museum of Ireland

Sources

– Grattan, W. A History of Irish Music. Retrieve September 14, 2012 from http://www.libraryireland.com/IrishMusic/Contents.php

– Encyclopedia of Art. 2012. Retrieve September 14, 2012 from http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/irish-art.htm

– Arnold, B. (1977). A Concise History of Irish Art.  W W Norton & Co Inc; Revised edition.

1 Comment