2. History Facts
• History Fact 1 - The Battle of The Boyne was an iconic event in Irish
history which took place on the 1st of July 1690. The Battle of The
Boyne is commemorated every year on the 12th of July by
Protestants who march to celebrate the victory of Protestant King
Billy over the Catholics and is known simply as 'The Twelfth'
• History Fact 2 - The famous Irish saying 'To Hell or to Connaught' is
a result of Oliver Cromwell's plans for the Irish according to the Act
of Settlement 1653 where the Irish people were forced from their
lands which were then given to the English. The people had the
choice to die or move to Connaught!
• History Fact 3 - Irish legend credits St Patrick with the Celtic Cross.
It is believed he combined the pagan sun god (the circle) with a
traditional Christian cross to create a Celtic cross
6. Description of Irelands
Flag
• When Brother Walfrid came to Glasgow
And settled in the old east end,
He would build a team for the diocese
That sheltered Irish immigrants,
The players of Maley, McCallum and Kelly
Proudly wore the Celtic Cross,
The Glasgow Celtic name would flourish
As the sons of Erin would rejoice.
Cups and trophies and League titles
Would make their way to Paradise,
As Willie Maley nurtured the talents
Who played on the pitch beneath Parkhead’s sky,
Alec McNair and big Dan Doyle
And a Bhoy from Croy called Jimmy Quinn,
Would play on the pitch in a Celtic strip
And hear the sons of Erin celebrate a win.
From the Garngad, came James McGrory
Who gave to the Bhoys, his heart and soul,
And granddad, he would dance on the terracing
At the sight of every McGrory goal,
And Patsy Gallagher and Charlie Tully
Would terrorize defenders down the wing,
Their skills and courage in the green & white
Would make the sons of Erin sing.
And big Jock Stein, as player and manager
Led the Celts to silverware,
He saw the growth of Johnstone and Murdoch
As victory songs rang in the air,
Football was his pride and passion
That he taught to all his players,
And the Celtic shirt, the players would treasure
That each should be so proud to wear.
The faithful who embrace the Celtic
Take their place at Celtic Park,
They have watched McNeill, McStay and Larsson
Play for Celtic from their hearts,
Devoted to the name of Celtic
They proudly wear their emerald green,
They will travel far from every corner
To sing the songs of Brother Walfrid‘s team.
Celtic scarves and Ireland’s flag
Are on display at Celtic Park,
As every fan, will stand behind,
The men who play for Celtic.
This poem is written by Daniel
McDonough 2005
7. Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland.
Dublin is in the province of Leinster on
Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River
Liffey
9. Facts of Ireland Nature
• The Irish have a great affection for nature and rural life. The
country's first coins even featured pictures of animals. Low levels of
development and pollution in Ireland have left most of the nation's
open spaces relatively undisturbed.
• Did you know that there are no wild snakes in Ireland? The sea has
stopped many animals common on mainland Europe from reaching
the island. There are also only two wild mouse species, one type of
lizard, and just three kinds of amphibians.
• Irish wildlife is protected by government conservation programs. To
preserve natural habitat, the government has established six
national parks and hundreds of national heritage areas throughout
the country.
10. Facts of Ireland 2
• Did you know that there are no wild snakes in
Ireland? The sea has stopped many animals
common on mainland Europe from reaching
the island. There are also only two wild mouse
species, one type of lizard, and just three
kinds of amphibians.
11. Ireland Geography
• Ireland is an island nation on the westernmost edge of
Europe. It is the continent's second largest island (after
Great Britain). The Republic of Ireland occupies 80 percent
of this landmass, while a large chunk of land in the north is
part of the United Kingdom.
• Ireland is known for its wide expanses of lush, green fields.
In fact, its nickname is the Emerald Isle. But there are also
large areas of rugged, rocky landscape. About 15,000 years
ago, Ireland was completely covered by thick glaciers. The
movement of these giant sheets of ice stripped the soil,
leaving huge tracts of flat, limestone pavement.
12. Ireland geography 2
• The midlands and west coast of Ireland are
dotted with damp peat bogs, the soggy
remains of dried-up ancient lakes left by the
glaciers. Ireland's highlands rise mainly in the
southwest, often ending at sheer cliffs that
plunge thousands of feet into the Atlantic
Ocean.
13. Ireland Culture & People
• Ireland is a nation of storytellers. The tradition
dates back to Celtic bards, who would record
and recite the country's history. Many famed
writers come from Ireland, including four
winners of the Nobel Prize for literature. The
Irish also excel in music and sports.
14. Government & Economy
• The government of Ireland consists of an elected
parliament, which makes the laws, and a president, who is
head of state. The head of the government is the Taoiseach
(pronounced tee-shuck), which means "chief." The
Taoiseach is the leader of the political party with the most
parliament members.
• For most of its history, Ireland's economy has been based
on farming and agriculture. But since the late 1950s,
government efforts to attract business have turned the
country from one of Europe's poorest nations to its second
wealthiest. The amazing turnaround earned Ireland the
nickname "Celtic Tiger."
15. History of Ireland
• Archaeologists thought the first people to settle in Ireland arrived around 6000 B.C. By 3500 B.C.,
settlers were using stone tools to clear farmlands. Around 700 B.C., a diverse and technologically
advanced culture from central Europe called the Celts began to settle the island. They would thrive
there for nearly 2,000 years.
• In the ninth century A.D., Viking invaders began raids into Ireland. They established settlements
that later became some of the country's main cities, including the capital, Dublin. The Vikings and
Celts fought often for 200 years until a battle in 1014 united the country. Peace broke down quickly
though, and Ireland was divided into many kingdoms.
• In 1170, Norman Vikings who had taken control of England invaded Ireland and made it an English
territory. In the early 1600s, England's official religion became Protestant while most Irish remained
Roman Catholic. This would create tensions that would eventually lead to revolution and Ireland's
independence.
• By the 1820s, British laws unfair to Catholics had sparked a mass movement for Irish sovereignty. In
1829, many of those laws were overturned, but Ireland still wanted freedom. In 1922, after violent
uprisings, the Irish Free State was created within the British Empire.
• In 1948, most of Ireland became an independent country, while six mainly Protestant counties in
the northeast remained a British territory.
16. History of Ireland 2
• In the ninth century A.D., Viking invaders began raids into Ireland.
They established settlements that later became some of the
country's main cities, including the capital, Dublin. The Vikings and
Celts fought often for 200 years until a battle in 1014 united the
country. Peace broke down quickly though, and Ireland was divided
into many kingdoms.
• In 1170, Norman Vikings who had taken control of England invaded
Ireland and made it an English territory. In the early 1600s,
England's official religion became Protestant while most Irish
remained Roman Catholic. This would create tensions that would
eventually lead to revolution and Ireland's independence.
17. Quick Facts of Ireland
• OFFICIAL NAME: Éire, Republic of Ireland
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional Democracy
CAPITAL: Dublin
POPULATION: 4,832,765
MONEY: Euro
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: Irish/English
AREA: 26,592 square miles (68,890 square kilometers)
MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: Macgillycuddy's Reeks,
Wicklow Mountains
MAJOR RIVERS: Shannon, Liffey, Boyne, Moy, Barrow
18. History of the Four leaf clover
• Today, four-leaf clovers are associated with St. Patrick's
Day, but they appear in centuries-old legends as
symbols of good luck. The Druids (Celtic priests), in the
early days of Ireland, believed that when they carried a
three-leaf clover or shamrock, they could see evil
spirits coming and have a chance to escape in time.
Four-leaf clovers were Celtic charms, presumed to offer
magical protection and ward off bad luck. Children in
the Middle Ages believed if they carried a four-leaf
clover, they would be able to see fairies, and the first
literary reference to suggest their good fortune was
made in 1620 by Sir John Melton
19. Blarney Stone
• Blarney Castle, as viewed by the visitor today, is
the third to have been erected on this site. The
first building in the tenth century was a wooden
structure. Around 1210 A.D. this was replaced by
a stone structure which had the entrance some
twenty feet above the ground on the north face.
This building was demolished for foundations. In
1446 the third castle was built by Dermot
McCarthy, King of Munster of which the keep still
remains standing.
