Interesting facts about Ireland

We offer you to get acquainted with interesting facts related to the history of Ireland and its modern life. After all, many do not even know why the shamrock became a national symbol, where Halloween actually originated, where the creator of Dracula studied, and when the fairies come out of 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 official language on a par with English, which means “state”. According to legend, in the 5th century, Saint Patrick used a clover leaf when he explained the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity to the ancient Celts. Since then, St. Patrick has been considered the patron saint of Ireland, and the shamrock has become its national symbol.

Irish Halloween

The origins of the Halloween holiday 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 year in the Celtic calendar and was associated with the completion of harvesting and other agricultural work. Also on this day, they paid tribute to the veneration of the dead. The lighting of fires was an indispensable attribute of the holiday, as well as jack-o'-lanterns made from turnips or other root crops. They were supposed to drive away evil spirits released for one night into the world of the living.

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This is where the Titanic was born.

The most unfortunate and most famous ship of the 20th century was built in Belfast. Today, on the site of the old shipyard, a wonderful Titanic Belfast Museum has been created, in which, on an area of ​​​​more than 12 thousand square meters, there are expositions telling about the history of the design, construction and 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 very center of Dublin and is called Trinity College. It is the place where such famous personalities 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 handwritten 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 accounts for about 130 liters of beer per year. The historical tradition of brewing in Ireland is underlined by the fact that the oldest pub in Europe called Shona's Bar was founded around 900 in the city of Athlone. And, of course, we must not forget about Arthur Guinness, who at the end of the 18th century developed the recipe for one of the most popular beer brands in the world – Guinness beer.

In Dublin, the Guinness Storehouse 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 according to the laws of the state, people start drinking there from the age of 18. Also one of the modern Irish traditions is the drinking of beer at the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, which takes place annually on March 17th.

Fairy Mound

40 km from Dublin in the Boyne Valley is one of the largest and oldest monuments of megalithic art in Europe, Newgrange, whose creation dates back about 5,000 years ago. It is a large round mound with a stone passage and a chamber inside. The embankment is surrounded by 97 large vertically standing stones, decorated with ornaments. It is difficult to say what this structure was – a burial mound or a temple, but its scale and historical flavor are amazing.

According to Celtic legends, on the Samhain holiday on the night of November 1, fairies come out of the mound. Skillful ancient builders erected the mound in such a way that on the day of the winter solstice, the rays of the sun enter the inner chamber for a short time.

haunted castle

Leap 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'Carroll clan. The cruel temper 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. What is the Bloody Chapel worth, in which, in the 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 environs.

The current owner of the castle is singer and songwriter Sean Ryan. Probably, he is not afraid of representatives of the other world and, by the way, lets tourists on an excursion.

We also recommend an interesting article – Giant's Trail in Ireland.