1. The people
1.1. Irish people are friendly and relaxed. There are a lot of jokes about Irish people, which the Irish often tell themselves.
1.2. Ireland is famous for its traditional music and dances. While singing and dancing, Irish people love to drink Guiness, the famous black beer. The Irish also love stories and legends.
1.3. For many years, most Irish people were farmers. Today most people still live on the land but a lot of people are moving to town to work in offices and factories.
2. An important event
2.1. For hundreds of years, potatoes were the most important food in Ireland. In the 1840s the potato crop got sick and there were not enough potatoes. About 750,000 people died of hunger.
2.2. This terrible event is called "The Great Femine". As a result of that, a great number of people left Ireland and went to live in other countries, especially USA.
3. Religion
3.1. 95% of population in Ireland is Catholic. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He brought Christianity to Ireland. St Patrick's Day is celebrated every year on March 17.
3.2. One legend says that there are no snakes in Ireland because St Patrick chased them all away. He put them in a box which he threw into the Irish Sea. That's why it's thought that teh Irish Sea is always so rough, because the snakes are moving and turning in their box.
4. Geography
4.1. Island surrounded by the Irish Sea in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
4.2. It is a very green island with a wet but warm climate.
4.3. Ireland is often called the "Emerald Isle".
5. History
5.1. In the 16th century the English tried to conquer Ireland. They took away the land of the Irish and gave it to the English farmers. For centuries the Irish fought against the English.
5.2. In 1921, the British Government had to give independance to the south of Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is born.
5.3. The Republic of Ireland is an independant country. There is also Northrn Ireland which is still part of the United Kingdom.
6. Famous Irish people
6.1. George Bernard Shaw
6.1.1. (18556-1960) was a famous writer and co-founder of the London School of Economics.
6.2. Jonathan Swift
6.2.1. (1667-1745) His name is familiar to many readers all over the world, especially children. His most popular book is Gulliver's Travels
6.3. Pierce Brosnan
6.3.1. (1952) made his name in television series but is best known for his role as James Bond in four films including Golden Eye and Die Another Day.
6.4. Richard Harris
6.4.1. (1930-2002) was an Irish actor, producer and director. He played Albus Dubledor in Harry Potter.
6.5. Colin Farrel
6.5.1. (1976) like many other actors, his career started in television but later he established his name in the film world playing in films like Phone Booth, Miami Vice and The Recruit.
6.6. Liam Neeson
6.6.1. (1952) is an Irish actor born in Northern Ireland. A turning point on his career was 1992 when he was picked to playOscar Schindler in the film about the Holocaust, Schneider's List.
6.7. Bono Vox
6.7.1. (1960) is a Dublin-norn singer and member of the Irish rock band U2. He wrote most of U2's lyrics, but his name is also widely known for his humanitarian work, especially concearning Africa.