IRELAND
I am half- Irish and my husband is 100% Irish so therefore we take pride in out heritage. We took a self-drive tour of Ireland in 2002 and every St. Patrick’s Day I wish to share the tales and photographs of my travels with my students and to introduce them to a different culture while discussing the holiday and reading limericks together.
What kind of weather does Ireland usually have that makes it so green, hence the name the Emerald Isle? Rain http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/weather.html
What instrument is associated with Ireland? Bagpipes http://wavcentral.com/scripts/results.msql?query=bagpipes§ion=Search&mode=search&page=1&Search=Search
Here are a few wav files of common words and phrases in Irish Gaelic. This was the common language spoken in Ireland many years ago. Many signs are still in Gaelic. Some of the people we meant still speak it, many of them older.
Dia dhuit - hello
Oiche maith - good night
http://www.dcr.net/~conmidhe/gaelic.htm
U2 is a popular band in America that came from Ireland. Here is a sample of one of their songs. http://members.tripod.com/~BBEngineering/U2/u2page.htm
Of course the Irish are also known for their beer drinking. Here is some Irish stout music. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Fields/3925/cbc.htm
Irishmen are also very proud of their heritage. They are Irish and proud of it and love to talk about it. Here are 2 clips from Mr. O’Riley on the TV show Star Trek showing just what I mean with statements such as, “You know what Joe’s problem is? He wasn’t born an Irishman.” And, “Have no fear O’Riley’s here, and one Irishman is worth 10,000 of you!” http://www.the-ocean.com/trek/
Let’s listen to the Irish National Anthem.
Irish Gaelic: Amhrán na
bhFiann
English: The Soldier's Song
How is it different from our Star Spangled Banner? http://www.copcity.com/anthems/ireland.html
Many of us have heard of Riverdance and Lord of the dance by Michael Flatley. It is a theatrical performance using Irish music and dance. It brings a little bit of Irish culture and heritage to America. It is an awesome show that I highly recommend you see. Let’s listen to some of the musical highlights. http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/3030/