Think and Discuss

What makes you proud to be Irish?

What does being Irish mean to you?

How would you describe Ireland to someone from another country?

Why Are People Proud to Be Irish?

Ireland is a nation that is known all over the world for so many reasons.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why people are proud to be Irish.
 Inspirational Irish People

Many people have been inspired by figures from Irish history.

Do you know who any of the following inspirational Irish people are?

Tom Clarke W.B Yeats Mary Robinson Séamus Heaney

 Who Are They?
Tom Clarke

1858 - 1916

Tom Clarke spent his life fighting

for Irish freedom. During the Easter
Rising, he was stationed at the
headquarters in the General Post
Office. His name was amongst the
seven signatories of the ‘Irish
Proclamation’.
 Who Are They?
W B Yeats

1865 – 1939

William Butler Yeats was one of the

greatest poets of the 20th century. He
helped to set up the Abbey Theatre
and he also served as an Irish
Senator. Yeats was also awarded the
Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923.
 Who Are They?
Mary Robinson

1944 –

Mary Robinson was the first female

president of Ireland.
She has spent years working with the
United Nations fighting for human
rights.
She also set up the Mary Robinson
Foundation that fights for victims of
climate change.
 Who Are They?
Séamus Heaney

1939 – 2013

Séamus Heaney was a famous Irish

poet, play writer and translator. He
also worked as a lecturer and
professor at Harvard University. In
1995, he received the Nobel Prize in
Literature.
He is known as one of the best Irish
poets since W B Yeats.
 ‘The Emerald Isle’

Ireland is often referred to as ‘The Emerald Isle’ because of its beautiful hills,
valleys and mountains.

There are so many amazing scenes to see in Ireland – approximately 10 million

tourists have visited Ireland in recent years. These landmarks often make people
feel proud to be Irish.

Have you ever been to any of the following popular destinations?

Glendalough, County Wicklow
The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare
Powerscourt Waterfall, County Wicklow

Photo courtesy of (kilgarron@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

The Blasket Islands, County Kerry

Photo courtesy of (LiffeyLad@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

The River Shannon, County
Westmeath

Photo courtesy of (Ingo Mehling@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution
The Giant's Causeway, County Antrim
 Prehistoric Sites

Ireland is home to one of the oldest prehistoric monuments in the world.

The Newgrange monument was built around 3200 BC, which makes it older
than Stonehenge in England and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. It is
located on the north side of the River Boyne in County Meath.

Photo courtesy of (Tjpfinn@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

 Ireland’s Freedom

Between 1916 and 1923, countless men and women risked and sacrificed their
lives for Ireland’s freedom.
“We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to
the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible. The
long usurpation of that right by a foreign people and government has not
extinguished the right, nor can it ever be extinguished except by the destruction
of the Irish people.”
– The Proclamation Of The Irish Republic – April 1916
 Gaeilge

The native Irish language (Gaeilge) has been passed down by generations of
Irish people. Although it is not everyone’s first language in Ireland, many people
proudly sing the national anthem in Gaeilge and they use it in everyday life.
Gaeilge is still very much alive in Ireland today and is celebrated through music
and its very own celebration (‘Seachtain na Gaeilge’) every year!

Photo courtesy of (SolGrundy, Andy Hay@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution
 A Nation of Storytellers

Stories have been passed down through the generations in Ireland. Many people
still treasure the Irish tradition of storytelling. Many myths and legends are still
shared in schools and homes today.

Which Irish myth or legend is your favourite? Can you remember the story?

Some famous stories are:

Cú Chulainn

The Children of Lir

Oisín and Tír na nÓg

 The Gaelic Athletic Association

Many Irish people proudly practise and compete in national sports. Ireland is
home to the Gaelic Athletic Association, which incorporates two sports: Gaelic
football and hurling/camogie.
The GAA has spread to Irish communities in America, Australia, the UK and
many more countries.

What is the name of your local GAA club? Do you know what year it was set
up?
 Irish Culture around the World!

Even though it is a small island, many Irish people have migrated around the
world. Many people living in Chicago and New York have ancestors who
migrated from Ireland to the USA. On St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago, the Chicago
river is dyed green as part of the celebrations.

Photo courtesy of (maxintosh@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

 Reflection

What makes you proud to be Irish?

Share your ideas with your teacher and classmates.