2. Ireland is west of the United Kingdom (England,
Scotland, Wales). Northern Ireland is part of
the United Kingdom. Ireland is across the
Atlantic Ocean from the U.S.
4. It rains a lot in
Ireland, making
everything very
green. It is often
called “The
Emerald Isle.”
5. The flag of Ireland is green, white and
orange. The green represents Catholics,
the orange is for Protestants, and the white
symbolizes the hope for peace between the
two groups.
6.
7. The National Holiday is March 17, St.
Patrick’s Day, named after the Patron
Saint of Ireland.
8. Why do they celebrate St.
Patrick’s Day in America?
•Many Americans have Irish ancestors,
meaning their parents, grandparents or great-
grandparents came from Ireland.
•It’s fun to celebrate holidays from around
the world. Even if you’re not Irish, you can
enjoy celebrating the holiday by wearing
green, which is also a sign of spring.
9. Most people in Ireland speak
English, but a few still speak
Gaelic. You might hear
someone say “Erin go bragh”
on St. Patrick’s Day, which is
Gaelic for “Ireland forever.”
10. The harp is a symbol of Ireland. It can be seen
on the presidential flag and on the back of the
Irish Euro coin. A Euro is worth about $1.32.
11. The shamrock is another
symbol of Ireland. It is
always worn on St. Patrick’s
Day.
13. The Giant’s Causeway is a mass of
stone columns that extend from a cliff
in Northern Ireland and disappear
under the sea towards Scotland. They
were formed by a volcanic eruption 60
million years ago. However, the
ancients believed it to be the work of a
giant named Fin M’Coul.
14. The Celts, warriors from
western Europe, controlled
Ireland for 1000 years. Today
the term “celtic” is often used to
refer to anything traditionally
Irish, such as celtic music and
celtic dance. Dance, music,
holidays, and traditions are all
part of a people’s culture.
15. GEOGRAPHY
• The geography of
Ireland describes an
island in northwest
Europe in the north
Atlantic Ocean. The
main geographical
features of Ireland
include low central
plains surrounded by a
ring of coastal
mountains.
