3 Ireland

Ireland

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Ancient (and mysterious) monuments ...People have been living in Ireland for a very long time

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Who built the enigmatic monuments? When ? Why ?

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If you go to Ireland, you will see / listen to one of the oldest languages in Europe (Irish Gaelic) !!!

Dublin is the Republic's capital. It is a very agreeable city to visit !

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The "Book of Kells" in Dublin's University (Trinity College)

Age: about 1300 years. Number of pages: 680 Subject: illustration of the four Gospels. Role: probably used at special times of the year. Interest: unique (because very rare !!!)

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One page of the "Book of Kells" shows the first picture of the Virgin Mary with her child: a unique exemple in western Europe ! One page of the book is turned every night.

Ireland, a land of tragedies.

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Tragedy number one:

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Why are links so strong between Ireland and the USA ? Why do many Americans go on holidays to Ireland (and not just to visit !!!) ????

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This is because of the Great famine between 1845 and 1848. Potatoes didn't grow (because of much rain), and Irish people had nothing to eat. They died en masse. About 1 /3 of the Irish population died and 1/3 emigrated to the USA for a better life (the "American Dream")...England didn't really help Ireland...

In central Dublin, a monument stands to commemorate this very sad period. Ireland has a week every year to remember the tragedy too. A museum in front of the statues is about the Great Famine.

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If you to the EPIC museum in Dublin, you will learn about the Irish diaspora: the story of Irish people who used to flee their country.

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In front of the museum, you should visit the "Jeanie Johnson": this ship used to carry Irish immigrants to America, looking for a better life (or the American Dream why not).

If you had travelled on board, conditions wouldn't have been ideal ! But America gave a better future than Ireland.

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In Boston (top) or New York (bottom), there are Irish famine memorials. About 32 % of today's Americans have Irish origins.

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Tragedy number two:

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The "Troubles" (1960s to 1980s)

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After 700 years of domination, Britain left Ireland in 1921 (the Partition). But Britain kept one part of Ireland : Northern Ireland (= Ulster). Catholics in Northern Ireland refused this situation: they wanted a united Ireland (with Dublin for capital).

The situation went worse in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.Catholics in Northern Ireland (= Ulster) had bad jobs, bad schools for children, bad lodgings, etc. Violent actions began on Protestant and Catholic sides. The conflict was about 30 years long.

The "peace line" today in Belfast: the two communities (Catholics and Protestants) have been living separately for about 60 years now. There are more than 100 "peace lines" in Belfast: a high, long wall between the two communities...

The Brexit has recently re- started tensions between Catholics and Protestants in Ulster...

But remember, Ireland is a beautiful country !

And enjoy the Irish humour !

Write into English

Est-ce-que tu aimerais aller en Irlande? Oui / Non. Il y avait la grande famine autrefois en Irlande. Sans la grande famine, les irlandais n'auraient pas quitté leur pays. Les irlandais vivent dans un pays divisé depuis 1921 / depuis environ 100 ans. Il y a plus d'irlandais en dehors de l'Irlande que dans le pays ! Pourquoi est-ce-qu'ils fuyaient leur pays ? Il pleuvait trop, les pommes de terre ne poussaient pas ! C'était quand la grande famine ? C'était il y a environ 175 ans ! Si cette tragedie n'avait pas eu lieu, les liens avec les Etats Unis n'auraient pas été aussi forts ! L'Irlande commémore la grande famine avec une semaine spéciale en mai chaque année. Tu devrais aller à Dublin: c'est sympa et il y a plein de choses à faire ou voir !