• The conflict in Ireland, started in 19th Century. In fact, Ireland was under the British domination because Ireland is integrated into the United Kingdom of Great Britain by the Act of Union since 1801, so Irish wanted their independence.

     

    It is in Ireland, in 1169 that began 700 years of Norman and English’s power. Then, English and Scottish Protestants decided to colonize Ireland from 1534 to 1691 and the religious conflict was born, even if it was less present when American and famine came in Ireland in 1846 for 3 years.

     

    Ireland as an independent country with religious conflictsIn 1914 the Home Rule was signed by King George V, to give internal autonomy to Ireland, while remaining under the supervision of the British crown, but it wasn’t up because of WWI.

     

    Ireland as an independent country with religious conflictsAfter the World War I, while Irish wanted their independence, the Protestants people didn’t want to be attached to a catholic country so they also wanted their own country. The 21st  december 1921,  Ireland and Great-Britain made a deal: the North of the island, called Northern Ireland, staid British and the South became the Republic of Ireland, an independent country. So, since 1921 the Republic of Ireland is constituted by 26 counties and the 6 other countries belong to Northern Ireland.

    In 1937, the state became known as Eire, Ireland in English. Ireland joined the European Economic Community in 1973, which allows it to receive support in the 80s, and achieve one of the world's highest economic growth rates, with a massive emigration, mostly coming from Asia and Eastern Europe. This period, in the 1990s is called “Celtic Tiger”.

     In 1960’s there were so many conflicts between Catholic and Protestants because Protestants were discriminated in the Republic of Ireland and the Catholics didn’t have any rights in Northern Ireland. One of the attack was in 1968 when Ulster Volunteer Force and Ordre Orangiste decided to violently attack the demonstrators. And this conflict between Protestants and Catholics still exists nowadays.

    Then, there was the bloody Sunday on the 30th January 1972. British army opened fire on the demonstrators. 14 persons died and there were hundreds of wounded people. After this attack, it was not finished because Irish Republican Army, in response of the Bloody Friday, committed a terrorist attack with a total of 22 bombs.

    Ireland as an independent country with religious conflicts

    In 1980’s, some Irish (like Bobby Sands) try to stop the violence with a peaceful method but nothing changed

     

    Ireland as an independent country with religious conflictsIreland as an independent country with religious conflictsIreland as an independent country with religious conflicts

     

    Finally, people had to wait for 1998 because Ireland and England found a deal to calm the situation: this is The Good Friday Agreement. That’s meant a recognition by the British government for the first time as the "Irish dimension"; the principle that the people of the island of Ireland as a whole can solve the problems between North and South by mutual consent, without external intervention allows to obtain the agreement of nationalists and republicans.  


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  • The main habit that I have discovered in Ireland is the charity shop.

    Here, it's very common to give some of your old clothes or things that don't use anymore (clothes, books, jewels, furnitures...) to a charity shop. In France, lots of people do bric-à-brac to earn a little bit money by selling their products, but in Ireland, Irish people just give them. Everybody can go to charity shop and buy what they like but a lower price. Moreover, there are lots of charity events, charity TV programs... Money raised often goes to associations, like for the cancer research or associations for children, or even against famine. I think that one of the most famous charity shop in Dublin is Oxfam.

     

    Oxfam was founded in Oxford (UK) in 1942. Oxfam is a charitable organization to raise money. This association usually sells mainly used goods donated by members of the public. Because the items for sale were obtained for free, and business costs are low, the items can be sold at competitive prices. The store collects money and send it to help Tanzanian. 

    "Oxfam is a world-wide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against poverty"

     

     

     

     


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  • Saint Patrick or patron saint of Ireland is a Scottish evangelist which converts the Irish populate to Christianity in the fifth century. The legend told that he exposed to the king the concept of Sainte Trinity with a shamrock (the emblem of Ireland and Saint Patrick’s Day). 

     

     Saint PatrickSaint Patrick was born in Britain in 385. His real name was Maewyn Sucatt. When he was 16, he was captured and taken to Ireland as a slave and sold to a local landowner named Meliuc. He served as a slave shepherding sheep for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After becoming a cleric, he returned to northern and western Ireland and begins to evangelize at the request of the Pope Celestine. In later life, he served as an ordained bishop and after he becomes to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland. According to the legend after the king’s conversion Saint Patrick hunted all the snakes in the country, it was the symbol of the Irish conversion to Christendom. 

     

     Saint PatrickNowadays, everybody celebrates the Saint Patrick's day which is during approximately one week but the real day is on the 17th of March and it is a bank holiday. It is celebrated in all Irish cities obviously but also in other countries like in the United States of America. During all the week, there are lots of animations (lights on buildings, concerts…). Saint Patrick’s Day for Irish people is a very happy day, the synonyms of this day are happiness, beers, singing and dancing. The capital is transformed. The green color dominates the city. On the Saint Patrick’s Day people are wearing and making up with the colors of the country (orange, white and green). They wear very funny costumes. At midday, there is a huge parade in the main street where all the countries and activities of the town are represented, like fireman, garda, sports club… After this parade everybody goes to pubs and enjoy. There are people EVERYWHERE, and most of them are so drunk! 

     

    Saint Patrick


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  • Days 83 to 89:

    Week 13

     

    My family (mum, dad, brother and sister) is here ! Let's go to visit Ireland. I am so exciting and happy. We go to Dublin, Galway and Cork.

    To see more pictures, let's go there !

     

    Week 13

     


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  • Rugby can be considered as the national sport in Ireland. It is very famous and Irish love watch it on the TV in pubs with a beer.

     

    One of the most famous competition is Six Nations Championship, which is an annual international rugby union competition. Six European teams (England, France, Ireland, Wales, Italy and Scotland), all of them can be a potential winner. In fact, England and Wales are the joint record winners with 26 titles each. 

    Rugby as a national sport

     

    Moreover, the Six Nations is the successor (since 2010) to the Home Nations champion ship (from 1883 to 1939) and then to Five Nations Championship because France joined the competition since 2010.

     

     

    The competition began the 6th of February 2015 and finished the 21st of March 2015 where Irish rygbymen won.


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