Fodor's Exploring Ireland, 3rd Edition

Book by Fodors

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An Island

Many of Ireland's charms are perfectly straightforward. Visitors head there for the spectacular scenery and the warmth of the people. Ireland's real fascination, though, is its ability to confound people's preconceptions. For visitors, Ireland still seems pleasantly old-fashioned. The sociable, lively Irish are always ready to strike up a conversation, play some music, or buy the next round of drinks.
Music and Dance

Ireland's musical traditions date back continuously over many centuries, but the current scene is exceptionally lively, with a new interest in popular folk music encouraged by tourism. Irish musicians figure prominently in rock and country-and-western groups, and some Irish virtuoso performers, such as James Galway, have become world famous.
Irish instruments

Most distinctive of the instruments used in Irish music, besides the harp, are the uilleann (elbow) pipes, a relative of the Scottish bagpipes but with a more elegiac tone particularly suited to reflective Irish tunes. The violin (simply called the fiddle in Ireland) is held casually on the shoulder and played with only a small section of the bow. The bodhrán is one of the most ancient Irish instruments, a goatskin drum played with a small stick.
The modern scene
In the 20th century Irish music has played an important role in the revival of nationalist sentiment and has achieved enormous popularity. The most usual venues to hear it are ceilis, where whole communities gather to dance and make music, or pubs, where seisuns (sessions) are held all over Ireland.
The Love of Words

The Irish are famously articulate. From the loquacious Celts, alleged by the Greek traveler Strabo (writing around the time of the birth of Christ) to be fond of "wordy disputes" and "bombastic self-dramatization," through that master of empty promises, the Earl of Blarney, to today's garrulous stage Irishman, words have been a constant source of delight.
A prolific streak

The Irish have written much; Ireland's contribution to English literature in all its forms -- poetry, drama, novels, essays -- is colossal, considering the size of its population. It seems as strong today as ever, with new talents bursting onto the stage and filling bookshops with new novels and poems.
Food and Drink
Irish cuisine

Home-grown produce includes rich dairy foods, beef, lamb and pork, a fascinating range of new Irish cheeses, and a great variety of seafood, shelled or finned. One of its great specialties is bread. Traditional Irish soda bread made with buttermilk, eaten fresh and warm, is a banquet in itself and is automatically proffered at every meal. At midday, a basket of Irish bread, a bowl of seafood chowder, and a glass of Guinness makes a cheap and completely satisfying lunch.
Recently there has been a welcome return to simple, hearty Irish food such as Irish stew and potato dishes. Try colcannon (potatoes with onions and white cabbage), champ (potatoes mashed with butter and chopped chives), or coddle (potatoes with bacon and onions). Black puddings use up those bits of pig not usually found on the dinner table. At tea-time, try barm brack, a delicious sweet tea bread with dried fruit and spices.
Whiskey and stout

Pubs are more than mere boozing sheds; they are the social heart of many communities and often full of life and atmosphere, especially if there is some music. At some stage every visitor should try Ireland's "nectar," Guinness. Some consider it tactless to request Scotch in an Irish pub -- try the local Bushmills, Powers, or other Irish brands, straight or with a splash of plain Irish water.
Sports

The passion for competitive sports and athletics of many kinds reaches unprecedented heights all over the Republic. Its specialist games such as hurling and Gaelic football draw capacity crowds and cause vast excitement.
Hurling

This fast and furious game has an ancient pedigree, dating back before the Christian era. It is something like no-holds-barred lacrosse, played with an ash stick or "hurley" and a small leather ball -- "sliotar." Players (15 a side) may strike the ball any distance and at any height, or carry it on the hurley.
Gaelic football

The ball is smaller than a soccer ball, and teams score one point by hitching the ball over the crossbar, or three by putting it into the goal below the crossbar. The game requires great physical strength and stamina.
Tourist activities

There are more than 300 golf courses throughout Ireland (this number continues to rise), some of international class or in wildly beautiful settings, especially in the North. Greens fees vary considerably. Many claim Ireland is an unparalleled fishing destination, both for the quality of the sport and its low costs. Sailing centers are mostly in the Southwest, between Youghal and Dingle, with lake and river or canal cruising focused on Lough Derg, the Shannon River, the two Loughs Erne, and the Grand Canal.
Myths and Legends

Irish mythology is incredibly complex; different accounts of similar stories are often interwoven with other traditions, and echoes of other Indo-European legends can often be found -- epic tales of Greeks and Romans, for instance, or biblical stories. At first the stories were not written down, but related orally as evening entertainment, which meant embroiderings in every telling. A trained file (bard) was expected to be able to relate about 350 full-length tales in poetry by heart, and would spend years learning his art. The early Christian fathers were the first to record these legends, sometimes interspersing it with their own material and turning Celtic gods into Christian saints (Saint Brigid is an example).