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| The Irish wear tartans like the Scottish. |
| Irish clans are called septs. |
| Some of the oldest families in Scotland came from a group of people called the Picts. The Picts came from Ireland and settled in the Northern part of Scotland. |
| Before Britain, Ireland was ruled by the French and the Vikings. |
| The population of Ireland dropped almost 50% after the potato famine. |
| Patty is short for Patricia; Paddy is short for Patrick; so St. Paddy’s Day is correct. |
| Legend tells of a man, from Claddagh, who was captured by pirates a week before he was to be married. While enslaved, he learned to be a goldsmith. He created a ring for the bride he longed to see again. The heart in the center symbolized their love; the hands holding the heart symbolized their friendship; and the crown represented their loyalty. He returned to his bride, gave her the ring, and married her. Today, if you are given this ring in friendship, point the heart outward; if given it in love, point the heart inward. |
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| Ireland is really 2 countries: Northern Ireland and the Republic (Eire). |
| Northern Ireland is still under British rule. |
| Roman Catholicism counts for 91% of religion in Eire. |
| Northern Ireland is Anglican (Protestant). |
| Divorce is now legal in Eire, but abortion is not. |
| The Irish National Anthem is The Soldier’s Song. |
| The Irish flag has three vertical stripes: green, white, and orange. The green is the Gaelic and Anglo-Norman population, orange is the Protestants (supporters of William of Orange), and white is the union and truce between them. |
| The Shamrock is the flower of Ireland. Its name comes from the Gaelic word seamrog, which means "trefoil" or "little clover". It has the ability to foretell the future; when it is going to rain the leaves turn upward. The lucky four leafed clover is hard to find because it is a genetic error that causes the fourth leaf. |
| The Blarney Stone is a stone in the wall of Blarney Castle's tower. The castle is in Blarney Village. One must climb stairs, then lie backwards and hold onto a bar to reach it. Legend states that one who kisses the stone will get the gift of gab. |
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| All teachers in Eire must pass an oral and written test in Irish Gaelic. |
Irish Gaelic only uses 18 of the 26 letters of the English alphabet:
(a,e,i,o,u ~ b,c,d,f,g,h,l,m,n,p,r,s,t)
The others (j,k,q,v,w,x,y,z) are only used in foreign words. |
Merry Christmas in Irish Gaelic is: Nollaig Shona Dhuit.
Merry Christmas in Scottish Gaelic is: Nollaig Chridheil huibh. |
