The civilization of Ireland (or the Celtic people) is very
old. That country has a rich heritage and very old
traditions and symbols.
The SHAMROCK is a CLOVER that
grows abundantly in Ireland. Some
people say that St. Patrick, the patron
saint of Ireland, used the shamrock to
spread Christianity in Ireland (the three
leaves of the plant represent the Holy
Trinity). Other people say that the
shamrock and the number three were
considered magical in Celtic tradition,
so this plant was believed to bring
good luck.
THE HARP
The Irish loved to entertain guests with the
use of a harp during the Gaelic times.
Since then, it has always been a wellloved symbol or Ireland. The harp became
part of the national flag of Ireland from
the 18th to the 19th centuries.
BREAF HISTORY
St. Patrick (432 A.C.): St. Patrick arrives in Ireland,
bringing Christianity. (The Protestant faith did not yet
exist). Protestant in Ireland (1608): Britain's King
James I sends thousands of Protestant English farmers
to Ireland to take over land owned by Catholic
farmers, mostly in the north.
Law against Catholics (1692): new laws
forbid Catholics to vote, own land or
practice their religion. Such laws remain in
effect until 1829.
Act of Union (1801): Great Britain and
Ireland became the “United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland.”
Great Potatoe famine (1846–1848):
a million people died.
The Easter Rebellion (1916): armed
Irish patriots rebelled against British
troops in Dublin on the Monday after
Easter. The British executed rebel
leaders.
The Anglo-Irish War between the British and the
Irish Republican Army (1919-1921): in a treaty,
Britain finally gives up control of most of Ireland but not on the six counties of Ulster (Northern
Ireland)-.
Irish Republic (1949): Britain declares Ulster a
permanent part of the British Empire. The lower 26
counties of Ireland declare themselves the Irish
Republic, totally free of British control.
FIELDS OF ATHENRY
The Fields of Athenry is probably the best-known
song about the Great Famine, you can hear the
song in many rugby and football grounds of
Ireland. It was published in 1979 by Pete St. John.
It’s a dialogue between a man, Michael of Athenry,
and his wife. He stole wheat and he was arrested
and deported in Australia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLZRWNdGCUc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbf-7Ku4Kj4
FIELDS OF ATHENRY
CAMPI DI ATHENRY
By the lonely prison wall.
I heard a young girl calling:
-Michael they are taking you away,
For you stole Trevelyan's corn.
So the young might see the morn.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the
bay.
Accanto al desolato muro di cinta
della prigione,
sentii una giovinetta chiamare:
-Michael ti stanno portando via,
per aver rubato il mais di Trevelyan,
così che i piccoli potessero vedere la
luce del nuovo giorno.
Ora una nave prigione giace in attesa
nella baia.
Low, lie the fields of Athenry,
Where once we watched the
small free birds fly.
Our love was on the wing,
We had dreams and songs to
sing.
It's so lonely round the fields
of Athenry.
Laggiù, si estendono pianeggianti i
campi di Athenry,
dove un tempo guardavamo i liberi
uccelletti volare.
Il nostro amore era in pieno volo,
avevamo sogni e canzoni da cantare.
Son così desolati i campi di Athenry.