Today many people associate the Irish with drinking, but what is perhaps more accurate is the Irish tendency to socialize as these public houses became the center of the social life. This small town atmosphere and culture thrives even today, both in the countryside as well as in the cities' neighborhood pubs.
While socialization became the focus of the culture, many other cultural aspects began to define the people. Catholicism is at the core of their culture and identity, Irish dress is very distinguishable and Irish dancing and music is now growing in popularity the world over. However, other cultural aspects were lost over time, primarily due to outside influences as Irish (also known as Gaelic) was almost entirely replaced with the English language and remains so today.
Today Ireland continues to change, particularly as cities grow and technology alters the lifestyle on a daily basis. However, the culture is still rooted in the towns and countryside as socialization and family are king and all are welcome to the Emerald Isle.