• Norway!

    Norway: Sunnylvsfjord. Go Now!

    Norway
    Known for its natural beauty, Norway is home to isolated villages, fjords, and mountains that create a culture and landscape without compare. Begin Your Journey!

  • Vatican City!

    Vatican City: Vatican Museums. Go Now!

    Vatican City
    The smallest country in the world offers the heart of Catholicism and among the world's finest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms (ceiling pictured). Go to Vatican City!

  • Macedonia!

    Macedonia: Traditional architecture. Go Now!

    Macedonia
    Macedonia is a country still finding its unique identity, but its architecture is already one of a kind. Explore Macedonia!

  • Austria!

    Austria: Belvedere Palace. Go Now!

    Austria
    Belvedere Palace (pictured) is just one of many palaces found in Vienna. The capital is a good start to Austria, which also features the Alps, the Lakes District, and incredible history & food. Go Now!

  • Spain!

    Spain: Guell Park and Gaudi architecture. Go Now!

    Spain
    Fusion foods, lively music, historic ruins, and cultural events like the Running of the Bulls and La Tomatina make Spain and Barcelona (pictured) a favorite tourist destination. Explore Spain!

  • Ukraine!

    Ukraine: Traditional Village. Go Now!

    Ukraine
    Ukrainian culture is based on village life, particularly that found in the Carpathian Mountains (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

Culture & Identity of Ireland

Introduction

The daily way of life in Ireland is somewhat varied, particularly due to differences between the people living in cities and those living in the urban areas. About 60% of the people live in the cities and where an individual lives somewhat alters the culture.

In cities the way of life is strongly dictated by the pulse of the city as most places are close to each other, public transportation is available, and jobs are generally accessible. In the country things tend to take more time, but life seems to also move a bit more slowly so there is little rush.

Most people, no matter their location, begin work at about 9:00 am, but farmers tend to begin and end with the sun during the summer months. After making their way to work, and the children get to school, which begins at about 9:00 am, the day is filled with work or school for most people. The school day tends to end at about 2:00 or 3:00 pm and work generally ends at about 5:00 pm, at which time traffic increases as most people head home for the evening.

Evenings are often times spent at home after the long workday and children often times have school work or an after school activity. Weekends tend to be when people get out, out on the town, out to a museum, out to the country, or anywhere else. How the Irish spend their free time is quite individual, but the people are generally quite social and most working people make enough money to enjoy their time off.

Identity

Most people in Ireland will identify as being Irish and are quite proud of this, however the way people identify and the definition of what it means to be Irish are slowly changing. In one way, being Irish simply means a person is ethnically Irish, but to many people, an integral aspect of being "Irish" is being Catholic so many Protestants are no longer included in this identity or are not identifying as Irish, even though they might be ethnically Irish. Many of these Irish Protestants struggle to find a single identity. Ethnic Irish in Northern Ireland may consider themselves "British," and the Protestant Irish in the Republic of Ireland may identify in numerous ways. To each individual, how Irish is defined varies; on one extreme a person must be ethnically Irish, be Catholic, and live in Ireland and on the other extreme a person only needs to be ethnically Irish, as religious affiliation and nationality are less important.

This page was last updated: November, 2013