Ireland
Ireland has a rich culture. Music and
The origins of Ireland
Many people have lived in Ireland over
its history. The native people of Ireland
are called the Celts. Romans, Normans
(people from France), and English
people have also lived in Ireland.
Today, many Irish have ancestors who
were Roman, Norman, or English.
"Ancestor" means someone in your
family like a parent, grandparent, or
great-grandparent.
Ireland was one country until 1921,
when it split into two separate countries:
Northern Ireland and the Republic of
Ireland. Northern Ireland is a part of
Great Britain.
The Republic of Ireland is its own
country. The capital of Northern Ireland
is Belfast. The capital of the Republic of
Ireland is Dublin.
The landscape and climate of
Ireland
Ireland has many different kinds of
geography including mountains,
beaches, lakes, rivers, and plains.
"Plains" are large flat areas that often
have lots of grass. Because of its
location in the northern part of Europe
and its geography, it rarely gets very hot
or very cold in Ireland.
It rains often, which is one of the
reasons that the landscape in Ireland is
so green. This rain also helps the many
farmers who live in Ireland. They need
the rain to grow their crops, including
potatoes, cabbage, barley, apples, and
berries.
The culture of Ireland
dancing are very important parts of Irish
culture. Irish dance is a kind of step
dance that is performed around the
world.
In Ireland, many towns hold traditional
dances called ceilis. At the ceili
townspeople spend the evening dancing
traditional dances and talking with each
other.
Traditional Irish music is played at the
ceilis as well as at festivals and other
gatherings throughout Ireland. The
fiddle is often used in traditional Irish
songs, which tell the stories of Ireland’s
history and people.
Famous people of Ireland
Ireland has produced many influential
artists, writers, and musicians who are
known worldwide.
One of the most famous Irish writers is
James Joyce. He lived from 1882-1941
and wrote many novels that have been
printed in languages all over the world.
His most famous novel is called
"Dubliners." A "novel" is a book.
One of the most famous bands to come
out of Ireland is U2. U2 has four
members and has produced 12 albums
since 1980. Their music is loved around
the world.
Many famous actors come from Ireland
including Daniel Day Lewis and Liam
Neeson.
Irish contributions to society
The Irish culture and people have
contributed a lot to society. The greatest
contributions have been to the arts. Irish
music, dance, poems, novels are
enjoyed by people all over the world.
Ireland

Change the following sentences into the

past tense

1. Farmers need rain to grow their

crops.

________________________________
_______________________________

2. Traditional Irish music is played at

ceilis.

________________________________
_______________________________

3. All Irish people speak English.

________________________________
Vocabulary Questions _______________________________
Comprehension Questions
1. What color is "emerald"? 1. What is the ancient language of the
Irish people called?
a) Red

b) Yellow ____________________
c) Green ____________________
d) Blue
2. What is one crop that is grown in
2. Which person would be an "ancestor"? Ireland?

a) Friend ________________________________
_______________________________
b) Brother

c) Cousin 3. What is the name of a famous Irish

author?
d) Grandmother

3. What is a good way to describe

____________________
"plains"? ____________________
a) A large, flat area

b) A desert

c) An area of mountains

d) An ocean

Grammar Questions