Make up a monologue focusing on one aspect that you personally find most interesting.

You can use the following phrases in your monologues:

… plays a very important role in Irish culture.

Ireland's history affected every bit of the island's culture, including…

…has a few traditions of its own, such as…

There are many other … attributed to Irish traditions, including …

But there are other, more recognizable traditional … in Ireland.

Irish culture is steeped in…

…is very popular around the world.

Traditional Irish Food

It may seem altogether too obvious or stereotypical to say that Irish food begins and ends with the potato, but in many ways it's simply true. Many traditional Irish recipes lean heavily on this particular plant. Many families would make simple soups and stews (тушеное блюдо), which contained potatoes as their primary caloric content (саамы калорийный/основной питательный компонент). Those recipes include colcannon (a mixture of potatoes and cabbage), boxty (potato pancakes), champ (green onions and mashed potatoes) and many other potato-based concoctions. They supplemented those foods with oats, barley, bread, salted fish and milk.

There are many other dishes attributed to Irish traditions, including Dublin coddle (pork sausages), soda bread, bacon and cabbage (not corned beef and cabbage, which is more American than Irish), nettle soup and spotted dog (a type of bread). Northern Ireland, with its heavier British influence, has a few traditions of its own, such as the Ulster fry. The Ulster fry is traditionally made up of an assortment of fried foods, such as bacon and eggs, soda and potato bread, sausage, white or black pudding, and other cardiologist-disapproved foods.

1) colcannon - картофель, толчёный с капустой и сливочным маслом (блюдо подаётся к столу на хеллоуин)

2) boxty - ирландские картофельные оладьи

3) champ – картофельное пюре

4) Dublin coddle – коддл

5) soda bread - хлеб из пресного теста (разрыхленного содой)

6) nettle soup – суп из крапивы

7) spotted dog – вареный пудинг с изюмом

8) Ulster fry – ольстерское жаркое

The most popular spirits in Ireland are Guinness and Whiskey. Ireland has its own whiskey. The Irish learned to make whiskey from monks. They came to Ireland from the continent of Europe in the fifth and sixth centuries. They knew a lot about the way to make spirits. Irish whiskey is made differently from Scotch whisky. It is also usually spelled differently - Scotch whisky has no "e". Irish whiskey tastes lighter and smoother than Scotch whisky.

Another popular spirit is Guinness. It's a kind of beer. Guinness is made from barley, hops, yeast and water. Everything in it is quite natural; there are no chemicals. The Irish have made or "brewed" it in Dublin since 1759. The Guinness brewery in Dublin is bigger than any other brewery in Europe.

Irish coffee is another interesting drink. This is how to make it. First you put very hot coffee in a glass, with some sugar. Then you add whiskey. Then very carefully you add some cream, which stays on top of the whiskey and coffee.

Find the English for: Ирландская еда от начала до конца состоит из картофеля; и прочая стряпня из картошки; они добавляли в эту еду…; ирландцам приписывают и многие другие блюда; вредная для сердца еда.

Traditional Irish Clothing

Ireland's history affected every bit of the island's culture, including clothing fashions. In poor times, peasant dress was simple. Men and women alike wore might've worn simple knee-length shirts. Men worn just the shirts, while women often used these shirts as undergarments (нижнее белье) covered by open-sleeved (без рукавов) dresses.

But there are other, more recognizable (узнаваемый) traditional fashions in Ireland. The kilt is one of them. Although most scholars pin the development of the "man's skirt" on Scotland, Irish men also wore them regularly, especially in the early 20th century.

As with so many aspects of Irish culture, many wore kilts as a sign of solidarity with other people who wanted independence from England. Rebellion-minded (мятежно настроенные) people often chose saffron yellow (темно-оранжевый цвет, цвет шафрана), and for that reason English officials banned that hue from English dress.

Weather also plays a significant role in traditional Irish dress. Ireland's ocean climate is generally mild, but sudden rainfall is common, as are strong breezes. Many natives (местные жители) dress in layers that they can shed or add depending on abrupt shifts from hot to cool, wet, and windy.

To that end, the famous Aran sweater poses a sensible solution. Made from water-repelling (водоотталкивающий) wool, these sweaters are very breathable but also insulate (обеспечивают теплоизоляцию) the wearer nicely when cooler weather sets in. Some of the stitches (зд. узоры) in Aran sweaters have traditional meanings. For example, the roundish honeycomb stitch (узор, напоминающий округлые соты) is said to symbolize the hard work of the honey bee and the sweetness of the fruits of labor.

 

Find the English for: История Ирландии в полной мере отразилась на культуре острова; многие носили килты в знак солидарности; английские власти запретили англичанам использовать этот оттенок в своей одежде; но может внезапно пойти дождь или подуть сильный ветер; местные жители одеваются в многослойную одежду; вполне разумным решением представляется аранский свитер; плоды труда.

Traditional Irish Songs and Dance

Irish culture is steeped in (пропитана) song and dance. But traditional Irish music has an actual definition, and no offense to Bono, but it might not include his band. In 1954, the International Folk Music Council set rules for traditional Irish music. Folk music, for example, must display evidence of connecting the present with the past, and must be alive in the community (служить связующим звеном между прошлым и настоящим, а также использоваться в определенной местности и по сей день).

Traditional music in Ireland, whether it's contemporary or much older, blends elements from other cultures into a distinctly Irish feel and sound. It often embraces English music-hall ditties (песенки), and draws in ballroom and polka compositions and sounds, too. Ebullient (возбужденный) fiddles contrast with mournful (печальный) bagpipes. Piano, mandolin, guitars and bouzoukis (греческая гитара) (a type of lute) add traditional Irish flavor to songs old and new.

And of course, music and singing would be incomplete without an Irish dance. There are several styles of Irish dance. Riverdance aside, non-natives are often most familiar with Irish step dances, which often feature rapid foot movements and patterns that can be danced in limited physical stage space. These are often solo dances and include jigs (джига) and reels (рил).

 

Find the English for: Народная музыка; в традиционной ирландской музыке происходит смешение элементов других культур; добавляют традиционно-ирландский оттенок песням.

7. Study the supplement “A guide to common terms in Northern Irish politics” and get ready to explain the following notions:

Northern Ireland, Unionist, Loyalist, Nationalist, Republican, Dissident Republicans, Ulster,

The Province, The Six Counties, The Occupied Six Counties, Norn Iron

8. Read the information about common Irish symbols (“ Symbols in Northern Ireland: a guide to shared and contested symbols ”), flags and coats of arms (“ Flags Used in Northern Ireland ”). Compose several special questions based on it and let your partner answer them.

9. Read the following Irish sayings and think of Russian equivalents. Can folklore characterize a nation? What national features do these sayings reveal?

 

· “It is better to be a coward for a minute than dead for the rest of your life”

· “You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.”

· “A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures”

· "The Irish don't know what they want and are prepared to fight to the death to get it"

· "Tis better to spend money like there's no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there's no money"

· "A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle"

· "It is often that a person's mouth broke his nose"

· "Dance as if no one's watching, sing as if no one's listening, and live everyday as if it were your last"

· "A best friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have"

· "The best looking-glass is the eyes of a friend"

· "Castles were built a stone at a time"

· "Laziness is a heavy burden"

(You can read more about Irish stereotypes here: http://marie-mckeown.hubpages.com/hub/Irish-Stereotypes )