Grace's+Report

Ireland is an interesting place. I’ve learned some things about Ireland that I would like to share with you.

Ireland’s capital is Dublin. It is Ireland’s largest city. The number of people living in and around Dublin is about 1 ½ million. That is about the same number of people who live in Philadelphia. Dublin is located along the Irish coast. For a long time Dublin was a main port for Irish trade. Dublin has historic sites, low buildings and a few skyscrapers. Dublin has a busy airport and ferry terminals for people who want to travel to England and France.

Ireland has a few famous land forms. One is a strange formation of rock columns called Giant’s Causeway. Some of the pillars are up to 20 feet high. It is believed by geologists that the causeway was formed because of the contracting of a lava flow. Legends say that it was built by Finn MacCool so that giants could go between Ireland and Scotland. Another formation is the Cliffs of Moher. The cliffs are from 400 to 700 feet above the ocean. They have been selected as a special area of conservation because many plants, grasses, and lichens grow there. Below the cliffs in the ocean, many types of whales, dolphins, sharks and seals live. The cliffs are also homes to many types of birds.

Ireland is well known for its cottages. The cottages are made of stone and have thatched roofs. A traditional Irish cottage has only one room. A classical Irish cottage has paneled wood walls. They had a door, a hall for the staircase, a room for drawing, a dining room, a kitchen, and many bedrooms.

People are building modern homes to replace cottages. In towns and cities, people live in houses or apartment buildings. Many more people are living in apartments than before. People in Ireland make a living by farming or making things. Some Irish people farm and grow food for themselves. Other people raise cattle on dairy farms. The Irish also work in factories. Factories in Ireland are famous for making beverages, glass and textiles. Wool from sheep is woven to make pretty clothes. Wool is also spun into yarn which is used to knit beautiful sweaters. Irish craftsmen work at boatbuilding, they also make furniture, hurdles, and gates. In their free time, the Irish ride horses and also play sports. Horse races are also very popular in Ireland.

Some foods in Ireland are the same as foods we eat in the United States, but some things are different. One dish the Irish eat is a Dublin coddle, which is a stew of sausages, bacon, onions, and potatoes. They also have lots of fresh seafood along with cheese, bread, and potato dishes. The diet of people in Northern Ireland is close to the rest of Ireland and the United Kingdom. They eat meat, potatoes, vegetables, and bread along with poultry, eggs, dairy, and fish.

In Ireland there was a terrible tragedy. The Irish famine in 1845-1850 killed close to one million Irish people. It also caused many Irish people to leave. It began after blight (a plant disease) ruined potato crops. It kept striking again and again. Even though there was a blight, there were still other crops in

Ireland, but the food from the crops was shipped somewhere else in the world. The blight started to vanish in 1848 and when 1850 came, the harvest was good in most of Ireland. However, rates of death and disease remained high for a while. You already know that blight is a plant disease, so how about learning about a plant I bet you have never heard of before! A __poisonous__ plant that grows in Ireland is colchicum//. //Its flowers can be purple to white. Did you know that a shamrock(or three leafed clover) is an herb? It is also Ireland’s national symbol.

Do you want to know a few things that the Irish enjoy? Something the Irish have is the Irish Derby horse race, which is held in June. Horses from the whole world run in the Irish Derby. A child’s first Communion is also important to Catholic children. People come to church in their best clothes. The kids add a saint’s name to their own name. These are both important to Irish children and adults.

I would have had no idea that a food in Ireland is Dublin coddle or what it is if I had not read this

report! Would you? Really? Are you sure? Honest? Okay.