Ireland

IRELAND

THE BEARA PENINSULA

IMAGES

& FOLKLORE

THE MAP OF IRELAND

• 32 Counties in total, but the Island of Ireland is separated into the North and South.

• This division was agreed in 1921 as a way of giving the majority of Ireland freedom from the English.

• It caused problems in Ireland for many years, known as “the Troubles” which has only been resolved in recent years.

THE IRISH FLAG

• Officially the flag has no meaning in the Irish Constitution, but a common interpretation is that – the green represents the

Irish nationalist tradition of Ireland and

– the orange represents the Orange tradition in Ireland,

– with white representing peace between them. The white in the centre would thus signify a lasting truce between the 'Green' and the 'Orange'.

THE SHAMROCK

• The Luck of the Irish

CORK

• Also known as the peoples republic!

• This image is usually associated with Che Guivarra, now a very popular brand in cork.

• Cork is also known as “The Rebel County”, and it´s people, “The Rebels”.

THE BEARA PENINSULA

• Beara is very rich in antiquities, including ancient Wedge Tombs, Boulder Burials and Stone Circles, the world’s tallest Ogham Stone, old church sites, ruined castles, Martello towers.

WEDGE TOMB

STONE CIRCLE

STANDING STONES/ OGHAM

RING FORT

AN CAILLEACH BHEARA

• THE HAG OF BEARA• She usually appears

as an old woman who asks a hero to sleep with her,

• If the hero agrees to sleep with the old hag she then transforms into a beautiful woman

THE HAG OF BEARA In the story called The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid

Mugmedn, five brothers go out hunting in the woods to prove their manhood. They lose their way, and set up camp among the trees to light a fire to cook the game they have killed. One of the brothers is sent in search of drinking-water, but finds a monstrous black hag guarding a well. She will only give him water in exchange for a kiss. He turns away, repelled, as do each of the brothers who follow him in turn, except for Niall who gives her a whole-hearted embrace. When he looks at her again, she has turned into the most beautiful woman in the world, with lips “as the crimson lichen of Leinster’s crags…her locks…like Bregon’s buttercups.” “What art thou?” said the boy. “King of Tara, I am Sovereignty,” she replies, “and your seed shall be over every clan.”

The Cailleach Beara is ever-renewing and passes through many lifetimes going from old age to youth or flesh to stone in a cyclic fashion.

THE CHILDREN OF LIR• “The story of the children of Lir is a well known legend in Ireland. It tells the tale

of 900 year journey on the seas and lakes of Ireland. • The children were the sons and daughters of Lir, a member of the Tuatha de

Danaan clan, who married Eve daughter of King Bov the Red, King of the Tuatha de Danaan.

• Eve and Lir were blissfully married and had a set of twins-Aed and Finola, and after a short period there followed another set of twins, 2 boys, Conn and Fiara.

• Unfortunately Eve died soon after and Lir, not wanting his children growing up without the love of a mother, married Aoife, King Bov’s second daughter. This was a happy marriage until Eva became jealous of Lir’s devotion of his children.”

• Overcome with hatred she brought the children to Lough Darravagh near their home and transformed them into swans. Realising what she had done and overcome with remorse, she attempted to release the spell but could only ease their distress by enabling them to speak and sing and to remain as swans for 900 years until Christianity was introduced into Ireland. The swans spent the first 300 years on Lough Darravagh close to their home. The next 300 years was spent on the Sea of Moyle, a cold and desolate area between Scotland and the north of Ireland. The last 300 years they endured on the Atlantic sea.

THE CHILDREN OF LIR• When their time was over the

swans attracted by the ringing of a bell rung by a monk living in Allihies village in the Beara Peninsula, came ashore and immediately were changed back into their human form. The children were by now old men and women (and) were baptised by the monk. A short time later they died and were buried under these large white boulders. Traditionally rounds were made by the local people circling the boulders. Money was placed under the boulders as an offering to the children.”

THE CHILDREN OF LIR

THE SKELLIG ROCKS

• First recorded in history in 490AD, for many centuries was a place of pilgrimage, though it is unknown who established it. To this day the beehive huts and oratories have survived, even invasions by the Vikings!

THE BEAUTIFUL BEARA PENINSULA

Traffic Jam

Molly Malone

• In Dublin's Fair CityWhere the girls are so prettyI first set my eyes on sweet Molly MaloneAs she wheel'd her wheel barrowThrough streets broad and narrowCrying cockles and mussels alive, alive o!

• ChorusAlive, alive o!, alive, alive o!Crying cockles and mussels alive, alive o!

• She was a fishmongerBut sure 'twas no wonderFor so were her father and mother beforeAnd they each wheel'd their barrowThrough streets broad and narrowCrying cockles and mussels alive, alive o!

• She died of a feverAnd no one could save herAnd that was the end of sweet Molly MaloneBut her ghost wheels her barrowThrough streets broad and narrowCrying cockles and mussels alive, alive o!

• Chorus