Irish Culture

This is a picture of some girls doing an Irish dance. The dances represent an integral part of the Irish culture. They are perfomed by people of all ages and in all places. This picture and the different outfits accurately represent the energy and uniqueness of this culture.

Irish Dance was first brought to Ireland by the Druids, and is performed at most occasions, including funerals. The dancing originated as slow couples dancing and changed over time into the dancing seen in this picture. The costumes were modeled after peasant dresses, and they are adorned with specific celtic designs.

II. The Lorica of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today through the strength of Heaven
the rays of the sun,
the radiance of the moon,
the splendor of fire,
the speed of lightening,
the swiftness of the wind,
the depth of the sea,
the stability of the earth
the firmness of rock.

I arise today through the power of God:
God's might to comfort me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to lead me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's Heavenly Host to save me
from the snares of the devil,
from temptations to sin,
from all who wish me ill,
from near and afar,
alone and with others.

May Christ shield me today
against poison and fire,
against drowning and wounding,
so that I may fulfill my mission
and bear fruit in abundance.
Christ behind and before me,
Christ behind and above me,
Christ with me and in me,
Christ around and about me,
Christ on my right and on my left,
Christ when I lie down at night,
Christ when I rise in the morning,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone that speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

- St Patrick

I chose this poem for several reasons. I understood it, but moreso, I felt like I could relate to it. Faith and prayer play a big part in my life, and this poem is St. Patrick's cry for God's protection and divine control of his life. The poem also represents a very important aspect of the Irish culture: the important role of religion in the lives of the Irish. Even though the protestant/ Catholic battle ran rampant in Ireland, this poem shows how despite differences both groups of people can call to the same God when they are in need.


III. I have never traveled outside of the US except to India, where I was born and visit many people. The idea of taking a class on a totally new culture intrigued me. I know nothing about the Irish culture except for the myth of the leprechaun, and the stereotypical idea that everyone drinks a lot because of the numerous pubs, all serving homebrewed beer, found in Ireland. The previous comments may seem stupid, but they represent my ignorance about the Irish culture, further explaining the reason I want to take this class. I love learning about new cultures because I believe as people we can learn to become better by trying to mimic the pros of different cultures. I have always had an interest to learn more about other people and their rich heritage, and this class seemed like it would offer a good means of doing that. What I am most excited about the class is that we are learning much more than just the history of Irish folklore, but we are also getting a hands on experience of it.

Initially, the reason I wanted to take this class was for the trip to Ireland. I love to travel and visit new sites. It gives me an unique opportunity to visit a country that I may not have visited otherwise. Having taken the class before we go to Ireland will help me to be more appreciative of the rich Irish culture, becoming a little bit more than just a mere tourist.