Irish Culture

● Core concept
o Very proud people with a strong sense of roots
▪ The Irish are proud of their cultural heritage regardless of where they
reside
▪ Sense of place: Irish take great pride in the region where they come from
● Camaraderie is built through sporting events pinning regions
against each other
▪ Participate in events as their ancestors did
o Highly value modesty, humor, patriotism, warmth and camaraderie.
o Place a strong emphasis on religion and family.
o Many Irish Americans can trace their ancestors coming to America as immigrants
in the mid-1800s.
● Religion
o Faith is extremely important to the Irish.
o About 80% of Irish are Roman Catholic and 20% are Protestant.
▪ Strong divide between the two groups.
● Split between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
o Has ignited a lot of hatred and violence between the two
groups.
o The last British troops were removed over ten years ago to
keep peace on the border of Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The divide does not appear to be as strong as it used to be.
● The color green is used to represent that an Irish person is Irish
and Catholic
● The color orange is used to represent that an Irish person is Irish
and Protestant
o All Christian holidays are celebrated in Ireland
 ▪ Families will take the day to spend time with each other and go to church
at some point during the day depending on the holiday
● Family
o Strong ties to family members
o Children are expected to seek independence and move out when they reach
adulthood
o Not uncommon for extended families to live and spend a lot of time together
o Holidays are to be spent with family and extended family
o Expected to keep in touch with family members
● Food
o Emphasis on meat and root vegetables
o Usually consists of a high diet of potatoes
o Fast food is starting to catch on in Ireland
o Weekly family gatherings happen usually on a Sunday.
▪ Gathering accompanied by a large meal
● Pubs
o Short for “public house”
o A communal place for socialization and camaraderie.
o Not just a place to drink with friends.
▪ Place of important meetings and discussion of various issues or events.
o Not uncommon to have live Irish Folk music being played at pubs during popular
times.
▪ Friday and Saturday nights
o A place many will go to have a conversation.
▪ Very common to begin a conversation with a stranger.
o Sunday afternoons are a common time to see Gaelic football or hurling match on
televisions.
o Slagging
● major part of Irish pub culture
 ▪ Means to make fun of someone for the purposes of having fun. No
offense is taken.
o Weddings, funerals, wakes, christenings and birthdays may be celebrated at
pubs.
o Usually not a place for those under the age of 18
● Sports
o Gaelic football
o Carnegie
o Hurling
o Soccer
o Horse and Greyhound racing
o Handball
o Boxing
o Rugby
● Nonreligious Irish Holidays
o St. Patrick’s Day
▪ Cultural and religious holiday held every March 17
▪ Denotates the death of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland
▪ Most widely celebrated Irish holiday
▪ The day is spent with family going to church, feasting and drinking alcohol
● Alcohol is synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day as sayings such as
“drowning the shamrock” are popular.
● In the early days of the holiday, alcohol bans were lifted on St.
Patrick’s Day for celebration.
▪ Not a public holiday in the United States. The day is still celebrated by
many by wearing green clothing and drinking copious amounts of alcohol.
▪ Clover/ Shamrock is the symbol of St. Patrick’s Day.
● Believed that St. Patrick used the clover to explain the Holy Trinity
to Irish Pagans.
 o Easter Monday
▪ Day is spent to remember the Easter Rising. Easter Rising was a rebellion
during the week of Easter 1916. Launched to end British rule in Ireland.
▪ Day is spent with family and friends
● Usually spent at parades, local fairs or sporting events
o May Day
▪ First Monday of May
▪ Celtic festival to celebrate workers’ rights
▪ Similar to Labor Day in America
▪ Day is spent with community
o Bank Holidays
▪ June
● First Monday of June
● A leisurely day to enjoy the warm weather to come in the next
months
● Popular activities, picnics, open-air concerts, walking, camping,
sporting events and agricultural and garden shows.
▪ August
● First Monday of August
● A long weekend to allow families to go on a short vacation or
enjoy a day off as they please
● A chance to enjoy the summer weather before the arrival of
autumn
▪ October
● Last Monday of October
● Lots of cultural festivals
● Celebration of autumn before the arrival of winter
Irish Culture in Indianapolis
● Events
 o Indy Irish Fest
▪ Indianapolis’s largest single event celebration of Irish culture
▪ An annual event in its 23rd year. Hosted during the second weekend of
September.
▪ Military Park in downtown Indianapolis
▪ Features Irish music from both local and international acts/bands
▪ Cultural workshops, food, and drinks offered
▪ Participating Celtic organizations,
● Irish Arts Academy of Indianapolis, Indiana Celtic Community,
Scottish Society of Indianapolis, and Indianapolis Firefighters
Emerald Society.
o St. Patricks’ Day
▪ Events occurring during St. Patrick’s Day.
● Greening of the Canal
● Shamrock Run & Walk
● St. Patrick’s Day Parade
▪ All events are a gathering a celebration of Irish Culture
▪ Many local pubs host their own events with live music and other
activities
o Pub Crawls
▪ Several are held each month with Irish branding
▪ Not an authentic Irish experience
● No focus on Irish culture. The focus is on drinking.
▪ Hosted by pubs or a private company
Indianapolis Irish Establishments
● Nine Irish Brothers Pub
o Located on Mass. Ave.
o Often hosts traditional Irish Bands
o A large meeting room that is free to book
 ▪ This is where Chris wants to hold IICC meetings
o Golden Ace Inn
▪ Oldest traditional Irish pub in Indianapolis
▪ Hosts live music performances
● Often brings in bands from Ireland
o Other Pubs
▪ Claddagh Irish Pub, O’Reilly’s Irish bar, Manley’s Irish Mutt, Muldoon’s
Irish pub, and O’Gara’s Irish pub.
● Centered around the idea of being a pub
● Few participate in the Irish Bar Crawls
o Only events outside of typical Tuesday night trivia, that
they hold.
o Indy Folk Series
▪ Listening room to hear local folk artists
▪ Irish Folk artists will often play here
o Indy Contra Dance
▪ Dance school teaching both children and adults
▪ Used by the Irish Dancers of Indianapolis to teach Irish dance