GEOGRAPHY Ireland, the Emerald Isle WARM-UP SPEAKING WRITING Quali sono le prime quattro parole (sostantivi, nomi, aggettivi) che ti vengono in mente pensando all’Irlanda? Scrivete un elenco alla lavagna. Geographical features Ireland is an island in northwest Europe surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and by the Irish Sea. The ocean is responsible for its high western coast, along which there are many little isles and peninsulas. Ireland has many central plains surrounded by a ring of mountains along the coast. It is also famous for its lakes, hills, national parks and green countryside . The largest lake is Lough Neagh, in Northern Ireland. The highest mountain is Carrantuohill (1,041 metres). Climate The weather is often wet (it rains for about 220 days a year), which is why the countryside is so green and the island is called the Emerald Isle. The climate is mild and very changeable, but it doesn’t have extreme temperatures: it rarely goes below 0°C and in the summer it rarely reaches 25°C. Two countries The island of Ireland consists of two countries: the Republic of Ireland, which is Catholic and independent from the UK since 1922 (capital: Dublin), and Northern Ireland, which is Protestant and part of the United Kingdom (capital: Belfast). In Northern Ireland, the currency is the pound, while in the Republic of Ireland it is the euro. Northern Ireland was created in 1921, when Ireland was divided by the Government of Ireland Act. The majority of Northern Ireland’s population were unionists, who wanted to remain within the United Kingdom. On December 29th, 1937, the Republic of Ireland became independent. Language In Ireland, people speak English, but the native language is Gaelic, an ancient language of the Celts, the original inhabitants of the island. Today, Gaelic is still a national language in the Republic of Ireland and children study it at school. Irish National Flag The Irish flag of the Republic of Ireland has three colours: green, white and orange. The colours represent the Irish nationalism (green), the Protestant minority (orange), and the peace between both (white). GLOSSARY : : : : : : : : : : : along lungo countryside campagna emerald smeraldo fuel combustibile / carburante giant gigante heritage eredità ring anello source fonte renewable rinnovabile wave onda wet umido, piovoso