It is important to remember that Canada was founded by four great European nations, the Scots, the French, the Anglos, and the Irish. It is then a duty for every Canadian teacher to talk about our Irish heritage, and a good way to do it, is to celebrate St-Patrick's day on March 17 th. Indeed, it will allow you to take some time off from the curriculum and you can do many fun Irish activities related to that. And of course, if you don't have school uniforms, don't forget to aks your students to dress in green!1. Trivia
Did you know? The longest place name in Ireland is Muckanaghederdauhaulia, in County Galway.
Did you know? According to some historians, over 40% of all American presidents have had some Irish ancestry.
Did you know? Saint Brendan is said to have discovered America 1,000 years before Columbus.
Did you know? Ireland, or the Emerald Island, is one of the largest islands in the world.
A little bit of Irish mythology and folklore
The Leprechaun
The Leprechaun is an Irish fairy. He looks like a small, old man (about 2 feet tall), often dressed like a shoemaker, with a cocked hat and a leather apron. According to legend, leprechauns are aloof and unfriendly, l
ive alone, and pass the time making shoes. They also possess a hidden pot of gold. Treasure hunters can often track down a leprechaun by the sound of his shoemaker's hammer. If caught, he can be forced (with the threat of bodily violence) to reveal the whereabouts of his treasure, but the captor must keep their eyes on him every second. If the captor's eyes leave the leprechaun (and he often tricks them into looking away), he vanishes and all hopes of finding the treasure are lost. Cluricauns are cousins to the leprechauns. They look very similar with a few variances - silver buckles, pink noses, blue stockings . . . . Unlike leprechauns, cluricauns do not like to work, they are in fact quite lazy. They would much prefer to drink wine barrels until empty.
The Pot of Gold
How the leprechaun with his pot o' gold hidden at the end of the rainbow got tied into St. Patrick's Day is not clear. It is probable that in St. Patrick's Day celebrations, in searching for Irish customs and history, the myths got dragged in as well. However, there is an interesting note about the leprechaun hiding his gold at the end of the rainbow...he may be a myth, but he's no dummy. There is no end of a rainbow, as rainbows are actually circles. It's just that we can only see part of it at a time, so to our perception it is an arc or bow.
The Fairies
Fairies are small supernatural creatures of human form. They live in everyday surroundings. They are generally thought to be beneficial to humans. However, they are known to play pranks and it is best to treat them with respect. They are small, beautiful, airy, nearly transparent in body, and can assume any form. In Ireland fairies are called Sidhi, (pronounced "shee").
Fairies, as we know them today, are the ancient remnants of the Tuatha de Danaan, which means the people of the goddess Anu. Anu being like Mother Earth, the Tuatha were the gods and goddesses of the various aspects of nature. Like Nature itself, some were good and some were pretty frightening. With the onset of Christianity, these creatures, while still a rich part of Celtic myth and legend, grew considerably less forbidding and less powerful over the centuries becoming the whimsical, ethereal, airy, creatures we think of today.
Other fairies include the wicked Sheoques, which are known for switching human babies with changelings. The Leanhaun Shee fairy seeks the love of human males. Those who fall under her spell are doomed to waste away, however those who refuse her make her their slave. The Banshee is a female fairy who calls to those about to parish. Then there is the Fear Gorta who if you bring food to will bless you with good luck. There are many types of fairies even those who live in the home and nearby wells all with special names and habits.
The Blarney Stone
The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence (blarney). The castle was built in 1446 by Cormac Laidhiv McCarthy (Lord of Muskerry) -- its walls are 18 feet thick (necessary to thwart attacks by
Cromwellians and William III's troops). Thousands of tourists a year still visit the castle. The origins of the Blarney Stone's magical properties aren't clear, but one legend says that an old woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who had saved her from drowning. Kissing the stone while under the spell gave the king the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly. It's tough to reach the stone -- it's between the main castle wall and the parapet. Kissers have to stretch to their back and bend backward (and downward), holding iron bars for support. Legend holds that anyone who kisses the stone shall receive the gift of gab (persuasion).2. Recipe
If ever you have the opportunity to use a kitchen in your school with your students, it can be really fun to finish a chapter or to celebrate any event.
Irish Soda Bread
Well, everyone knows bread is usually made with yeast. In order for yeast to rise, it needs strong flour. Unfortunately, strong flour was one of the many scarce commodities during Ireland's dark famine years. Being the resourceful and inventive people that they are, the original Irish bread recipe used baking soda, activated with buttermilk, instead. Thanks to the Irish, the world was blessed with a new, tasty way to make bread - hence, the name, Irish soda bread.
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HINT: To give a real authentic look to your creation, before baking any Irish bread recipe use a knife to cut a cross in the top of the loaf. According to old Irish folklore, the cross will ward off the Devil.
Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut a big cross into the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 30 to 50 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.
This Irish bread recipe makes 1 (1 1/2 pound) loaf, 20 servings.
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