The culture of Northern Ireland relates to the traditions of Northern Ireland and its resident communities.
Elements of the culture of Ireland, the culture of Ulster and the culture of the United Kingdom are to be found.
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Heritage
Since 1998 the Ulster Museum, Armagh Museum, Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and the Ulster American Folk Park have been administered by the (National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland).
The Linen Hall Library, the oldest library in Belfast, has endured many changes of fortune since its foundation in 1788, but has maintained a vision of providing access to literature and local studies to the population at large.
- Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland
- Gardens in Northern Ireland
- Giant's Causeway
- Historic houses in Northern Ireland
- Museums in Northern Ireland
- National parks of Northern Ireland
Food and drink
The best known traditional dish in Northern Ireland is the Ulster fry.[citation needed] It is similar to the full Irish breakfast and full English breakfast, but with the unique addition of soda farls and potato bread. Northern Ireland's best known chefs are Paul Rankin and Michael Deane.
Languages
English is the most spoken language in Northern Ireland. There are also two recognised regional languages in Northern Ireland: the Irish language (see Irish language in Northern Ireland) and the local variety of Scots known as Ulster Scots [1]. Northern Ireland Sign Language (known as British Sign Language to many) and Irish Sign Language have been recognised since 29 March 2004.
Chinese is now the most widely spoken minority language in Northern Ireland,[citation needed] with Urdu, Portuguese, Polish and Czech also significant minority languages.[citation needed]
Sport
Some team sports are played on an all-Ireland basis, while in others Northern Ireland fields its own team. See Sport in Ireland
- Belfast Giants
- Gaelic football
- Hurling
- Gaelic handball
- Milk Cup International youth association football competition held in Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland national football team
- Royal Portrush Golf Club
- Ulster Rugby
- Ulster GAA
Internationally well-known sports people:
- George Best - footballer, born in Belfast
- Darren Clarke - golfer, born Dungannon
- Joey Dunlop
- Dave Finlay
- Alex Higgins
- David Humphreys
- Eddie Irvine
- Dave McAuley
- Willie John McBride
- Tony McCoy
- Wayne McCullough
- Mary Peters
- Ronan Rafferty
- Dennis Taylor
- Norman Whiteside
- Cormac McAnallen
Arts
Literature
Despite its small geographical size, Northern Ireland prolifically produces internationally renowned writers and poets from a wide variety of disciplines.[citation needed] Irish language literature was the predominant literature in the pre-Plantation period. The Ulster Cycle is pertinent to the history of literature in the territory of present-day Northern Ireland. Ulster-Scots literature first followed models from Scotland, with the rhyming weavers, such as James Orr, developing an indigenous tradition of vernacular literature. Writers in the counties which now form Northern Ireland participated in the Gaelic Revival.
- Ciarán Carson
- Mairtín Crawford
- Ian McDonald
- Brian Friel
- Seamus Heaney
- John Hewitt
- C. S. Lewis
- Louis MacNeice
- Medbh McGuckian
- Gerard McKeown
- Paul Muldoon
- Flann O'Brien
- Frank Ormsby
- Tom Paulin
- Richard Rowley
- Bob Shaw
- Bernard MacLaverty
- John Brown
- David Park*
Visual arts
For a full list, see List of Northern Irish artists. Here are just a few examples:
- Bogside Artists
- Basil Blackshaw, born in Glengormley, Painter
- Max Clendinning, post-modernist architect and interior designer
- John T. Davis, Documentary filmmaker
- Willie Doherty, Photographer & video artist twice nominated for the Turner Prize
- John Duncan, Photographer & editor of Source Magazine
- Garth Ennis, born in Holywood Co. Down, is creator of popular Vertigo series Preacher
- Terry George, born in Co. Down, director of Hotel Rwanda
- John Kindness, Painter and Sculptor
- Sir John Lavery, born in Belfast, was a representative of the group known as the Irish Impressionists.
- Eilís O'Connell, Sculptor, born in Derry, County Londonderry.
- Peter Richards, Photographer & video artist.
- Neil Shawcross, painter
- Paul Seawright, Photographer & Professor at the University of Ulster
- Victor Sloan, Photographer
- Hans Sloane, Born in Killyleagh, Co. Down, in 1660, his famous collection was opened to the public as the British Museum in 1759
- John Butler Yeats, Painter
Performing arts
- Kenneth Branagh
- Brian Friel
- Ciarán Hinds
- Mickey Marley
- Siobhán McKenna
- Liam Neeson
- James Nesbitt
- Stephen Rea
- Ray Stevenson
Music
- Brian Kennedy
- Derek Bell
- Duke Special
- The Freshmen
- Gary Moore
- James Galway
- Tony McAuley
- Neil Hannon
- Ruby Murray
- Snow Patrol
- Stiff Little Fingers
- The Undertones
- Therapy?
- Ulster Orchestra
- Hamilton Harty
- Michael Alcorn
- The Answer
- Van Morrison
- David McWilliams
- Foy Vance
Craft
August Craft Month is an annual coordinated programme of events that showcase the work of craft makers in Northern Ireland and from across the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe.It is organised by Craft Northern Ireland [1]
Songs
Among traditional songs are The Sash and A Londonderry Air also known as Danny Boy.
Symbolism and traditions
There is no longer an official Flag of Northern Ireland, as the 'Northern Ireland Flag' was abolished along with the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1972. Unionists tend to use the Union Flag and sometimes the Ulster Banner, while nationalists usually use the Flag of Ireland, or sometimes the Flag of Ulster. Both sides also occasionally use the flags of secular and religious organizations they belong to. Some groups, including the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Church of Ireland use the Flag of St. Patrick as a symbol of Ireland which lacks the same nationalist or unionist connotations.
The flax flower, representing the linen industry, has been used as a neutral symbol - as for the Northern Ireland Assembly.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by both nationalists and unionists, while "The Twelfth" is celebrated only by unionists.
Celebrations to mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne are held every Twelfth of July and draw huge crowds. The Apprentice Boys of Derry also organise commemorative events. The bowler hat is a symbol of Orangeism.
See also
- Culture of Belfast
Lyric Theatre (Belfast) - Belfast Festival at Queens
- Belfast Film Festival
- CineMagic (film festival)
- Irish art
- Irish literature
- Irish music
- Odyssey
- Queen's Film Theatre
- Strand Cinema
- Ulster-Scots
- Waterfront Hall
- Tennents ViTal
- Audiences NI
References
External links
- Culture Northern Ireland
- The Lyric Theatre
- The Lyric Theatre Fundraising Campaign
- National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland
- Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL)
- Arts Council of Northern Ireland
- Poetry Forum for Northern Ireland,
- 2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
- Audiences NI
- Scoil Cheoil na Botha- music festival in the border region of Scotstown, Co. Monaghan
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