Dear Grandma,

Today was a special day : it was the game between France and Ireland. You know that I am a huge fan of rugby so you can imagine how exited I was to see the match there and support my country ! With all the French people from the Erasmus team we drew some French flag on our checks and arms and went to see the match in a typical Irish pub of Dundalk.

In there, it was a funny situation. Indeed, we separate vicariously the pub in two parts. On one side you had the French supporters and on the other one you had the Irish ones. During all the match, people were screaming a
nd singing songs from our respective countries. The Irish supporters are very proud of there team, such as the French one.

The match between Ireland and France in Dublin pits two of the last three undefeated of this 2015 RBS 6 Nations Championship. A week after England and Wales, it is a second turning point in this competition. The reigning Irish title, last year's winner at the Stade de France, was presented as the favourite to retain his crown. And it could, because, as you probably know, we lost … 18 – 11 is the latest score.

Even if France did not win, it was a nice experience to live a match like this one surrounded by Irish people and with an atmosphere like that.

Maybe next time we will beat them !

Love,

Clémence

Dear Grandma,

It is only been a few weeks that I am in Ireland now, but I can already notice some differences between here and France. Bellow are a few examples :

One of the most significant things is that Irish people drive on the wrong side of the road ! You cannot imagine of stressful it is for us, little frenchy, to take the bus or the taxi and be on the left side of the road. It is a legacy of the time when the riders preferred to keep their right hand free to greet or cross swords, Ireland retained the left hand driving. I do not think that I will be used to it …

Then, by walking in Dublin, it is impossible not to notice the presence of pubs and beer-related advertisements. Beer is an integral part of Irish culture to the point where the Guinness is a kind of national symbol. Besides, for the record, the symbol of the Republic of Ireland which is the harp, was borrowed from the Guinness and not vice versa! Thus, the Irish pub is an institution. After work, the Irish are accustomed to navigate.

Unlike France, all pubs offer the same quality of service and does not target a specific clientèle. One can come across tourists, businessmen, pensioners or students.

Dia product agus fáilte go hÉirinn !* Ireland has two official languages: English and Irish. If very few people speak Irish every day, it is still taught in schools and all public documents are available in both languages. The Irish anthem (Amhrán na bhFiann / A Soldier's Song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGpsv_3QGbg ) is traditionally sung in Irish.

Match night at the pub and you do not understand what is happening on the screen ? This is not (entirely) the fault of my pint of bear. Indeed, Ireland has its own sports.

Firstly the Gaelic Football: 2 teams of 15 players, a round ball, a goal and two poles; Throw the ball between the posts 1 point and every goal is worth 3 points.

The other sports to do on site is Hurling. Here we played with sticks and a small ball. The field teams and the points system are the same as Gaelic Football.

A kiss, the most banal and spontaneous thing in the world you tell me. Well no ! Give a kiss to say 'Hello' is really a French thing. Here people greet each other in every way but by far (or shake modestly in the arms if more affinity). What also comes to us of course, we are not only looking for bisounours kisses. Then we say simply : Hi or hello. Well, here, when one meets an Irishman, whether in business or in the radius of the corner store, you said : 'How are you?' and this kind of confusing words said in the same tone without waiting for an answer is disrupting me …

I want to say that many prejudices have no place to be. First, the stew is not the only dish served. Then it does not rain so often, and besides, rainfall is always followed by mostly sunny which are really nice to see. And finally, the entire population is not constituted as redhead !

Anyway I can tell you from personal experience, there is no difference when it comes to party !

Kind regards,

Clémence

* Hello and welcome to Ireland !

Dear Grandma,

Since I am arrived here, I discovered several beers that are really famous in the region of Dundalk and across Ireland. Indeed, I love to go to the pub and ask for beers that I don't know and that taste different from the one in France. Among them, there are :

F I N N

Finn Irish Craft Lager is inspired by the legendary Finn McCool Giant. Finn sculpted the Giant's Causeway to be a stepping stone to Scotland. Similarly, they hand-crafted a legendary Irish lager using only the finest malted barley, hops and water giving it a bright, golden body with a refreshing citrus after-taste.

There is not a lot of information about this beer, and not a lot of people no the existence of it. It is only no in the North of Ireland. They do not serve it in Galway or neither in Dublin.

H A R P

Harp Lager is an Irish lager created in 1960 by Guinness in its Great Northen Brewery, Dundalk. It is a leading lager brand in Ireland, and is also popular in Canada, Africa and the United States. It is a gold Irish lager with a clean rich taste. It has been elected on the 'Top 10 Irish Beers' by Gayot.

It is a local beer from the city where I live since a few weeks now and that you can find all around the country.

G U I N N E S S

Guinness is a beer and an Irish pub. Founded in 1759, it has become a global company with the acquisition in 1986 of Distillers Company, a Scottish group with brands including Johnnie Walker whiskey, Ballantine's and Chivas Regal.

Guinness is a stout, a dark beer wearing a white foam, world famous for its flavor and appearance so special. Guinness is strongly linked to the history of Ireland, it is a symbol internationally.

Since Summer 2015, Guinness has launch a new beer : Guinness Blonde American Lager which has a huge success here, in Ireland.

S M I T H W I C K ' S

Smithwick's is a red beer brewed in Kilkenny in Ireland at the St. Francis Abbey Brewery, founded in 1710 by John Smithwick on the ruins of an abbey of the thirteenth century. The brewery is owned today by Guinness, thus forming part of the Diageo group.

Beer is a redhead doing a little foam on the surface with a smooth texture and a slightly bitter and complex taste.

There are a lot of others beers in Ireland, but here are the most famous and the one I enjoyed the most. It was very interesting and rewarding to learnt about them and I wanted to share this with you. When I will be back in France, I will visit you and make you taste some, I swear to you !

Hugs and kisses,

Clémence

Dear Grandma,

Few days ago, it was Saint Patrick day, but I am pretty sure you know that. We went to Dublin to celebrate it in the best Irish way. It was very festive. Once again we were plunge in the atmosphere of Irish society. It was wonderful. There was a colorful parade with a large amount of floats and all the people were wearing green or raised the Irish flag. In the street you were able to hear some typical music, and everybody seem to be pleased and happy. You must have been there, it was amazing. I will bear in mind this day for a long time.

Let me tell you more about this special day I enjoy so much …

 Everything happens on March 17 o f each year, when the Irish come together in large cities and small villages, to celebrate St. Patrick. On this festive day, peop le put their heart's content, singing, dancing, and drinking ... The Irish Pubs are always full, beer is filled and emptied at breakneck speed, and Irish music invades the streets . The big cities also benefit to organize magnificent parades, as in Dublin, O'Connell Street which is literally stormed by Dublin !

It is a Christian festival celebrating for Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Maun Succat, who took the name of Bishop Patrick and is known by the name of Patrick Ireland (born around 385 and died 17 March 461) was a Christian saint celebrated at this special time to Irish eyes. It is considered the evangelist of Ireland and as the founder of Irish Christianity.

His past is interwoven with stories and myths. The story said that he was kidnapped by pirates at the age of 16 years and sold as a slave to an Irish druid who made a shepherd. According to legend, after meeting God in a dream, he decides to escape to the Normandy coast to study theology and become a priest. In the rest of his life, he is on a mission to evangelize Ireland and tries to explain the concept of the Irish kings Trinity through a club (now the national symbol).

Moreover, according to the myth, it is said that Saint Patrick succeeded in driving all the snakes from Ireland making them perish in the flood.

Today, and since 1903, it is one day of public holiday in Ireland, for all Irish could celebrate the Holiday. It is considered as the national holiday of the country.

Celebrated all around the world (especially in Ireland, the United States and Canada), it is a very popular day. Maybe next year we will be able to celebrate it together ?

I will write you soon enough.

Best wishes,

Clémence

Dear Grandma,

A few days ago, I was talking with a friend of mine who knows Belfast very well and narrates me a little bit the story of the city, especially the conflicts that are really present there.

From there, I made a lot of research about the conflicts and tensions that exist in the city, and here is what I learned.

The conflict in Northern Ireland, also known as 'The Troubles', is a period of violence and unrest in Northern Ireland in the second half of the twentieth century. It began in the late 1960s and is considered 'over' between 1997 and 2007 according to the interpretations. But violence continues after that date occasionally and on a small scale, while most of the groups lay down their arms and stop the fight.

In 1921 Ireland was split into two entities. South Ireland wins its autonomy and independence in 1948 and Northern Ireland remaining a British province. The Northern Irish Catholics are then relegated to second-class citizens, not having the right to vote. In the 1960s, they claim equality equal rights. This is the beginning of the conflict.

As I said, the conflict began in the second half of the 1960s by the civil rights movement against segregation suffered by the Catholic minority. The opposition between republicans and nationalists (mainly Catholic) on one hand and loyalists and unionists (mainly Protestant) on the other hand on Northern Ireland's future leads to a huge rise in violence that has lasted for thirty years. It is the fact of Republican paramilitary groups as :

- IRA, which aims to end British rule in Northern Ireland and create an Irish Republic and loyalist on the whole island

- Ulster Volunteer Force, formed in 1966, which wants to stop a perceived deterioration of the British character of the country.

This conflict affects the daily lives of most Northern Irish citizens, and indirectly the ones of the English and Irish in the south of the island. On several occasions between 1969 and 1998 the conflict should have turn into a civil war. For example in 1972 (the deadliest year) after the Bloody Sunday (On Sunday, January 30, 1972, thirteen civilians were shot dead by the British army during a demonstration for equal civil rights, Derry. It gives a violent turn to the conflict and a long series of attacks by the IRA will follow) or during the hunger strike of prisoners in 1981 (when form massive and hostile demonstrations of both parties).

In hundred of metres only of Victoria Street, near the centre of Belfast, Sandy Row is a hard-line Protestant fief

At the edge of Shankill Road, protest of faith 

Police station, between Sandy Row (Protestant) and the district of the Falls (Catholic)

In Falls Road's beginning, isolated catholic building and having undergone numerous attacks 

During all this period of time, we were able to notice ten steps towards a settlement of the conflict :

- April 10, 1998 : Good Friday Agreement, providing for power sharing between Protestants and Catholics elected within semi-autonomous institutions.

- December 2, 1999 : Start of self-management of Northern Ireland.

- October 23, 2001 : The IRA started its disarmament.

- October 14, 2002 : espionage allegations against Sinn Féin cause a crisis. Northern Ireland is under the supervision of London.

- July 28, 2005 : The IRA instructs its militants to abandon the armed struggle.

- October 13, 2006 : Tony Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern unveil an agreement under which Sinn Fein accept the authority of the Northern Ireland police and Ian Paisley sharing power.

- January 28, 2007 : Sinn Féin recognizes the legitimacy of the Northern Irish police.

- March 7, 2007 : Legislative elections place the DUP and Sinn Fein to the first and second positions.

- March 26, 2007 : Historic meeting between Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Féin. They agree to share power from May 8.

- May 8, 2007 : Inauguration of the new unity government bringing together Catholics and Protestants.

The Troubles' impact on the ordinary people of Northern Ireland produced such psychological trauma that the city of Belfast had been compared to London during the Blitz.

Nowadays, the situation seems to be calmer but there are still conflict in the different areas of the city. Indeed, as you can see in that picture, the East side of the River Lagan is only inhabited by Protestants and the West side of the city is mostly inhabited by the Catholics.

I think this is it for the story of the Troubles. I am sure that you can learn more, but here is the global story of what happened. This period marks the mind of people from all around the world and chocked the citizens of Belfast and others city of Ireland. It was intense to learn all this information.

Regards,

Clémence