Northern Ireland - Culture

Culture

Main article: Culture of Northern Ireland See also: Culture of Ulster, Culture of Ireland, and Culture of the United Kingdom

With its improved international reputation, Northern Ireland has recently witnessed rising numbers of tourists. Attractions include cultural festivals, musical and artistic traditions, countryside and geographical sites of interest, public houses, welcoming hospitality and sports (especially golf and fishing). Since 1987 public houses have been allowed to open on Sundays, despite some opposition.

The Ulster Cycle is a large body of prose and verse centring around the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster. This is one of the four major cycles of Irish Mythology. The cycle centres around the reign of Conchobar mac Nessa, who is said to have been king of Ulster around the time of Christ. He ruled from Emain Macha (now Navan Fort near Armagh), and had a fierce rivalry with queen Medb and king Ailill of Connacht and their ally, Fergus mac Róich, former king of Ulster. The foremost hero of the cycle is Conchobar's nephew Cúchulainn.

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Famous quotes containing the word culture:

    “There is something terribly wrong with a culture inebriated by noise and gregariousness.”
    —George Steiner (b. 1929)

    “If you’re anxious for to shine in the high esthetic line as a man
    of culture rare,
    You must get up all the germs of the transcendental terms, and plant
    them everywhere.
    You must lie upon the daisies and discourse in novel phrases of your
    complicated state of mind,
    The meaning doesn’t matter if it’s only idle chatter of a
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    —Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (1836–1911)

    “In society, in the best institutions of men, it is easy to detect a certain precocity. When we should still be growing children, we are already little men. Give me a culture which imports much muck from the meadows, and deepens the soil,—not that which trusts to heating manures, and improved implements, and modes of culture only!”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)