Let’s Study Ireland!
Get ready to study Ireland and discover more with Ireland facts for kids :
- Which musical instrument is the most popular in Irish folk music?
- How to have a good time dancing a few steps of an Irish jig.
- Which slave became the patron saint of the Irish people.
- Which Irish scientist became one of the most influential chemists in the world during the 17th century and why.
- Find out how many letters are actually in the Irish Gaelic alphabet (it’s different than the English language).
- Which of Ireland’s most prolific writers wrote fairy and folk tales?
You’re going to love the Ireland facts for kids. Grab a cuppa and let’s study Ireland!
🍀IRISH BLESSING COPY WORK IS AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THIS POST.
Ireland Facts for Kids: Irish Music & Dance
Learn Irish Step Dance
- Inspire your kids with this Irish Step Dance documentary.
- Take a few Irish step dance lessons. You could also take a whole beginner Irish step dancing course. No matter which you choose, Irish culture is fun to learn about when you do a bit of Celtic music and dance.
Irish Kid’s Songs
- Here are some super fun songs to sing with your kids. These traditional songs are sung across the Emerald Isle. Enjoy!
Learn to Play an Irish Instrument
Tin Whistle, Fiddle, and the Bodhran are all fun instruments to learn to play and are considered some of the most common instruments of the Irish folk band.
If you are serious about playing you’ll want a tin whistle, fiddle, or Bodhran. These are the instruments we have been using in our house for several years now. Have a go!
Here are a few YouTube videos to just enjoy!
Want To Learn More About Irish Music?
You can learn more about Irish music and World Music with this online music appreciation course for elementary students (although older & younger kids will enjoy it too).
Ireland Facts for Kids: Irish History
Ireland’s history is intriguing, captivating, and sobering. From St. Columba to the Easter Rising of 1916 and beyond. Ireland has much to teach through its history. Here are some Irish Fun facts every kid should know.
- The Island of Ireland is made of the Republic of Ireland and the country of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.
- The patron saint of Ireland is Saint Patrick. He is celebrated in all of Ireland on St Patrick’s Day, March 17th. He used the clover to explain the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit to his parishioners.
- The clover looks very much like the Trinity Knot which is a national symbol of Ireland.
- Great Britain ruled Ireland from the 12th century. But in 1922 the Irish Free State was formed. Since the Good Friday Agreement and the easter Rising, there has been conflict between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants. Across the British Isles, it is known as ‘The Troubles’.
These historical resources will keep your family engaged and asking for more.
- Ireland Unit Studies – Learn all about Ireland including St. Patrick and those pesky snakes.
- Date Dash Ireland – A printable Irish history timeline game.
- 101 Things You Didn’t Know About Irish History is an excellent book to add to your reading. Short essays make it a perfect read-aloud.
- Irish History in 100 Objects is such a fun place to learn Irish history. They have so many amazing resources.
Ireland Facts for Kids: Ireland’s Geography
- The longest river is the River Shannon – it is 224 miles long.
- The island of Ireland is boarded by the Irish Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south and east, and the North Sea to the north of Northern. Ireland
- There are 26 counties in the Republic of Ireland including
- There are 6 provinces in Northern Ireland including, Ulster, Munster & Connacht.
- Belfast is Northern Ireland’s capital city.
- Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions are in County Down (Mourne Mountains), county Donegal (Donegal’s Glenveagh National Park), and Antrim (Giant’s Causeway).
- Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland.
Popular counties in the Republic of Ireland are County Mayo (National Museum of Ireland – Country Life), County Clare (Cliffs of Moher), County Cork (The Blarney Castle), and County Kerry. Some may be familiar with County Wexford because of the Wexford Carol. Each of these is an excellent area to experience the Celtic culture.
Ireland Facts for Kids: Using the world as your classroom
Our trip to Dublin Country was the trip of a lifetime. From Trinity College to exploring museums dedicated to the Norman invasion, we learned did so much. The Irish government, the potato famine, and the Irish War of Independence all shaped our understanding of how the history of Ireland. The geography of the various parts of Ireland is so interesting. Our Brae Cliff walk was the perfect time to discuss Irish folklore and Irish ancestry as we enjoyed the view and tried to practice a bit of Gaelic, one of the official languages of Ireland.
If you visit Ireland’s capital city, you will want to make to visit as many of the following places as you can. There is so much history and culture to enjoy learning about. Learn a bit before you go so it is more than just a tourist attraction to your kids.
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral – Roman Catholic Church
- Dublin Castle
- Irish Parliament
- Visit the James Joyce Centre to learn all about this famous Irish writer. You may also want to explore venues dedicated to Oscar Wilde ( The Importance of Being Earnest) and Bram Stoker (Dracula).
IRISH BLESSING COPY WORK IS AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THIS POST.
Study Ireland By Visiting Dublin.
More Ireland Facts for Kids: Irish Literature
Irish Poems & Songs for Children – Sing along with Bing Crosby & the Dubliners.
Jonathan Swift – Learn about his life and study his greatest book, Gulliver’s Travels. There’s even a movie version.
W.B. Yeats – A prolific Irish poet. Study his 10 most popular poems, and learn about his life. His Irish Fairy and Folk Tales might make a great read-aloud (download them free or get various poems as free audio.
This Irish Mythology course will inspire those keen to gain a better understanding of Irish myths and legends.
Ireland has given us a few of the world’s greatest scientists. These videos help explain it all!
Robert Boyle – One of the most influential chemists of the 17th century.
William Rowan Hamilton – an Irish mathematician who contributed to the development of optics, dynamics, and algebra.
Typhoid Mary – I know, she wasn’t a scientist, but she had a huge impact on medical ethics and the need for improved sanitation.
Ireland’s Language Gaelic
Since Irish Gaelic is a national language, you might want to take an Irish Gaelic course or learn a few Irish Gaelic phrases on YouTube.
Maybe you are interested in these 15 free Irish Gaelic Lessons from BBC Ireland or this older website has free Gaelic lessons too.
Taitneamh a bhaint as!
Enjoy!
More About Ireland’s Geography
Head over to NatGeo Kids for oodles of information on all kinds of subjects. Their Ireland Facts page offers a great overview of geography, as well as science and history.
Ireland’s geography and environment are stunning. Your younger kids will enjoy this virtual tour of Ireland. And, here’s a Geography Now! video for the older kids.
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The Best Way to Learn Ireland facts for kids: Visit Ireland
You’ve learned so much about Ireland already! Are you ready for some “on-location learning”? I’ve got the resources you need to plan a trip, pack your bags and create an awesome wanderlust family adventure.
Dublin with Kids was an amazing learning experience for our family. Let it inspire you to learn & travel.
If you are ready to plan your bucket list dream of going to Ireland, you’ll want to look at all these travel deals I found for Dublin and beyond.
Irish Blessing Copywork – Download
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Ireland is VERY high on our list of “must see” places, especially since my cousin discovered we have Irish ancestors. I love all the resources you shared. I’ll be checking out the ones having to do with music. Irish music makes me happy. 🙂
You will love ❤ Ireland! Enjoy the music and have fun practicing your ☘ Gaelic!
interesting indeed. I’ll be pinning this. 🙂