PODCAST

Today we will share the interview that we made to Emma Cairns, an Erasmus student from the University of Aberdeen, although she is from Banbridge Co. Down, Northern Ireland. Here you can read the Script, but please note that we only added the initials: 

• Interviewee: 

• Emma Cairns (E).

• Interviewers:

• Borja Serrano (B).

• Álvaro Pérez (Álv).

• Jessica García (Je).

• Julia García (Ju).

• Alba Fernández (A).

• Anna-Leena Launonen (Ann).

B: Hello, we are here today with Emma Cairns, an Erasmus student from Northern Ireland.

Hello Emma!

E: Hi!

Álv: We would like to ask you some questions about your home country. Do you think there are any stereotypes in the image of the Irish people? And if so, do you agree?

E: ehh... I think everyone has the idea that irish people are drunken farmers and that love Guiness and drink Guiness all day and from that I can understand... because believe it or not, Guiness was given as a medicine in Ireland whenever people had a low iron count in the blood but ... ehh I don't think that everyone drinks, I personally don't like Guiness and I think that the idea of farmer, of people being farmers is very outdated.

B: Ok, so, what do the Irish think about Spanish people?

E: Ehh... Before coming here the general idea was that irish people were very err, spanish people, sorry, were very lazy, and... they love partying and there was always 'fiestas' all the time, and... and to be honest with you now, I ... I don't think that you are lazy, I think that the idea of 'siestas' during the day is a very good idea, and ... but the ehh... you're... you're very loud. That's something that I, that I had the opinion that people in Spain, they speak very loudly with one another... 

Je: Can you distinguish the different types of dialects which exist in Ireland? 

E: Eh... In Ireland we have two languages, at least we have the English and Gaelic and there are no specific English dialects down South, in the Republic of Ireland, but in Northern Ireland, where I am from, we have proper English which is spoken in Britain and in America. And then we also have a dialect called 'Ullans'. 'Ullans' is from people who are from Ulster Scot in origin, so they came over from Scotland in the 1600s and they merely live in the coast... on the coast of Antrim, County Antrim in Ireland and they would talk like this all the way and that would be very long and very drawn out.

Je: And, umm, sorry, which is, in your opinion, the hardest one to understand?

E: Ehh... well, in my... in my opinion, emm... it depends on... on accents and there are lots of different accents between ehh short geographical differences in Ireland. So, for example, if you go down 10 minutes down the road, from my place someone could talk completely different to you an accent, and you know where they are from. And the same in Ireland, if you go waaay downsouth to Cork it is very hard to understand what they are saying because 'they talk really, really quickly and they don't really ta-' it's so difficult for us but it's sort to have to listen out to it and you catch a couple of words and then you get the jist.

Je: Ok, thanks a lot.

Ju: And so... have you studied Gaelic at school?

E: Emm... being from Northern Ireland I went to a Protestant school so Gaelic wasn't offered on the curriculum but I have been trying to... to learn some Ulster Gaelic and so that... maybe one day I can practice it in the Gaeltacht, which is in County Donegal and where they all speak, all speak Gaelic instead of English.

Ju: And... when did you start?

E: I've been trying to learn it for about a year now, but tiny tiny tiny bits of it. But we have the word craic for example, which I like to call a gaelicism and which is progressing into english, so people in England now use this word meaning fun or good times, and they use in everyday situations now.

A: What are the main differences between the Universities in Spain and Ireland?

E: Emm... I'd like to say that the biggest difference is the funding that they receive and, in Spain here you... you have to pay so little to study... and that's... that's really really good. In Ireland our bill will be about four times a month, and in Aberdeen, if you... if I went, where I study myself, I... you would have to pay a 9000 pounds a year, and ... so, this is... that's a really big difference and I... I think that a lot of... a lot of your money sort of things... like it's a lot public, publicly funding and because has been cut at the minute I think it's very sad that you guys are being affected by this and I think... I think it's sad that Ireland doesn´t do more to publicly fund universities.

Ann: Now I would like you to answer... briefly these questions. For example: How do you call “Gym shoes”?

E: Ehh... they would either be plimsolls or trainers.

Ann: Ok, and what do you say to address a group of people?

E: Emm... in an informal setting you go: 'Well lads what's the craic?'

Ann: And what do you call your grandparents?

E: Emm... Granny and Granda.

Ann: Ok, and what is the thing you change the TV channels with?

E: Eh... that would be a TV remote, the remote.

Ann: What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

E: Ehh... that would... Either it would be like Cocacola or Lemonade or else it just would be fizzy drink. 

Ann: What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry the groceries at the supermarket?

E: And that's a trolley.

Je: And to finish this podcast we would like you to read you a list of words so our audience can appreciate the Northern Irish accent.

E: Aunt, Roof, Oil, Pecan, Water, Pajamas, Alabama, Crayon, Data, Ruin, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Mayonnaise, Lawyer, Film, Town.

A: Well Emma, thank you so much for your cooperation.

E: You are very welcome. 

Star of the County Down

Here I want to share with you a song, ment for the County Down, the hometown of our interviewee Emma Cairns, to whom we are so grateful.

Bain sult as!

   

Bloomsday, a singular celebration.

       June 16th is not an ordinary day in Ireland. On this day every year a celebration takes place where the life of Irish writer James Joyce is commemorated by his fans. The event was invented in 1954 and since then it has become so popular that today it is celebrated in many countries worldwide, but nowhere so brilliantly as, of course, in Ireland and especially in Dublin.

       The celebration includes an huge range of cultural activities, but the main one and the most representative consists in spending the day in the same way the characters from Ulises (a novel by J.Joyce) did. So people eat the same food, wear the same clothes, speak like the characters... And in Dublin, where the story takes places, people even follow the itinerary covered by Leopold Bloom, the main character, from whom the celebration took its name.

Sources:

http://blogs.elpais.com/juan_cruz/2012/06/bloomsday.html

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bloomsday.html

Gaelic games

In today’s post I’m going to talk about two of the most ancient and most popular sports in Ireland:  Gaelic football and Hurling.

GAELIC FOOTBALL:

-What it is:

 A fast-paced field game which could be described as a mixture of soccer, basketball and rugby.   

                                                                                                     

-How to play:

There are fifteen players on each team. Each game lasts 1 hour and is split in two 30- minute halves.  The ball that is used is rounder and heavier than the one used for soccer. While moving around the field, the ball must be passed by dropping the ball onto your foot and kicking it back into your hand or bouncing it every 4 steps. A goal is scored when the ball goes past the goalkeeper and into the net. Each goal is worth 3 points. The game is rough but no helmets or other protective items are worn and injures are common. Technical faults are typically penalized by  free kick. It takes determination and practice to become a skilled Gaelic football player. Once mastering the various moves the players must not only be quick on their feet but also mentally agile.

Competitions are held every year between different counties. The most important ones are:

·        National Football League

·        All-Ireland Football Championship

You may want to know that Seville, our hometown, has got a Gaelic Football team called:   Eire Og Seville

Here’s a video which shows you the basic Gaelic football rules:

HURLING:

-What it is:

Hurling (or Iomáint for the Irish), is a sport played with a stick (camáin) and a ball (sliotar).Unlike Gaelic football, the players wear a helmet. It is similar to baseball, field hockey or lacrosse, and  is considered to be one of the fastest and most skillful games in the world.                                                              

-How to play:

Each team consists of 15 players and include: 1 goalkeeper, 3 full-backs, 3 half-backs, 2 midfielders, 3 half-forwards and 3 full-forwards. Hurling players can carry and catch the ball using their hands but can only pass the ball by kicking, hitting it with a stick, or hitting it with their hand. The object of the game is to get the ball into the enemies soccer-sized net or over the bar. A goal into the net is worth three points and over the bar just one.

The most famous team at the moment is ‘The Kilkenny Hurling Team’ as they have had a lot of success in recent years.       

                          

For a demonstration on how the sport is played, click on this illustrative video:

Sources: http://www.kidzworld.com/article/5426-traditional-celtic-sports

David Holmes

     Today, I'll write about something different, as a matter of fact, about someone: David Holmes.

     He is a very well considered Nothern Irish composser and dj. He started at the age of 15 behind the turntables and nowadays he has made re-mixes for groups like U2, Primal Scream, Saint Etienne; and some singers like Steven Soderbergh and Danny Ocean.
     Have you seen the films 'Ocean's Eleven' 'Ocean's Twelve' and 'Ocean's Thirteen'? Well, he compossed the soundtracks for these films, but also for many others like Out of Sight, Buffalo Soldiers, Analyze that, The Shore, or Haywire.
     But maybe you are still wondering why am I writing about him. The reason is that from 2 to 10 of this past November, here in Seville was settled the 'Sevilla IX Festival de Cine Europeo' (European Film Festival). He came to give a concert for the festival and also because he colaborated in the soundtrack for one of the films, 'Good Vibrations' by Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn, which depicts the development of punk music in Belfast during the seventies.
     I get the chance to go to that concert and to see the movie, which I powerfully recommend you to listen to and see.
     Here there is an interview and one of his songs. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

 

Sources:
Sevilla IX Festival de Cine Europeo 2012's Catalogue.
http://festivalcinesevilla.eu/es/conciertos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Holmes_(musician)

U2

     Dia duit to everyone!

     Today I'm writing about one of the most famous alternative rock band all over the world, and it is an Irish one: U2. I'm sure that you have heard at least one of their songs or maybe you will recognize them because of how do they look like since they are also a really mediatic band:

(From left to right: Larry Mullen Jr., Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton)    

     But actually, they are not just marketing because what made them famous is their live performers. The group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboard and vocals), Larry Mullen (drums and percussion) and Adam Clayton (bass guitar). It was formed in 1976 and since a few years after their begining from now, they have been on the edge of the wave. They went through different styles (punk, rock, dance, industrial, pop, etc.) but always maintaining their essence.

     They have released 12 album studios, they have sold more than 150 millions records worldwide. They have also won 22 Grammy Awards (more than any other band). But the most important thing about them is what do they express with their music.

     They are known for having written about politics, human rights and they are involved in philantropic causes. Besides their Christian and spiritual imagery, social issues and critics to consumerism stand out among other themes.

     As for the influences, they cite The Who, The Beatles, Elvis Presley or Van Morrison. And they have work with many other groups and singers like Green Day, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, or R.E.M.

     Their most recognizable song from my point of view is: With or without you, here you can see this live performance. I had already posted before another song from them Pride (in the Name of Love) and finally Bloody Sunday another of their numerous masterpieces.

 

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2

     I hope you enjoyed the post and as Christmas time is to come I wish you all happy holidays and Merry Christmas, or as we would say in Irish: Nollaig Shona!

Off to Éire!

         Hello everyone! After reading so much about Ireland maybe you are thinking about making a trip to the island and feeling the Spirit of Éire for yourself. If so, I'm going to show you in this post several places you cannot miss out.

         Cliffs of Moher. They are located at the southwestern coast of the island and rise 702 feet over the ocean at their maximum heigh.

         The Cliffs took their name from an ancient stronghold that once stood over them. They have appeared in many movies, for example in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Take a look at this clip from the movie where you can see them:

         Dublin. Experienced travellers say that Dubliners are the kindest and most friendly people in the world. In the city, you will find infinite ways to have fun and places to visit, like the Guinnes Storehouse and the Dublin Castle.

         And do not forget to take a picture of Molly Malone statue, the young woman who inspired one of the most popular songs in Ireland!

         And finally, you cannot miss some of the spectacular castles sprinkled across Ireland’s lush, green countryside, like Blarney Castle, Bunratty Castle or Doe Castle. 

Bunratty Castle. County Clare, Ireland.

Sources:

http://www.discoverireland.com/us/