Speech Theme: Countries around the world Choose 1 country for your speech (Other than the U.S.)   ONTEXT: For this speech you will select a topic to present, which I will provide par

Informative Speech Outline

Topic: Ireland

Purpose Statement: To share with the audience about Ireland and their history, culture, and geography.

Introduction: ● Ireland is a country in western Europe taking up the majority of the

westernmost main island in the British Isles ● Throughout Ireland’s history, they’ve been invaded and colonized by Celts,

Norsemen, Normans, English, and Scots, who all contributed some to the culture of the country

● Nicknamed the “Emerald Isle” for its lush green plains and mountains

Transition: When many people first think of Ireland, they may think it’s a place full of leprechauns, four leaf clovers, and potatoes, but there’s so much more worth knowing about the “Emerald Isle”.

Body: 1. Geography

● The geographic seclusion of Ireland has allowed a rich culture full of tradition and heritage to develop, while staying closely tied to the Gaelic language

● Since most of Ireland’s wide open spaces have had barely any development or experienced little to no pollution, the country’s nature and topography has been relatively untouched

● Consisting mainly of vast lowlands and rivers with coasts lined with mountains make up most of the topography

● The southwest portion of the island mostly consists of the highlands, as well as cliffs spanning parts of the coast

● The midlands and west coasts contain deposits of damp peat bogs – Peat bogs are the remnants of old, dried up lakes left by glaciers

Transition: Just as different and vast as the geography, Ireland is filled with intriguing historical events.

2. Significant Historical Events

● Probably the most well-known historical event in Irish history is the Potato Famine in the 1840s

– Also sometimes called the Great Hunger – The famine was a result of a destructive plant disease spreading

through the country’s crops in 1845, affecting mainly the potato crops

– Due to the infestation, close to 1/2 of the crops were destroyed in 1845, and for the next 7 years only about 1/4 survived the disease

– Around 2 million people emigrated out of Ireland because there was no food, and about 1 million people died from malnutrition, or famine-related illnesses like typhus

– The potato crops didn’t completely come back until 1852 ● Another important historical event is how Ireland gained their

independence from Britain – British rule in Ireland began in 1175 when Roderic O’Connor (the

king of Ireland) called King Henry II of England his overlord – In 1916, the Easter Rising, a bloody revolt against the British

sparked by Irish nationalists, began the process of them gaining their independence

– While their revolts didn’t initially work, after WW1, the Irish nationalists tried again, declaring independence on January 21, 1919

– On that day, 27 of the head nationalists met together, and established the Dail Eireann, Ireland’s first self-governing congregation

– Even though the Irish did all of this for their independence, the country didn’t fully gain their independence from Britain until 30 years later

Transition: The Irish have been invaded and conquered by many different peoples and countries in the past, and their culture reflects that aspect of their history, as well as their own unique cultural features.

3. Culture ● Initially, the Irish culture was solely Gaelic, but became influenced by the

English, Tudor English, Scots, Normans, and Vikings. – The northern part of Ireland was greatly influenced by the Scots

● Several popular holidays in our American culture have roots in Irish traditions and festivals

– Halloween has close ties with the Gaelic festival Samhain – St. Patrick’s Day was originally a religious holiday in Ireland, but is

now a celebration of the Irish culture ● It’s impossible to talk about Ireland and not mention leprechauns, who we

all know as miniature people guarding pots of gold at the ends of rainbows – The belief of leprechauns most likely stems from Celtic stories of

fairies, tiny creatures who used magic powers for good or evil.

Transition: In conclusion…

Conclusion: ● It’s evident to see that Ireland is a beautiful, lush country filled with vast

and rich history, as well as influential culture and traditions

Works Cited

Boland, Frederick Henry, et al. “Ireland” Britannica. Web. February 8, 2023. Accessed February 11, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/place/Ireland

History.com Editors. “Irish Potato Famine” History.com. Web. October 17, 2017. Accessed February 11, 2023. https://www.history.com/topics/immigration/irish-potato-famine

History.com Editors. “St. Patrick’s Day Traditions” History.com. Web. March 8, 2022. Accessed February 11, 2023. https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-symbols-and-traditi ons

“Ireland” National Geographic Kids. Web. 2015. Accessed February 11, 2023. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/ireland

Pastore, Christopher L. “How the Irish Won Their Freedom” The New York Times. Web. January 21, 2019. Accessed February 11, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/21/opinion/how-the-irish-won-their-freedom.ht ml

“The 7 Pillars of Irish Culture” Authentic Vacations. Web. 2023. Accessed February 11, 2023. https://www.authenticvacations.com/the-7-pillars-of-irish-culture