3. Discovering Ireland
On a rainy day, Tom was at home reading a book by Mark Twain and there was something that made him think about going overseas. He read the speech that Mark Twain once brilliantly said, "we regret the things we DON’T do more than the things we do". Thus, he decided to go to the land of his ancestors and take a year off there. His first stop is in Ireland. His mother once told him that their ancestors emigrated from Ireland to the USA many decades ago.
Look at the picture below and try to guess where Tom is.
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Imagen de William Murphy en Flickr bajo licencia CC |
This photograph has been taken in Howth. Howth is located on the peninsula of Howth Head, which begins around 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) east-north-east of Dublin, on the north side of Dublin Bay. The village itself is located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Dublin city centre (the ninth of a series of eighteenth century milestones from the Dublin General Post Office (GPO) is in the village itself), and spans most of the northern part of Howth Head, which is connected to the rest of Dublin via a narrow strip of land (or tombolo) at Sutton Cross.
Howth is at the end of a regional road from Dublin and is one of the northern termini of the DART suburban rail system.
Howth Head is one of the dominant features of Dublin Bay, with a number of peaks, the highest of which is Black Linn. In one area, near Shielmartin, there is a small peat bog, the Bog of the Frogs. The wilder parts of Howth can be accessed by a network of paths (many are rights of way) and much of the centre and east is protected as part of a Special Area of Conservation of 2.3 square kilometres (570 acres).
The island of Ireland's Eye, part of the Special Area of Conservation, lies about a kilometre north of Howth harbour, with Lambay Island some 5 km further to the north. A Martello tower exists on each of these islands with another tower overlooking Howth harbour (opened as a visitor centre and Ye Olde Hurdy-Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio on June 8, 2001
Curiosidad
Did you know about the "heritage open days"? Watch the video below which explains what it is.
If you want to know more about it, read the following article.
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ABOUT HERITAGE OPEN DAYS Heritage Open Days celebrates England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to places that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. Every year on four days in September, buildings of every age, style and function throw open their doors. It is a once-a-year chance to discover architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities that bring local history and culture to life. So much to see and do Free of charge and right on people’s doorstep, Heritage Open Days is an event for everyone, whatever their background, age and ability. From castles to city halls, tunnels to tower tops, police cells to private homes, workshops to woodland walks, the variety of places and ways to discover them are endless. Joint venture Heritage Open Days is organised by a huge network of people who share a passion for places, history and culture. Locally, over 1,400 organisations and some 40,000 volunteers organise thousands of site openings and events, jointly attracting over 1 million visitors. They make Heritage Open Days England’s biggest voluntary cultural event. On a national level, the programme is managed by the Heritage Open Days National Partnership and funded by English Heritage. Opening doors, eyes and minds Heritage Open Days celebrates what makes local communities and neighbourhoods special. By stimulating curiosity and discovery, the event connects people with their local places and helps foster a sense of belonging and pride. Roots After a first pilot in Gosport proved a success, the now defunct Civic Trust established Heritage Open Days in 1994 as England’s contribution to the European Heritage Days. Starting out with some 700 sites, Heritage Open Days has since developed into Britain’s largest and most popular grassroots heritage event, with participation more than doubling during the first decade of the millennium. Source: http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/about
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Pregunta Verdadero-Falso
After reading the text, decide if the following statements are true or false.
1. During the Heritage Open Days, you can visit different places for free.
2. The Heritage Open Days event occurs twice a year.
3. This event is organised by volunteers and people who take grant of it.
4. The number of organizations which contribute with this event have doubled since the first time this event was celebrated.
5. It encourages a sense of belonging and pride.
6. The first time it was held was in Gosport.
7. At the beginning, there were around 700 places joined to the programme.
8. In 1994, the British Council established this event as England's contribution to the European Heritage Days.
9. The participation is growing constantly.
Curiosidad
- Do you believe in ghosts?
- Did you know about ghost stories related to Irish castles? Here you have the history of Dunlace Castle.
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Imagen de Dridik Johnck en Flickr bajo licencia CC |
DUNLACE CASTLE, NORTHERN IRELAND Built precariously on the edge of a cliff on the north Antrim Coast, this Norman castle has been remodeled numerous times over the ages, but former residents can’t seem to let go. In 1586, a royal feud ensued for the castle and ended with the unfortunate hanging of the previous castle constable. This ghostly figure, dressed in a purple cloak and a ponytail wanders the Dunluce Castle tower from which he was killed. In 1639, the kitchen collapsed into the sea, taking several servants to their grave. Today, visitors report feeling a cold chill in certain parts of the castle and staff arrives at the gift shop to find books relocated and radios blaring. Although no one has sensed a malicious spirit among these ghosts, the idea of playful residents returning to entertain the living is downright creepy. Source: http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-10/6-of-the-creepiest-castles-in-the-world.html |
