Did You Know These 7 Weird Facts About Ireland?

Late-night talk shows have been popular for years. But while many might know Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, or Saturday Night Live, many might not know that Ireland actually has one of the longest-running talk shows around. That’s right!

One of the many weird facts about Ireland is their show The Late Late Show which began 57 years ago and is hosted by Irish national treasure Gay Byrne. The show has reached 57 seasons, five hosts, countless interviews, and even live music. 

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When you think about Ireland, you might think about a few things. Their beautiful accents, their love for Guinness, and anything and everything green. And while their love for drinking is understood, one of the many weird facts about Ireland might shock you.

Guinness was first brewed in St. James’s Gate in Dublin in the mid-18th century, and while many drink it cold, it’s not always served cold in Ireland. But that’s not the shocking part. The Brew House at St James’s Gate which opened in 2013 has been pushing out absurd amounts of the famous stout, a whopping 3.5 million pints per day — which equals 1.3 billion pints each year. 

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So many of us live in small towns around the world which makes us feel unknown. Unless you’re in the big cities or are talking to the locals, most likely you won’t find someone who knows where you are.

But while you might think that’s horrible, try being one of the areas in the world with obnoxiously long names that no one can even pronounce. Ireland has several of those townlands, with some names reaching 25 letters. A townland in Galway is often believed to be Ireland’s longest one-word place name and is spelled Muckanaghederdauhaulia, containing 22 words. However, another Galway town name, Bullaunancheathrairaluinn, exceeds that number by 25 letters. 

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Some weird facts about Ireland revolve around one of their native Gaelic games, hurling. Gaelic games are a set of sports played worldwide but are particularly popular in Ireland. These sports include Gaelic football, handball, rounders, and of course, hurling.

The goal of the game is to use an ash wood stick called a hurley to hit a small ball between the opponent’s goalposts either over the crossbar or under the crossbar into the net guarded by a goalkeeper. While not the overall oldest sport, Hurling is one of the oldest, as it’s been played for over 3,000 years. But interestingly enough, it is one of the fastest field sports in the world. 

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First, who is St. Valentine? He was a Roman saint who is associated with a tradition of courtly love. Even though his name is revolved around wholesome stories, he had a gruesome end to his life. When the Emporer, Claudius II believed love was too distracting for his soldiers, he decided to outlaw marriage.

However, Valentine took it upon himself to wed courting couples in secret. In doing so, he was beheaded. But what does this have to do with Ireland? Ireland actually has a unique tie with Saint Valentine, as an esteemed Irish priest, Father John Spratt, gave a sermon in Rome in 1836 that earned him respect and attention from the Christian community.

He was showered with gifts, but none as significant as the one from Pop Gregory XVI, which was a relic of Saint Valentine himself and a latter claiming the relic’s genuine authenticity. One of the weird facts about Ireland is that these holy gifts were received in the Carmelite Whitefrait Street Church, located on Aungier Street in Dublin City, where they remain today. The shrine, which is said to house Saint Valentine’s remains, is open for public viewing. 

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Ireland has held many traditions that have influenced our lives every day. Like Saint Patrick’s Day, Halloween is another holiday that originated in Ireland. The holiday was a Celtic festival of Samhain that occurred over a thousand years ago, which means the “end of summer”. The ancient festival had several traditions, like Celts lighting bonfires and dressing in disguises as they believed it would help keep evil spirits away.

While Halloween began as a pagan holiday in the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated the day after Halloween, the first of November, as All Saint’s Day, a day to honor all saints. The day incorporated a lot of the pagan traditions, and then it eventually turned into All Hallows’ Eve, and then later Halloween. 

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Whether you want to take a trip to Ireland’s most exquisite historical sites that have shaped its culture or just want to appreciate the fine establishments like its pubs, one of the weird facts about Ireland is that they have the oldest pub in the world. While not shocking, it’s an interesting tidbit. First established in A.D. 900, Sean’s Bar is a pub in Athlone and is not only the oldest bar in Ireland and Europe but the world.

The authentic par has traditional Irish music, a range of impressive whiskeys, and even a beer garden. It’s a popular tourist attraction and sits halfway between Dublin and Galway. Another quick and weird fact about Ireland is that they also have one of the oldest lighthouses located in Wexford, the Hook lighthouse, which was built around the 12th century.