Northern Ireland !!!

Northern Ireland

Is a part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It is variously described as a country, province or region of the UK, amongst other terms. Northern Ireland shares a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland. As of 2011, its population was 1,810,863, constituting about 30% of the island's total population and about 3% of the United Kingdom's population. Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, Northern Ireland is largely self-governing.

 

Cities and towns by population[102]
Settlement	Population	Metro population
Belfast	276,705	579,726
Derry	83,652	90,663
Lisburn[103]	71,403
Newtownabbey[103]	62,022
Bangor[103]	58,368
Craigavon	57,651
Castlereagh[103]	54,636
Ballymena	28,704
Newtownards	27,795
Newry	27,300

 

 

Culture

 

 

Is an Ulster Protestant celebration held on 12 July each year. It originated during the 18th century in Ulster, a province of Ireland that was heavily colonized by Protestant settlers from Britain. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution (1688) and victory of Dutch Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic King of England James II at the Battle of the Boyne (1690).



 

Queen’s University Belfast, founded in 1845 by Queen Victoria, with a student body of 24,000, is located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Queen’s has become one of the most respected universities in the UK, and its research tradition has gained it an international reputation. Queen's University is currently ranked in the top 1% of Universities throughout the world. Their faculties of art, science, law, commerce, applied science and technology, agriculture and theology, allow for academic flexibility. Along with academics, Queen’s offers over 150 clubs and societies based in the Students’ Unions catering for almost every type of interest. 

Governance

Since 1998, Northern Ireland has devolved government within the United Kingdom. The UK Government and UK Parliament are responsible for reserved and excepted matters. Reserved matters are a list of policy area (such as civil aviation, units of measurement, and human genetics), which Parliament may devolve to Northern Ireland Assembly at some time in future. Excepted matters (such as international relations, taxation and elections) are never expected to be considered for devolution. On all other matters, the Northern Ireland Executive together with the 108-member Northern Ireland Assembly may legislate and govern for Northern Ireland. Devolution in Northern Ireland is dependent upon participation by members of the Northern Ireland executive in the North/South Ministerial Council, which co-ordinates areas of co-operation (such as agriculture, education and health) between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Additionally, "in recognition of the Irish Government’s special interest in Northern Ireland", the Government of Ireland and Government of the United Kingdom cooperate closely on non-devolved matters through the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.

Education
Unlike most areas of the United Kingdom, in the last year of primary school many children sit entrance examinations for grammar schools.
Integrated schools, which attempt to ensure a balance in enrolment between pupils of Protestant, Roman Catholic and other faiths (or none) are becoming increasingly popular, although Northern Ireland still has a primarily de facto religiously segregated education system. In the primary school sector, forty schools (8.9% of the total number) are integrated schools and thirty two (7.2% of the total number) are Irish language-medium schools.
The two main universities in Northern Ireland are The Queen's University of Belfast, and the University of Ulster.

 

 

Facts about Wales

Technically, Wales is a principality. This means that it is ruled by a prince. Traditionally the Prince of Wales is the eldest son of the English monarch.

Wales is about the size of Massachusetts

Motto:	Cymru am byth (Wales for ever)
Flag:	Red dragon on a green and white field.
National Day:	1 March
Area:	20,779 sq km
Population:	2,918,700 (2002)
Capital City:	Cardiff (Caerdydd)
Major Cities:	Cardiff, Swansea (Abertawe) and Newport (Casnewydd)
Official Language:	English and Welsh
Nationality :	Welsh and British Find out more
Anthem (Song):	Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land Of My Fathers)
Main religions:	Anglicanism, Methodism
Currency:	Pound Sterling (£)
Highest point:	Snowdon 1085 metres (3559 ft)
Longest river:	Towy (Tywi) 103 km (64 miles)
Largest Lake:	Bala (4.4 sq km)
Official Animal	Dragon

Clog Dancing in Wales!?

Clogs Wales' other unbroken tradition, apart from harp playing, is its step or clog dancing.


The dance was originally performed by farmers and slate quarry workers and often came in the form of a competition where dancers would show off their stamina and athleticism.


The difference between Welsh clogging and other step dance traditions is that the performance will not only include complicated stepping, but also 'tricks'.


For example, snuffing out a candle flame with the dancer's feet, 'toby stepping' - similar to Cossack dancing - and high leaps into the air.

Lets go to WALES!

 Is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England.

 
For the purposes of local government, Wales has been divided into 22 council areas since 1996. These "principal areas¨ are responsible for the provision of all local government services, including education, social work, environment and roads services.

Scotland´s Castles

Edinburgh Castle has been involved in many historical conflicts, from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century, up to the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and has been besieged, both successfully and unsuccessfully, on several occasions. From the later 17th century, the castle became a military base, with a large garrison.



Dunbeath Castle stands on a rocky peninsula at Dunbeath in the Highlands of Scotland and is still occupied today. Although a castle has stood here since the 15th century, the present building is of mainly 17th century origin, with 19th century extensions.



Skibo Castle, location for Madonna's wedding to Guy Richie.



Eilean Donan Castle in Dornie in the Highlands of Scotland, is one of Scotland's most photograhed monuments.




Urquhart Castle sits beside Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland, between Fort William and Inverness. Though extensively ruined, it was in its day one of the largest strongholds of medieval Scotland. It is near this castle that the majority of Nessie (Loch Ness Monster) sightings occur.



Glamis Castle, one of the possible locations for Macbeth's castle, is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus. Glamis Castle was the childhood home of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, best known as the Queen Mother. Her second daughter, Princess Margaret, was born there.



Hermitage Castle is a bleak and imposing 14th century fortress in the Scottish Borders. It's associated with the legend of Thomas of Ercildoune, who saved the local inhabitants from Baron de Soulis.

Kilchurn Castle is a ruined 15th century structure on the northeastern end of Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Today, its picturesque setting and romantic state of decay make it one of the most photographed structures in Scotland.

Do yo know any Famous Scottish actors and actresses?

well... just to get started here is two of the most famous actors and actresses from Scotland:

The visually striking and fiercely talented Scottish actress Tilda Swinton is known for appearing in both arthouse and mainstream films. She won an Academy Award in 2008 for 'Best Supporting Actress' for her performance in Michael Clayton, and is well know for her role as the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia film series. Recently Swinton played Eva, in We Need to Talk About Kevin, and her role on the movie ¨The curious case of Benjamin Button¨.  

      

James Andrew McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He first came to public attention in the hit UK show, Shameless. He then went on to play Dr Nicolas Garrigan in The Last King of Scotland in 2006 and young Charles Xavier in X-men: First Class. Since 2004 McAvoy has been nominated for 20 awards, six for which he has won. Two more of the famous movies: Wanted (2008) and The chronicles of Narnia (2005).

      

Sport

Scottish sport

It could be Scotland’s dream landscape; or our people, with their lust for life and a huge desire to enjoy themselves; or an innate inventiveness and creativity. Most likely it’s a combination of all of these factors that has led to Scotland’s sporting heritage and today’s true love of sport.

Scotland’s sporting traditions are legendary worldwide. Our country can lay claim to the

invention of a number of popular international sports, including golf, rugby and tennis. Other sports are also rooted in Scotland’s history books, such as hockey  (which originates from shinty), curling, and, of course, the Scottish Highland Games.

Football is one of the nation’s most popular spectator sports. It was a Scotsman, William McGregor, who set up the first English football league and it was in Scotland in 1872 that the first international match was played in Partick, Glasgow, where England and Scotland drew 0-0.

Today, a passion for football is played out in villages, towns and cities across Scotland, where you’ll discover amateur through to world-beating professional matches, leagues, cups and championships.

Olympic Games success

Scottish sport is a hotbed of talent. Our country was even more proud of its sporting heroes when 55 Scottish Olympians and 27 Scottish Paralympians were selected for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Team GB exceeded all expectations during this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic games, winning an unprecedented 185 medals in total.

Scotland’s 24 medals were in athletics, cycling, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, slalom canoeing, swimming and tennis.

And in 2014, Glasgow hosts the XX Commonwealth Games. Already the excitement is building for sports men and women – and spectators – with the opening of the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and a myriad of other work being carried out on athletics arenas, swimming complexes and mountain bike trails.

There is also a wealth of opportunities for Scotland’s people to become involved in sports. State-of-the-art facilities, such as at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena at Ratho; a wide variety of dry slope and real snow ski centres, world-acclaimed mountain biking trails, excellent athletics complexes and Sport Scotland’s National Sailing Centre on the Isle of Cumbrae all combine to provide a sporting environment to rival many countries worldwide.