Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17th)
Follow the links and answer the questions :
· Facts about Ireland:
Complete with the correct information:
Number and names of the provinces:
Number of counties:
When did the Great Potato Famine occur?
How many people lived in Ireland at that time?
How many inhabitants are there in Ireland today?
How many days can it rain in one year?
What is the Irish symbol for good luck?
What is Ireland’s national symbol?
What is the Guinness factory?
How many liters of beer does the average Irishman drink in a year?
What do people do to the Blarney stone to get the gift of gab? (= le don d’élocution)
How many tourists come to Ireland every year?
How many people around the word claim to have Irish ancestors?
- The history of Saint Patrick’s Day :
Choose the best answer : (00:00 to 1:50)
1. Ireland is also called:
a. the Diamond Isle b. the Emerald Isle c. The Ruby Isle
2. The story of Saint Patrick’s Day goes back
a. to the 3d century b. to the 4th century c. to the 5th century
3. A 16- year old boy was kidnapped in Britain by Irish marauders and was kept as a shepard-slave in Ireland for:
a. six years b. ten years c. seven years
4. What encouraged him to escape?
a. another slave b. a vision c. God
5. How many visions did he have?
a. 2 b. 3 c.4
6. His mission was to help
a. British people b. French people c. Irish people
7. He became a
a. a druid b. a teacher c. a priest
8. St Patrick is said to have eliminated what from Ireland:
a. snails b. flies c. snakes
9. These animals can be seen as a symbol of
a. Satan b. paganism
10. Another symbol associated to Ireland is
a. the shamrock (trèfle) b. beer c. the tree
11. Saint Patrick’s Day is March 17th because:
a. it’s the day he was born b. the day he escaped c. the day he died
Answer the questions: (1:50 to end)
1. What do Catholics do during Lent?
2. Where in America was St Patrick’s Day first celebrated?
3. When did people start celebrating it in New York City?
4. Today, what parade is the most famous?
5. What countries did Irish immigrants flee to during the Potato Famine?
6. What clothes do people in America wear on St Patrick’s Day?
7. What politician of Irish origin appears in the video?
- New York City Saint Patrick’s Day parade :
1. What event changed the New York City St Patrick’s day parade and made it more important? What else did it transform, according to the historian?
2. What message did the Irish send through this huge parade?
3. What are the three adjectives used to qualify the parade in NY?
4. How many marchers were there in the 1870s? and in the 1940s?
5. How many spectators were there in 1948? What famous politician was there?
6. Depending on the weather, how many marchers can come today? For how many spectators?
7. What is the difference between the St Patrick’s Day parade and the other parades in New York City?
