Today's CultureQuiz: IRELAND!
So, can you answer all five of this week's Ireland CultureQuiz questions correctly?
I’m visiting Dublin this week for a conference, and, of course, mixing business with a bit of pleasure, which is not hard to do in this charming, friendly city. The Irish are known for their warmth and hospitality, and the smiles and spontaneous human connection are genuine, and always a welcome surprise in this world of virtual communication. It is a comforting, important reminder of what it means to be human, as we move into a post-Covid AI-dominated world. Irish culture kept the light of western civilization shining throughout the darkest moments of the medieval world, and today it carries the light of the human soul. Last night I enjoyed some amazing authentic Irish music in a local Dublin pub, but the most joyful part was experiencing the human connectedness that powered the music-making. I experienced the same on street-corners in Cuba, in market squares in West Africa, and in blues clubs in the Mississippi Delta. Whenever - and wherever - I experience this kind of authentic human connectedness, I am hopeful for the future.
So how much do you know about Irish culture? Test yourself today with this week’s CultureQuiz on Ireland: go ahead and see how much YOU know and choose the correct multiple choice answer for each of the following five Irish CultureQuiz questions! (The correct answers follow the quiz, so if you haven’t already subscribed, you can do so right here)
IRELAND CultureQuiz questions:
Your Irish colleagues invited you to the pub after work for some good “CRAICK”. What are they referring to?
a. A unique type of Irish beer, favored in Dublin .
b. Some clever conversation, bantering, and sometimes not-so-gentle joking around, often at someone’s expense (maybe yours!)
c. A kind of theatrical performance, usually at a pub or small club-like venue.
d. An Irish poetry slam session.
When it’s a “fine day” in Ireland, it’s typically…?
a. a soft, misty rainy day.
b. a very sunny, bright day.
c. a reference to any day that brings unexpectedly pleasant news.
d. a sarcastic reference to any day that brings sudden, unpleasant news.
The “GAELTACHT” is...
a. A kind of Irish sausage, generally served with “boxty”.
b. a reference that distinguishes people from rural, agricultural backgrounds from city-dwellers, usually made by those who live in the cities.
c. A kind of traditional Irish dance, usually celebrating the coming of Spring.
d. Those geographic areas of Ireland where Irish Gaelic is still spoken as the primary language.
You’re thrilled with the outcome of the meeting you just had, and you signaled your approval to your Irish colleague by flashing the “V-for-Victory” sign with your hand. Suddenly, the smile vanished from his face and he looked surprisingly both shocked and disappointed. What did you do wrong?
In Ireland, the use of hand gestures of any kind at business meetings is seriously frowned upon.
You did nothing wrong…perhaps he was reacting to something else that was occurring coincidentally at the same time .
This is a very English gesture, and therefore is not appreciated in the Irish Republic.
You probably gestured with your palm facing inward, which makes this otherwise innocent gesture (when palm faces outward) into a threatening and somewhat obscene one.
Having ordered yourself a pint of Guinness at the pub…
a. always be prepared to pay for any other Guinness that may be ordered from your party at the same time.
b. be sure to also order some chips to go along with it. It is a traditional pairing that should always be done with beer, especially Guinness stout.
c. Do not ask the bartended for your pint as he puts it aside after filling it about 2/3. He is waiting for the beer to settle a bit before topping it up and serving it to you, a Guinness tradition.
d. When you have finished, place your empty pint of Guinness upside-down on the bar counter, as a sign that you do not want a second pint.
Easy? Hard? Neither? So, how many CultureQuiz Questions did you get right? Here are the correct answers below…and the reasons why!
Here are your correct IRELAND CultureQuiz ANSWERS:
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