Max's blog about Ireland for Going Places Travelling Smarter

LGBT rights in Ireland have been absolutely transformed in the space of a generation, from the incredibly conservative influence of the 1980’s to becoming a world leader in LGBT promotion, since the legalisation of same sex marriage in 1993.

These laws differed greatly from those of my home country of England, where there has been a historically greater acceptance of gay rights before 1993.

In addition, the acceptance of gay couples in public in Ireland used to be incredibly low, as people initially followed the view of the state in condemning such acts.

The problem was so severe, that Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar had to apologise publicly on behalf of the people of Ireland to LGBT people for the states treatment of them throughout Irish history. His 2018 apology symbolises the sea change in Irish opinion on the matter, and would mitigate the culture shock I would experience should I visit.

However, some pockets of hostility towards LGBT people remain, and I would feel saddened and disappointed if I were to experience this myself. I could potentially minimise culture shock by being aware of the history of Ireland and how and why some prejudices still exist. I could also minimise culture confusion with regards to this issue by learning words and phrases that relate to the issue, so I am not shocked or offended by words that do not actually have negative connotations to a local.

Irish attitudes to LGBT rights in the present day do not in fact differ that much to those of my home country of England. Ireland, as same sex marriage is legal in both countries following a 2015 referendum. Moreover, transgender people are allowed to declare their gender in both nations, and are given full citizenship and recognition of rights. In these senses, it can be argued that a culture shock or clash between the two nations is perhaps minimal, especially when their geographical proximity is taken into account.

Sources: (www.lgbt.ie) (www.equaldex.ie)

This wonderful looking piece of Irish architecture is located in Kilcommon near the town of Cahir in county Tipperary in Ireland.

History

The Swiss cottage was built around 1810 and is a fine example of cottage orné, or ornamental cottage. It was originally part of the estate of Lord and Lady Cahir, and used for entertaining guests. The cottage was probably designed by the architect John Nash, famous for designing many Regency buildings.

Thankfully, restoration of the building started in 1985 and was reopened as a public historical site 4 years later.

The site is meant to represent a restored Ireland after the troubles of the IRA as well as being a celebration of the beauty of Irish history.

The site is now a tourist attraction but was previously used for residential purposes and left derelict and unkempt.

It can be argued that now the original beauty and intrigue of the property has been tainted somewhat as it now serves the purpose of almost being a museum, meaning tourism has slightly ruined the cottage’s old charm.

However, no photos from tourists are allowed inside the cottage, meaning everyone who visits it is forced to take in the beauty of the restorative work and contribute to the ongoing legacy of this architectural beauty.

The cottage represents the symbol of Irish heritage and Cottage Orné, which is a huge architectural symbol of Ireland. Cottage Orné represents a natural way of living and harnesses a sense of romance. I believe Ireland reflects these two sentiments perfectly, as other parts of the region such as Dublin are famous for their romantic aspects. Finally, the rustic style of the cottage and its picturesque exterior mirrors the beauty of the Irish countryside, a symbol that is often used in Irish tourism.

I chose this symbol primarily because it is slightly different to the architecture one would typically associate with Ireland. The cottage is a nod to the eccentric past of those who used to have second homes in the region with the added modern twist of a refurbishment. In addition, the cottage’s hidden beauty represents the philosophy of Ireland somewhat, as it discovers quality in areas that are tucked away or hidden.

The harp symbol as displayed in the Guinness logo actually serves as a national symbol of Ireland.

The harp, which serves as the emblem of Guinness, is based on a famous 14th-century Irish harp known as the “O’Neill” or “Brian Boru” harp, which is now preserved in the Library of Trinity College Dublin.

The harp is also the official national emblem of the Republic of Ireland and can be found on the Republic’s coinage that was phased out when the Euro currency was introduced.

In the 1916 Easter Uprising, the harp symbol featured on Irish flags:

Interestingly enough, however, there is an intrinsic link between the Irish harp as a national symbol and Guinness.

As Guinness had trademarked the harp symbol in 1876, the Irish Free State Government of 1922 had to turn the official government harp the other way around so as it could be differentiated from the trademarked Guinness harp.

As such, the Guinness Harp always appears with its straight edge (the soundboard) to the left, and the government harp is always shown with its straight edge to the right.

Finally, the harp is present in Irelands national coat of arms, and represents royalty. Each string of the harp represents the strength of the king.

Guinness is also Ireland’s largest export, and is consumed all over the world. As a result many have combined the drinking of Guinness with the harp symbol, and in reality it is often used to describe the Irish spirit.

It can be argued the harp symbol has lost some of its original magic, as it is now almost exclusively associated with Guinness.

However, the spirit Guinness represents for many people means that the power of this symbol lives on in modern times.