Does the 'Real' Ireland Still Exist?

Talking about Travel, this week we decided to look for article related to tourism in Ireland... Why Ireland? Well, no special reason... We just picked a place on the world map...

So, for my new mission on Travel Group, I read "Does the 'Real' Irealnd Still Exist?" written by Dan Barry.

In this article, Barry talks about the changes that have been happen in Ireland in the past few years, specially after the European Union; and he asks if it is still possible to find the traditional Irish culture in Ireland... That is a pretty intrigue question that got my attention...

Barry talks about the good things that we can do and see in some towns in the west side of Ireland. How enjoyable is to spend his morning watching the “same white-bearded fisherman(...)park his old blake bicycle by the pier, row a skiff to his rusty-green vessel, and disappear into the bay” ... Or the pleasure of sometimes seeing the “beer truck pull up to Connolly's” in the afternoon.

However, Barry points that many things have been changing in the Irish routine. One of the most important facts that has been modifying the traditional Irish culture is the influence of other cultures on it. As he says “the real change, though, is in Gort’s new and sizable Brazilian community, attracted in part by job opportunities at a local meat-processing plant.” According to Barry, the Brazilian culture has been impacted in the area significantly; in a way that pubs play Brazilian musics and there are grocery stores specialized in Brazilian foods.

Even though, Barry shows some of the negative changes in the Irish tradition, he also talks about how interesting those “external” influences are. How the Irish people has been adjusting and integrating the new, the different in their routine.

I really liked the way he presented this topic because at the same time he critics some of the changes that have been happening in the Ireland, he also talks about its benefits. I believe that we are able to find those kinds of changes and cultural influence in many countries and regions in the world. Like in the U.S., we can find neighborhoods that carry pieces of the globe as China Town, Little Italy and others... or we can have Indian, Mexican, Japanese, Colombian, Vietnamese and many others kinds of food whenever we want... without lose our identity.