The Irish Abroad

People have left Ireland for lots of different reasons. After Ireland became Christian in the fifth century, Irish monks left the country to teach the word of God. They went particularly to the cities of Europe - to Russia, to Italy, Scotland. Since

then Ireland has continued to send missionaries round the world. Very many people have left Ireland to look for work. Often there are not enough jobs for everyone.

From the beginning of the 17th century the English Protestants made life very difficult for the Irish Catholics. They could not do any of the public jobs. They could not become soldiers. They went to start a new life in some other country. Today over forty million people in the USA say that they have some Irishblood. The families of President Kennedy, President Richard Nixon and President Ronald Reagan were once Irish. President Kennedy was the first Catholic President of the USA. The first prime minister of New Zealand, John Edward Fitzgerald, was born in Ireland. Today 15 per cent of New Zealanders have some Irish blood.

Nearly 30 per cent of Australians have Irish blood. Between 1929 and 1949 six of the seven Australian prime ministers were from Irish families. The people who leave Ireland do not forget it. Their children and their children's children do not forget it either. All over the world today there are people who came from Ireland. Very many people are glad to say: "My family once came from Ireland". Their parents, grandparents or their great-grandparents were Irish.

Questions:

1. Why did people leave Ireland?

2. What did Irish monks do all over the world?

3. Today over forty million people have Irish blood, haven't they?

4. Who was the first Catholic President of the USA?

5. Do the Irish forget their Motherland?

Vocabulary: reason - причина monk - монах God - Бог soldier - солдат missionary - миссионер