Cultural Differences Between Ireland And America

Last Updated on December 10, 2021 by QCity Editorial Stuff

Ireland and America are both countries that have a rich history of cultural diversity. While they each hold traditional values such as religion, family, and patriotism close to their hearts; the two cultures differ in many ways. For example, Ireland has been historically influenced by its Celtic roots while American culture is rooted in Native American traditions. In addition to this difference, there are other aspects about these two cultures that make them unique from one another including food preferences and stereotypes about each country’s people. 

There are many differences between Ireland and America. For example, the population of Ireland is 4.5 million people while the population of America is over 300 million people. The Irish drive on the left side of the road, Americans drive on the right side of the road. Generally speaking, Irish adults don’t drink alcohol as often as American adults do so it’s not uncommon to see children walking home from school or playing in public parks after dark without adult supervision because their parents are at work instead of drinking with friends as they would be in America where most other countries have a more relaxed attitude towards alcohol consumption than we do which leads to increased violence outside pubs and bars.

Comparison Between Ireland And America

Parameters of Comparison	Ireland	America
Religion	Ireland is a Catholic country	America is predominantly Protestant
Currency	Euro	Us doller
Alcohol	: In Ireland, you can’t buy alcohol on Sundays or in grocery stores after 10 pm	America, it’s available to purchase 24 hours a day.
Drive	Left side	Right side
Beer	More than American	Less than Irish

What Is Ireland’s Culture?

Ireland’s culture is rich in music, dance, and literature. The Irish have a strong sense of community which can be seen through their traditions of song and dance. Traditional Irish dancing has been around since the 18th century when it was performed at weddings and celebrations throughout the country. Today, Ireland is home to over 10,000 dancers all dedicated to preserving traditional dances such as sean-nós dance and céilí dance with modern twists on old classics like ceili line dancing. As one of the world’s leading exporters of Celtic music with bands like U2 taking center stage internationally, Ireland is also home to many folk musicians dedicated to keeping this important part of its history alive for future generations by performing live shows across the world.

What Is American Culture?

American culture is often described as individualistic, competitive, and focused on money. But this description doesn’t fit many people in the United States who are still struggling to make ends meet even with two jobs or working overtime. While some Americans seem to be thriving no matter what they do, others can barely survive with just one job at minimum wage without any benefits or sick days. The same dichotomy exists in education where some students have everything handed to them while others don’t have necessities like pencils and paper for school. Every country has its way of life which creates unique cultural norms that influence how people act and think but it’s important not to judge too quickly without understanding the full picture first.

10 Cultural Differences Between Ireland And America

Religion: Ireland is a Catholic country while America is predominantly Protestant.

Currency: The Irish call their currency the Euro, while Americans use dollars.

Alcohol: In Ireland, you can’t buy alcohol on Sundays or in grocery stores after 10 pm, but in America, it’s available to purchase 24 hours a day.

Drive: The Irish drive on the left side of the road while Americans drive on the right side of the road.

Dish: The national dish of Ireland is corned beef and cabbage; American dishes include hamburgers and hot dogs. 

Language: There are more than two official languages spoken in Ireland (Irish Gaelic and English) whereas there are only two languages spoken in America (English and Spanish).

Beer: The Irish drink more beer than the Americans.

Cow: There are more cows in Ireland than there are people.

Symbol: A shamrock is a symbol of luck and good fortune, not just for St Patrick’s Day.

Color: In America, you’re likely to find red and green on Christmas trees; in Ireland, it’s all about the colors blue and white.

Potatoes: You’ll always find potatoes on an Irish dinner table – we don’t eat them as often here. 

Morning: We say “Top o’ the morning” instead of “Good morning” when greeting someone in the mornings.

Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Ireland Culture

1. Ireland is the only country in the world with a pub on every street.

2. Guinness was first brewed in 1759 by Arthur Guinness at his brewery, located near Dublin.

3. The Irish are famous for their love of potatoes and each person consumes about 150 pounds per year.

4. The Shamrock is one of Ireland’s most well-known symbols because it has three leaves that represent faith, hope, and love.

5. A popular tourist destination in Ireland is Blarney Castle which can be reached by climbing up its stone steps called “the stairway to heaven”. 

6. One of Ireland’s most distinguished writers is James Joyce who wrote Ulysses and Finnegan’s Wake.

Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of American Culture

1. There are over 350 million people in America.

2. Americans spend a combined $1.4 billion on Halloween costumes each year.

3. The average American consumes 1,500 calories per day. 

4. 4 out of 5 Americans own a cell phone.

5. It’s estimated that the average American will spend about 8 hours every day using media in some form or another. 

6. In 2012, there were more than 15 million cases of identity theft reported to law enforcement agencies across the US.

Conclusion About The Differences Between  Ireland And America

The differences between Ireland and America are vast. One of the most obvious is that in America, we use inches to measure distance while in Ireland they use kilometers. Another difference is that when it comes to driving on the right side or left side of the road, Americans always go on the right-hand side while Irish people drive on either one depending on where you’re located. These small differences can make traveling through both countries a lot easier if you already know them beforehand! Do we hope this blog post has helped teach some about how different these two nations are–maybe even enough for your next vacation destination? If so, feel free to share with friends who might be interested.

References:

Resource 01: https://www.ireland.com/en-us/
Resource 02: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States