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The European
Union
During the last century, Europe was devastated by two
World Wars which resulted in the deaths of millions, shattered
Europe’s economy and changed the borders of several
countries. In order to guarantee that this didn’t happen again,
some European leaders decided that their countries should
work together to ensure peace and prosperity for the future.
The result is the European Union. EU Member States now work
together on many areas of common interest. Each Member State
has a voice in this process and decisions are made collectively
by the member countries and elected members of the European
Parliament.
Ireland joined the EU in 1973. Since then, we have received over
€60 billion in funding from the European Union which has helped
develop the Irish economy, improve the country’s infrastructure,
expand our trading partners, and support Irish agriculture. One
of the greatest advantages of EU membership is that Irish
people can travel, study and work in any other EU country.
Today, there are 27 Member States in the European Union. But
what do we know about them? Let’s take a tour of Europe and
see what we can find out about our neighbouring countries.
Austria
hgerlül ss
gotot
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Vienna
83,858 km²
8.3 million
German
26th October
Vienna Prater: This is a large public
park in the middle of Vienna. It also
houses an amusement park with over
250 rides, including the Riesenrad,
which is a ferris wheel. Emperor
Joseph II opened the park to the
public in 1766.
Find the flag!
Hundertwasser House:
The Hundertwasserhaus is an
apartment and office building
designed by Austrian artist
Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
Unique features include uneven
floors, a grass rooftop and large
trees growing from inside rooms.
Food: Austrians enjoy Wiener
Schnitzel (breaded veal cutlet),
Tafelspitz (boiled beef served with
apple and horseradish sauce) and
Apfelstrudel (apple and pastry dessert).
Famous Austrians: Gustav Klimt (artist), Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart (composer), Joseph Haydn (composer).
Find Out: Which Austrian born actor is now Governor of
California?
Did you know? Francis Maurice Lacy, who was of Irish
descent, was a general in the Austrian army in the 18th
century. He was a favourite of Austrian emperors and lived
in a magnificent estate and house in the Vienna Woods.
Belgium
hall
saluo
t
The Manneken Pis: Sculpted in
1619, this statue, literally translated
as ‘the little man wee’, has survived
through the ages to become one of
Belgium’s most loved monuments.
He even has a wardrobe of over
600 costumes!
Food: Belgium is famous for its
moules-frites (mussels and chips),
as well as its chocolate!
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Languages:
National Day:
Brussels
30,158 km²
10.5 million
Dutch, French
and German
21st July
The Atomium: Built in 1958, the
103 metre-tall monument represents
a magnified iron crystal. Recently
renovated and open to the public, the
Atomium not only hosts interesting
exhibitions, especially for children,
but also boasts some of the best
views of Brussels.
Find the flag!
Famous Belgians: Justine Henin (tennis player),
Eddie Merckx (cyclist), Tin-Tin and the Smurfs!
Find Out: See if you can find a picture of the Atomium and
stick it in your passport.
Did you know? Ireland has many historic connections with
Belgium. The Irish College in Louvain educated Irish priests
for many centuries.
Bulgaria
zdra
vei
Capital:
Size:
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Language:
National Day:
Sofia
110,000 km²
7.7 million
Bulgarian
3rd March
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral:
Situated in Sofia, this cathedral is
one of the largest Eastern Orthodox
cathedrals in the world. It was built
in the early 20th century to honour
the Russian soldiers who died in the
1877-78 war with Turkey. It is a cross
domed basilica with the Lord’s Prayer
inscribed in gold on the central dome.
Find the flag!
Rila National Park: This is the
biggest national park in Bulgaria
and is located about 100 km
south of Sofia. It is an area of
conservation for many endangered
wildlife species. The name Rila
comes from the word ‘Roula’, which
means ‘lots of water.’
Food: Kavarma (a meat and onion stew), shopska salata (a
salad with white cheese, cucumber, peppers and tomato),
bob chorba (a bean and chilli soup), banitza (pastry with white
cheese) and kiselo mliako (yoghurt).
Famous Bulgarians: Julia Kristeva (philosopher), Elias Canetti
(Nobel Prize winning author), Christo Javacheff (artist).
Find Out: What colours are the Bulgarian national flag?
Did you know? An Irish man, Pierce O’Mahony, established St.
Patrick’s Orphanage for boys in Sofia in 1904. There is a street
dedicated to him, Piers O’Mahoni in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Cyprus
yia’s
ou
Capital:
Size:
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Language:
National Day:
Nicosia
9,251 km²
0.8 million
Greek
1st October
The Archbishop’s Palace:
Archbishop Makarios was the first
president of Cyprus from 1960
to 1977. His palace, in Nicosia, is
open to the public and it contains
a Byzantine museum with a large
collection of religious icons.
Find the flag!
Petra tou Romiou: Known in
English as the Rock of Aphrodite,
this spot not only has amazing
views of the sea but is also the
birthplace of the Greek goddess
Aphrodite, also known as Venus.
Legend has it she rose out of the
sea at this point and the event is
portrayed in a famous painting
called “The Birth of Venus” .
Food: Meze (a series of appetisers
and savouries), fasolada (bean soup).
Famous Cypriots: Hüseyin Çağlayan (fashion designer),
Zeno of Citium (philosopher), Marcos Baghdatis (tennis player)
and Michael Cacoyannis (filmmaker).
Find Out: What was Aphrodite the goddess of?
Did you know? Irish soldiers served with the United Nations
in Cyprus on peacekeeping duties from 1964 to 2005.
Czech Republic
aho
j
Charles Bridge: This medieval
bridge was constructed in the
14th century. It’s named after King
Charles IV and spans the river
Vltava.
Food: Knedliky (dumplings) and
bramboraky (potato pancakes).
Capital:
Size:
Population:
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National Day:
Prague
79,000 km²
10.3 million
Czech
28th October
St. Vitius Cathedral: The most well
known church in the Czech Republic,
this cathedral is Gothic in style and
is the seat of the Roman Catholic
Archbishop of Prague. It is one of
the most popular tourist attractions
in Prague.
Find the flag!
Famous Czechs: Alfons Mucha
(composer),
(artist), Antonin Dvo
Milan Kundera (writer) and
Petr Čech (footballer).
Find Out: Which famous Czech tennis player became an
American citizen in 1981?
Did you know? Legend has it that the potato was introduced to
the Czech diet in the 17th century by Irish Franciscan monks.
Denmark
The Little Mermaid: This mermaid
owes its fame to the Hans Christian
Andersen fairy tale on which the
sculpture was based. She sits
on a rock in Churchill Park in
Copenhagen harbour. The sculptor,
Edward Eriksen, used his wife as
the model.
hej
Capital:
Size:
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Language:
National Day:
Copenhagen
43,000 km²
5.4 million
Danish
5th June
The Tivoli Gardens: The
amusement park and gardens were
built in the middle of the 19th century
and are home to one of the world’s
oldest wooden rollercoasters, still in
use today. It is also used for open
air concerts and plays during the
summer.
Food: Frikadeller (meatballs) are
very popular as is smoked fish and
smørrebrød or open sandwiches.
Find the flag!
Famous Danes: Ole Kirk Christiansen (inventor of LEGO),
Hans Christian Andersen (author), Søren Kierkegaard
(philosopher).
Find Out: Can you name three Hans Christian Andersen
fairy tales?
Did you know? Danish Vikings invaded and settled in Ireland
in the 9th century.
Estonia
tere
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Tallinn
45,000 km²
1.3 million
Estonian
24th February
The Town Hall Pharmacy: Situated
on the Town Hall Square in Tallinn,
the Town Hall Pharmacy dates
back to 1422 and is still used as a
pharmacy today, although medieval
medicines like bat powder and
snakeskin potion are no longer sold!
The Town Hall: This Town Hall was
built before the pharmacy and is
thought to date from the early 13th
century. Its Gothic architecture has
been well preserved. It is currently
open to the public and is sometimes
used for receptions.
Food: Classic Estonian dishes
include verivorst (blood sausage),
leib (black bread) and kartulid
(potatoes).
Find the flag!
Famous Estonians: Carmen Kass (model),
Mart Poom (footballer) and Markko Märtin (racing driver).
Find Out: See if you can find a picture of the Town Hall
Pharmacy and stick it in your passport.
Did you know? 1999 saw the signing of an agreement of
cultural exchanges between Ireland and Estonia. This has
resulted in exchange visits of theatre, musical and dance
groups from both countries.
Finland
Finlandia Hall: Designed by the
architect Alvar Aalto, Finlandia Hall
in Helsinki is used as a conference
centre and concert venue. Its
architectural goal was that it should
be modern and functional, with
nothing to distract an audience from
the stage or the event they had
come to participate in.
hei
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Languages:
National Day:
Helsinki
338,000 km²
5.3 million
Finnish, Swedish
6th December
Helsinki Cathedral: Situated
in Senate Square, this distinctive
Helsinki landmark was built by
Carl Ludvig Engel, who also designed
the Square and surrounding buildings.
Though religious ceremonies are
still conducted in the cathedral, it
also attracts over 350,000 tourists
each year.
Find the flag!
Food: Finland is famous for pickled
herring, lihapullat (meatballs) and
gravlax (cold smoked fish).
Famous Finns: Kimi Räikkönen (racing driver), Fredrik Idestam
(founder of Nokia), Sibelius (composer).
Find Out: Which world famous person comes from Lapland?
(Clue: He visits once a year!)
Did you know? Since 1986 an Irish Festival has been held in
Finland every year. Concerts celebrating Irish music and culture
take place in cities across Finland.
France
bon
jour
The Eiffel Tower: The tallest
structure in Paris is the most visited
paid monument in the world. Named
after its architect Gustave Eiffel, the
structure of the tower weighs 7,300
tons and sways 6-7cms in the wind.
Food: The French love their cheese
and also are the proud inventors of
the baguette.
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Paris
550,000 km²
60.9 million
French
14th July
Notre Dame: Built in the Middle
Ages, the Parisian cathedral was
in a state of disrepair until the
mid-nineteenth century when the
French novelist Victor Hugo wrote
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame”.
The success of the book launched a
campaign to restore the cathedral to
its former glory in 1845.
Find the flag!
Famous French people: Jean Monnet,
Thierry Henry (footballer), Pierre-Auguste Renoir (painter).
Find Out: What is Jean Monnet famous for?
Did you know? Patrice de MacMahon, a descendant of Irish
emigrants, was president of France from 1873 to 1879.
Germany
gute
tag n
The Reichstag: Almost destroyed
by fire in 1933 and again during
World War II, the newly renovated
Reichstag has been the symbol
of German reunification since its
inception as the seat of the German
Parliament in 1991.
Food: Sauerkraut and Bratwurst which translated means
pickled cabbage with sausages.
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Berlin
356,854 km²
82.5 million
German
3rd October
Brandenburg Gate: This gate is the
former entrance to the city and the
symbol of Berlin. Built between 1788
and 1791, it was commissioned by
Wilhelm II and is a symbol of peace.
Find the flag!
Famous German people: Ludwig Van Beethoven (composer),
Friedrich Nietzsche (philosopher), Michael Ballack (footballer).
Find Out: Find a picture of the Brandenburg Gate and stick it
onto your passport.
Did you know? St Killian, an Irish missionary, converted many
Germans to Christianity and is still honoured in the German city
of Würzburg.
Greece
yia’s
ou
Olympia: The birthplace of the
Olympic Games, Olympia was
dedicated to the god Zeus and
became the most important
religious and athletic centre in
Ancient Greece.
Food: Moussaka (aubergine and
meat dish), keftedes (meatballs),
baklava (a sweet pastry dessert).
Capital:
Size:
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National Day:
Athens
131,957 km²
11.1 million
Greek
25th March
The Acropolis: Dedicated to the
goddess Athena, this impressive
monument dating back to Ancient
Greece dominates the Athenian
skyline. Built in the fifth century BC,
it was the pinnacle of the
achievements of Ancient Greece.
Find the flag!
Famous Greeks: Plato (philosopher), Aristotle Onassis
(shipping magnate), Alexander the Great (king and conqueror).
Find Out: How many countries competed in the 2004 Olympic
Games?
Did you know? Sir Richard Church, a native of Cork, was
commander of the Greek forces during the war of Greek
Independence in the 19th century.
Hungary
The Chain Bridge: This
suspension bridge links the two
cities of Buda and Pest which
are divided by the river Danube.
As a result of the construction of
this bridge at the end of the 19th
century, Budapest experienced an
economic revival, changing the city
from two provincial towns into a
growing metropolis.
szia
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Budapest
93,000 km²
10.1 million
Hungarian
15th March
The Hungarian Parliament: One of
the biggest parliament buildings in
Europe, the Hungarian Parliament
was inaugurated on the 1000th
anniversary of the country in 1896.
Located in Budapest, over 40 million
bricks, half a million precious stones
and 40kg of gold were used in its
construction.
Find the flag!
Food: Typical Hungarian fare includes goulash (soup), halászlé
(fish and paprika soup) and vanilias kifli (vanilla croissant).
Famous Hungarians: Harry Houdini (magician), Ern Rubik
(inventor of the Rubik’s cube), Ferenc Puskás (footballer).
Find Out: Name two European Union Member States that
border Hungary.
Did you know? James Joyce refers to the Hungarian town of
Szombathely in Ulysses and the town celebrates the annual
event of Bloomsday in Joyce’s honour.
Ireland
Newgrange: Built between 3300
and 2900 BC, Newgrange is the
oldest standing building in the
world, predating even the Egyptian
pyramids! It is a Neolithic passage
tomb lit by the rising sun each year
at the time of winter solstice.
dia
dhu
it
Food: Ireland is home to Irish stew
and bacon and cabbage.
Capital:
Size:
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National Day:
Dublin
70,000 km²
4.2 million
English, Irish
17th March
Dublin Castle: Once the site of
a Viking fortress, this historical
landmark has been in existence
since 930 AD, though in different
forms. For centuries it was the seat
of government in Ireland and was also
used as a jail.
Find the flag!
Famous Irish people: James Joyce (writer), Samuel Beckett
(writer) and Bram Stoker (writer).
Find Out: What well-known book did Bram Stoker write and
which other European country was the main character from?
Country
Italy
Pompeii: This city was destroyed
by a massive volcanic eruption
of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD,
covering the city and its inhabitants
in volcanic ash until its discovery
at the end of the 18th century.
Excavators discovered human
remains in volcanic ash as well as
a wealth of art, jewellery and other
materials, allowing archaeologists
a valuable insight into how life was
lived during that time.
c
hiealo
lo!
Capital:
Size:
xx
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Rome
301,263 km²
58.8 million
Italian
2nd June
The Coliseum: One of the best
preserved Roman monuments, the
Coliseum was built to hold 50,000
people who came to see gladiatorial
fights, games and even executions
in Roman times. Though the
amphitheatre hasn’t been used for
entertainment since the early Middle
Ages, it is a major tourist attraction
and an iconic symbol of Ancient
Rome.
Find the flag!
Food: Italy is most famous for its pasta and pizza. Italians are
very fond of gelato (ice cream)!
Famous Italians: Leonardo da Vinci (painter, sculptor, inventor),
Christopher Columbus (who discovered America), Enzo Ferrari
(founder of the Ferrari motor car company).
Find Out: Which famous lady did Leonardo da Vinci paint?
Did you know? Guglielmo Marconi, who invented the radio,
was half-Irish and married Beatrice O’Brien, daughter of Baron
Inchiquin of Dromoland Castle, County Clare.
Latvia
svei
ki
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Riga
65,000 km²
2.3 million
Latvian
18th November
The Doma Cathedral: Built in the
13th century, the Doma Cathedral
is thought to be the largest church
in the Baltic States. One of its key
attractions is its magnificent organ
which dates back to 1844.
Find the flag!
The Historic Centre of Riga:
Riga’s centre has been declared
a UNESCO World Heritage
Site; it is renowned for its Art
Nouveau architecture. This style
of architecture peaked in the
early 20th century and is defined
by flowing, curved designs often
including floral motifs.
Food: Latvians enjoy borsch
(beet soup), rasols (potato and meat
salad) and pickled mushrooms.
Famous Latvians: Kārlis Baumanis (composer), Vizma
Belševica (Nobel Prize winner in Literature), Leor Dimant
(DJ Lethal, member of Limp Bizkit).
Find Out: See if you can find a picture of Latvian Art Nouveau
architecture and stick in onto your passport.
Did you know? Edward O’Rourke, a priest of Irish ancestry,
was appointed the first Bishop of Riga in 1918.
Lithuania
laba
s
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Vilnius
65,300 km²
3.4 million
Lithuanian
16th February
Gediminas Castle: Legend has it
that the Grand Duke Gediminas had
a dream in which he saw an iron wolf
howling like 100 wolves where the
castle now stands. He thought the
dream meant that it was God’s will
that the castle be built there and so in
1230 it was.
Trakai: The historic capital of
Lithuania, Trakai is noted for its
beautiful surroundings as well as
Trakai Castle which is an excellent
example of Gothic architecture.
It was home to Grand Duke
Vytautas before Vilnius became the
Lithuanian capital.
Food: Lithuanians enjoy kibinai (similar to Cornish pasties),
cepelinai (meat filled dumplings) and sweet or savoury
pancakes.
Find the flag!
(poet),
Famous Lithuanians:
Laurynas Gucevičius (architect), and Steponas Darius
and Stasys Girėnas (pilots).
Find Out: What event does the National Day commemorate?
Did you know? In 1935, Lithuanian American pilot, Feliksas
Vaitkus, became the sixth person to fly solo across the Atlantic
and landed in a field in Ballinrobe, Co.Mayo.
Luxembourg
moi
en
Adolphe Bridge: This bridge is
one of Luxembourg’s most popular
tourist attractions and is 17.2 metres
wide and carries four lanes of
traffic. Designed by Paul Sejourne
and Paul Rodange, it was built
between 1900 and 1903.
Food: Thuringer (small sausages), paté and quetsche tort
(type of tart).
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Languages:
National Day:
Luxembourg
2,586 km²
0.5 million
Luxembourgish,
French and
German
23rd June
The Grand Ducal Palace: Originally
built as a town hall in 1572, the
palace is now the official residence of
the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and
his family. During World War II, the
building’s interior and art collection
was extensively damaged. However
the palace has since undergone two
major restorations.
Find the flag!
Famous Luxembourgers: Joseph Kutter (painter), Gabriel
Lippmann (Nobel Prize winner), Frank Schleck (professional
cyclist).
Find Out: What did Gabriel Lippmann win the Nobel Prize for?
Did you know? In 1693, Patrick Sarsfield was a commander
in the army of the Duke of Luxembourg when he was fatally
wounded at the battle of Landen.
Malta
bon .
gu
St. Paul’s Cathedral: Built on the
site of a Norman church which
was destroyed in an earthquake in
1693, St. Paul’s cathedral crowns
the city of Mdina and is topped by a
magnificent dome designed by the
cathedral’s architect Lorenzo Gafa.
Food: Traditional food includes
fenek (rabbit) and pastizzi (savoury
pastries).
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Languages:
National Day:
Valletta
316 km²
0.4 million
Maltese, English
8th September
Valletta: Named after the Grand
Master of the Order of St. John, Jean
Parisot de la Valette. Construction of
this fortress city began in 1566 and
was completed in a remarkably short
15 years.
Find the flag!
Famous Maltese people: The Knights of Malta, Dun Karm
Psaila (poet), Giuseppe Calì (painter), Edward de Bono
(philosopher).
Find Out: Complete the title of the famous thriller
‘The Maltese ______’.
Did you know? Irishman, Richard More O’Ferrall, was
appointed as the first civil governor of Malta in 1847.
Country
Netherlands
hhaellll
oo!
Capital:
Size:
xx
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Amsterdam
41,864 km²
16.3 million
Dutch
30th April
Windmills: Although over 1,000
windmills are still standing in the
Netherlands today, many of them
are no longer in use. Windmills
were mainly used to drain water, to
produce paper and oil and to saw
wood. For five centuries windmills
were the primary source of power in
the Netherlands.
Volendam: This historical village
is one of the most popular tourist
destinations in the Netherlands
today. It’s famous for its fishing
boats and traditional Dutch
costume which is still worn by
some residents today. >
Food: Typical Dutch food
includes hutspot (stew), vla
(cooled milk with custard) and
blinde vink (meatballs).
Find the flag!
Famous Dutch people: Vincent Van Gogh (painter), Anne
Frank (diarist and holocaust victim), Ruud Van Nistelrooy
(footballer).
Find Out: The name of the city that is the seat of government
in the Netherlands (it’s not the capital!).
Did you know? The battle of the Boyne was won by a
Dutchman, William of Orange, who became King of England.
Poland
cześ
ć
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Warsaw
313,000 km²
38.1 million
Polish
11th November
Warsaw’s Old Town: Originally built
in the 13th century, Warsaw’s Old
Town was built around the Royal
Castle. The Old Town was destroyed
during World War II. After the war, it
was painstakingly rebuilt, much of it
brick by brick, and is now a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.
Find the flag!
Gdansk Shipyard: This is where
started the Solidarity
Lech
movement, the anti-communist
trade union that altered the course
of Polish and European history in
the late 20th century. Though no
longer the huge shipyard it once
was, it is considered the birthplace
of Polish resistance to Communism.
Food: Poland is home to urek
(a type of sour soup). The national dish is bigos (cabbage
and meat).
Famous Poles: Pope John Paul II, Fryderyk Chopin
(composer), Maria Sk odowska-Curie (physicist and chemist).
Find Out: What was the birth name of Pope John Paul II?
Did you know? In the 17th century, Dr Bernard O’Connor, from
Kerry, was personal physician to the king of Poland.
Portugal
Belém Tower: The tower, situated
in the Belém district of Lisbon, was
built in the early 16th century to
commemorate Vasco De Gama’s
expedition. The influence of Moorish
art can be found in the arched
windows and balconies.
olá
Food: Bacalhau (salted cod),
sardines and leite-créme (egg
custard)
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Lisbon
92,072 km²
10.6 million
Portuguese
10th June
The Vasco de Gama Bridge: This
is the longest bridge in Europe,
measuring 17.2 km in total. The
bridge has six lanes and was built
to alleviate traffic on Lisbon’s other
bridge (the 25 de Abril Bridge).
Find the flag!
Famous Portuguese people: Vasco De Gama (explorer),
Cristiano Ronaldo (footballer), Fernando Pessoa (poet).
Find Out: What naval route did Vasco De Gama’s expedition
discover?
Did you know? There was an Irish college in Lisbon from 1590
to 1834.
Romania
Bran Castle: Built in 1212, this
castle is commonly referred to as
Dracula’s Castle, as legend has
it that the castle was once home
to Vlad III Dracula, the prince on
whom the novel ‘Dracula’ was
loosely based.
bun
Food: Mititei, the national dish,
which is a small skinless sausage.
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Bucharest
238,000 km²
21.6 million
Romanian
1st December
The Parliament Palace: At 330,000
square metres, this is the largest
building in the world after the US
Pentagon. Built by order of the
dictator Nicolae Ceau escu, many
had argued that it be destroyed after
he was deposed, so hated was his
regime. However it is now a symbol
of Romanian democracy.
Find the flag!
Famous Romanians: Eugène Ionesco (writer), George
Enesco (composer), Constantin Brâncu i (sculptor) and Angela
Gheorghiu (soprano opera singer).
Find Out: What was the original name for the Parliament
Palace?
Did you know? Dracula, the famous book about a vampire
from Romania, was written by the Irish author, Bram Stoker.
Slovakia
Bratislava Castle: This is the main
castle of Bratislava and stands on
the hill of the Little Carpathians. On
a good day, the view from it extends
as far as Austria and Hungary. The
castle itself contains four towers, a
courtyard and an 80m deep well.
aho
j
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Bratislava
49,000 km²
5.4 million
Slovak
1st September
Food: Well known dishes include
potato dumplings with sheep’s milk
cheese and cabbage soup and
sausage.
Find the flag!
Famous Slovakians: Štefan Bani (invented the military
parachute) and Andy Warhol (artist of Slovakian descent).
Find Out: In what year was the parachute invented?
St. Michael’s Gate: This is the sole
remainder of Bratislava’s medieval
fortifications and is one of the town’s
oldest historic monuments. Originally
one of four gates, it dates back to 1300.
Did you know? Today’s Slovaks are descendants of the Slavic
tribes but Slovakia is also a region where Celts once dwelt. As
you know, the Irish are the descendants of the Celts.
Slovenia
zhiv
jo
Tromostovje: The Tromostovje,
or Triple Bridge as it’s known in
English, is one of the symbols of
Ljubljana. It consists of a stone arch
bridge as its central part and has a
pedestrian bridge on either side.
Food: Slovenian food includes
potica (cake) and bujta repa
(a turnip dish).
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Ljubljana
20,000 km²
2 million
Slovene
25th June
Postojna Caves: Carved by the
Pivka River, the Postojna Caves are
the longest caves in the country and
one of the top tourist attractions.
Ancient signatures at the entrance
passage show that the caves have
been visited since the 13th century.
Find the flag!
Famous Slovenians: Jožef Stefan
(writer), Franc Mikloši (linguist) and Jože Ple nik (architect).
Find Out: What mountain is depicted on Slovenia’s
national flag?
Spain
El Escorial: This one-time
monastery and royal palace is close
to Madrid and is now a museum
and art gallery.
hola
Food: Spanish food includes paella
(chicken, seafood and rice), tortilla
(potato omelette) and chorizo
(sausage).
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Madrid
504,782 km²
45.3 million
Spanish
12th October
Sagrada Familia: Designed by
Antoni Gaudí, this cathedral was
unfinished at the time of his death in
1926 and is still under construction
today. This cathedral is an excellent
example of Art Nouveau architecture
and is located in Barcelona.
Find the flag!
Famous Spanish people:
Penelope Cruz (actress), Salvador
Dalí (artist), Fernando Torres (footballer).
Find Out: Find a picture of the Sagrada Familia and stick it onto
your passport.
Did you know? Many of Ireland’s “wild geese” such as “Red”
Hugh O’Donnell settled in Spain after fleeing from Ireland.
Sweden
The Royal Palace Stockholm:
Home to the Swedish Royal Family,
Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.
The palace was completed in
1760 and is situated next to the
parliament.
hej
Food: Swedish food includes
artsoppa (pea soup), gravad
lax (cured salmon) and falukorv
(sausage).
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
National Day:
Stockholm
450,000 km²
9 million
Swedish
6th June
Find the flag!
Famous Swedish people: Alfred Nobel (chemist, set up the
Nobel Peace Prize), Sven-Göran Eriksson (football manager)
and ABBA (music group).
Find Out: Name three multinational Swedish companies.
Gamla Stan: This is the old town
of Stockholm. It dates back to the
13th century and consists of cobbled
medieval streets and alleyways. It is
home to Stockholm Cathedral and
the Nobel Museum.
Did you know? Swedish home furnishings company, IKEA,
opened it’s first Irish branch in Dublin in July 2009.
United Kingdom
hell
o
Capital:
Size:
Population:
Language:
London
242,500 km²
60.4 million
English
Tower Bridge: This is a combined
bascule and suspension bridge over
the river Thames in London. The
bridge was opened in 1894 by the
then future king Edward VII.
Find the flag!
Big Ben: Perhaps one of the most
famous clocks in the world, Big Ben
is the world’s largest four faced
chiming turret clock. Construction
was completed in 1858. The clock
has since become an international
symbol of London and the United
Kingdom.
Food: British food includes
bacon and eggs, fish and chips,
Shepherd’s pie to name but a few
dishes!
Famous British people: David Beckham (footballer),
J.K. Rowling (author) and William Shakespeare (playwright
and poet).
Find Out: Can you name two of Shakespeare’s plays?
Did you know? Approximately 6,000,000 Britons or 10% of
the population of the UK claim Irish ancestry.
Crossword
1.
2.
3.
4.
23. Lithuanian castle built in the 13th century (9)
25. Inventor of popular multicoloured puzzle cube (5)
28. A form of greeting in Sofia (7)
29. Complete the name of the famous Italian Renaissance
artist: Leonardo da _____(5)
30. Greek goddess Aphrodite’s other name (5)
31. Ljubljana is the capital (8)
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
14.
15.
12.
13.
16.
18.
19.
20.
21.
23.
22.
17.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
ACROSS
1. The home of pizza (5)
5. One part of the Hungarian capital (4)
7. Mobile phone company founded by Finnish man Fredrik
Idestam (5)
8. The European flag features 12 of these (5)
10. One of two EU countries which borders the Black Sea (8)
12. ‘Hello’ in Cyprus (6)
13. Democracy was invented in this country (6)
15. The smallest country in the European Union (5)
16. European capital which was divided by a wall for more
than a quarter of a century (6)
18. In 1973, Ireland joined this organisation (8, 5)
DOWN
2. Famous Belgian cartoon character (3, 3)
3. Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is fluent in this language (8)
4. The longest river in the European Union and the subject
of a famous waltz (6)
5. Central European capital located in Bohemia (6)
6. The first of this month is a holiday is most European countries (7)
8. Nationality of footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7)
9. This European city has a pharmacy which is almost 600
years old! (7)
11. Romance language spoken in Transylvania (8)
14. The common currency of many European countries (4)
16. The capital of Slovakia (8)
17. This tower in Paris is one of the most famous landmarks
in Europe (6)
19. Poland in Polish (6)
20. The capital of Cyprus (7)
21. Northern European country known as ‘Suomi’ to its
residents (7)
22. Baltic state (6)
24. Nationality of Vincent Van Gogh (5)
26. This castle was Dracula’s home in the hills (4)
27. How to greet your friends in Florence and Rome (4)
Austria: Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Bulgaria: White, green, red
Cyprus: Love
Czech Republic: Martina
Navratilova
Denmark: The Emperor’s New
Clothes, The Princess and
the Pea, The Ugly Duckling,
Thumbelina, The Little Match
Girl, The Little Mermaid, and
many others.
Finland: Santa Claus
France: He was one of the
founders of the European
Union
Greece: 201
Hungary: Austria, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia
Ireland: Dracula, Romania
Italy: Mona Lisa
Lithuania: The signature of
the Act of Independence on 16
February 1918
Luxembourg: Physics
Malta: Falcon
Netherlands: The Hague
Poland: Karol Józef Wojty a
Portugal: The route from
Europe to India
Romania: The People’s House
Slovakia: 1913 (although the
idea of parachutes had existed
earlier)
Slovenia: The Triglav
mountain, the highest mountain
in Slovenia
Sweden: IKEA (furniture),
Volvo (cars), H&M (clothing),
Ericcson (mobile phones), etc.
United Kingdom: Hamlet,
Romeo and Juliet, King
Lear, Macbeth, Othello, A
Midsummer’s Night Dream,
The Merchant of Venice, and
many others.
Crossword
ACROSS: 1. Italy; 5. Pest; 7.
Nokia; 8. Stars; 10. Bulgaria;
11. Yia’sou; 13. Greece; 15.
Malta; 16. Berlin; 18. European
Union; 23. Gediminas; 25.
Rubik; 28. Zdravei; 29. Vinci;
30. Venus; 31. Slovenia
DOWN: 2. Tin Tin; 3.
Portuguese; 4. Danube;
5. Prague; 6. January; 8.
Swedish; 9. Tallinn; 11.
Romanian; 14. Euro; 16.
Bratislava; 17. Eiffel 19. Polska;
20. Nicosia; 21. Finland;
22. Latvia; 24. Dutch;
26. Bran; 27. Ciao
Answers Page