The Bayrisch And The Irish
Yesterday I was on a sightseeing bus tour of Munich and my tour guide mentioned that Bavaria is approximately the same size as Ireland. This got me thinking about what other similarities tie these two places together. Turns out there are more than a few.
Size
Ireland is 27,135 sq mi (70,280 sq km) and Bavaria is 27,241 square miles (70,554 sq km). They are almost the exact same size!
Religion
Roman Catholicism is the primary religion in both Ireland and Bavaria. 56.4% of the Bavarian population is Catholic with a staggering 86.8% Catholic population in Ireland.
The Celts
The earliest known inhabitants of Bavaria were the Celts. In the 5th century, the Germanic Bavarians overran the Celts and absorbed their people. The Irish are descended from the earliest settlers/invaders, the Celts. It wasn’t until the 16th and 17th centuries that Scottish and English arrived in Ireland and by this point in history Celtic cultural influences were well ingrained in the Irish people.
Population
Munich, Germany’s 3rd largest city, has a population of a little under 1.4 million. The greater Dublin area has a population of about 1.6 million.
Products of War
Bavaria fought against the Protestant Union in the Thirty Years’ War during the 17th century. While Ireland fought against British occupation for hundreds of years, primarily from the 17th century after the Nine Years’ War.
Beer Culture
There are six breweries alone in Munich with a whopping 640 breweries in operation in all of Bavaria. Ireland is home to 16 breweries and, of course, one of those is the world famous Guinness Brewery in Dublin.
Traditional at Heart
Both the Irish and Bavarian cultures are traditional at heart. Traditional music, dance and festivals are still an integral part of both cultures today. And in particular in Bavaria, traditional clothes too, like dirndls and lederhosen, are worn regularly and with pride.
Source; Source; Source; Source; Image 1; Image 2; Image 3
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