Ireland, St. Patrick's Isle

Language Level: Basic

Standard: British Accent

Source: www.speakup.com.br

St. Patrick’s Isle

St. Patrick’s Isle is a very small island off the coast of the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man is in a strategic location between England, Ireland and Scotland and has played an important role in history. Today it is politically independent.

St. Patrick’s Isle lies just off the west coast of Man, near the town of Peel. A castle dominates the island; its ruins cover most of its small terrain.

SUNSET CITY

Peel and St. Patrick’s Isle are both well worth a visit. Peel is known as the Sunset City because of its spectacular evening skies. The town has quaint, narrow streets and during the day you can go on walks and enjoy the quiet, natural beauty of the surrounding countryside.

In the evenings Peel’s pubs play traditional music. The Isle of Man’s history goes back to Neolithic and Mesolithic times. Later the Celts gave it its language, Manx, and its dominant culture, though Irish monks came during the sixth and seventh centuries to convert the inhabitants to Christianity. You can still see the cells where the monks lived and meditated. St. Patrick’s Isle became popular as a refuge for the rich during the turbulent Dark ages.

THE VIKING CONNECTION

In the 9th century the Vikings made a series of attacks on the Island. 200 years later, they settled there and King Magnus Barelegs, built the first castle. It became a Viking royal residence and centre of government. King Magnus gave St. Patrick’s Isle to the Church in 1257.

During the Anglo-Scottish wars of that time, the island fell into Scottish and English hands, until eventually the English dominated. During the following centuries the importance of St. Patrick’s Isle diminished. Today the walls of the castle protect only the ruins of St. Patrick’s Church, the Round Tower and the Cathedral. Yet the island is still important because of many recent archaeological discoveries. One unexpected find was a human flea from 450 BC. This was a big surprise because, until then, experts believed the flea arrived in Britain with the Romans about 500 years later.

Glossary

Sunset City: Cidade do Pôr-do-Sol

Quaint, narrow streets: Pictorescas ruas estreitas

Monks: Monges

To settle: Estabelecer-se

Barelegs: literalmente: Pernas nuas

Eventually: Por fim

Flea: Pulga.

BC. Before Christ