Culture of Northern Ireland
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The Culture of Northern Ireland relates to the traditions of Northern Ireland and its resident communities.
Elements of the culture of Ireland and culture of the United Kingdom are to be found.
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Heritage
- Museums in Northern Ireland
- Historic houses in Northern Ireland
- Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland
- National parks of Northern Ireland
- Gardens in Northern Ireland
- Giant's Causeway
Food and drink
Music
Among traditional songs are The Sash and A Londonderry Air.
Media
- Ulster Television
- BBC Northern Ireland
- BBC Radio Ulster
- Belfast Telegraph
- The (Belfast) News Letter
- The Irish News
- East Belfast Observer
- Community Telegraph
- North Belfast News
- Belfast News
- Andersonstown News
Languages
There are two recognised regional languages in Northern Ireland: Irish language (see Irish language in Northern Ireland) and Ulster Scots language.
Chinese is now the second most widely spoken language in Northern Ireland, with Urdu also a significant minority language.
Sport
Some team sports are played on an all-Ireland basis, while in others Northern Ireland fields its own team. See Sport in Ireland
Arts
- Bogside Artists
- The Undertones
- The Town I Loved So Well
- Tom Paulin
- Seamus Heaney
- Stephen Rea
- Van Morrison
- Gary Moore
- James Galway
- C. S. Lewis
- Paul Muldoon
- Richard Rowley
- Frank Ormsby
- Flann O'Brien
- Louis MacNeice
- Liam Neeson
- Brian Friel
Symbolism and traditions
There is no longer an official Flag of Northern Ireland, as the 'Northern Ireland Flag' was abolished along with the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1972. Unionists tend to use the Union flag and sometimes the Northern Ireland Flag, while Nationalists typically use the Flag of Ireland. Both sides also occasionally use the flags of secular and religious organizations they belong to. Some groups, including the Irish Rugby Football Union have used the Flag of St. Patrick as a symbol of Ireland which lacks the same nationalist or unionist connotations, but this is felt by some to be a loyalist flag, because the flag was created by the British. No universally acceptable symbol has yet been found.
The flax flower, representing the linen industry, has been used as a neutral symbol - as for the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The Orange Order has less cultural power than formerly, and St. Patrick's Day is enjoyed by all communities.
Parades to mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne continue - sometimes in the face of opposition. The bowler hat is a symbol of Orangism.
The Apprentice Boys of Derry organise commemorative events.