The Cottage is open every Saturday from 12 – 5 p.m. and every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Enjoy a cup of tea and soda bread by our hearth and be transported to the Emerald Isle. Relax and enjoy the traditional Irish dance music or sing along with your favorit Irish ballads. There may be Irish dancers about, feel free to join in if your feet get jumpy.

Irish Dancing
Since Riverdance opened in 1994, Irish dancing has thrilled and interested the world, from Europe to the U.S. and into Australia and Asia. Irish dance studios are available around the world. San Diego is host to several for adults and children. Please ask at the cottage for the nearest studio.

Weekly Activities
Irish Music Class Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
Irish Language Class Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Saturday Schedule
1st Saturday Celtic Crafts
2nd Saturday Knitting
4th Saturday O'Carolan Music Session

Irish Music Session Every Saturday, 3 - 5 p.m.

Sunday Schedule
1st Sunday Open Music Session
2nd Sunday Singing
3rd Sunday Open Music Session
4th Sunday Singing
5th Sunday Advanced Music Session

Yearly Events
March St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March St. Patrick’s Day Lawn Program
May International Food Fair
September Hidden Valley Feis
December International Christmas Festival / December Nights

Children participate in many programs and events related to the Irish culture such as language, music and dancing.

Ireland is made up of 32 counties, 6 in the north and 26 in the south. Dublin is the capital of the south and Belfast in the north. On 6 December, 1921, Eire (southern Ireland) obtained independence from Great Britain. The north counties stayed with Britain. Reunification is currently in negotiation.

Irish Contributions
There are many Irish people and their descendants who have contributed their talents to society. The following names and contributions are but a few:

Music: The Chieftans, Enya, Clannad, U2, The Corrs, Sinead O’Connor, Phil Couter, James Galway, Frank Patterson

Film: Angela’s Ashes, Michael Collins, War of the Buttons, Ryan’s Daughter, Circle of Friends, The Quiet Man, In America, Waking Ned Devine

Writers: Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, W.B. Yeats, John Synge, Maeve Binchey, James Joyce, Patrick Kavanagh, Frank McCourt

Sports: Eamon Coughlin and Sonja O’Sullivan (runners), Jack Dempsey and John O’Sullivan (boxers), Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly (cyclists), Mary Peters (track and field)

Crafts: Crystal (Waterford, Tipperary, Galway, Tyrone), Pottery (Belleek, Royal Tara, Irish Hammersley), Aran Sweaters (used in Titanic), Donegal Tweed, Irish Tweeds, Irish Linens (plain and Damask), Irish Wools (Báinín)

The House of Ireland will be working to broaden its outreach to the greater San Diego Irish community.  Over the past year we have developed a relationship with the Irish Congress of Southern California and look forward to another great year of bring San Diego's Irish community together.  We will also continue our outreach to the Irish youth in San Diego by working closely to nurture the San Diego Youth Gaelic Football Association, San Diego's many schools of Irish dance and much, much more! 

Please plan to join us as we work toward a strong future together with our family of International Houses in the HPR.

Land Area: 70,280 sq km                              
Population:  4,109,086 (July 2007 est.)
Capital City: Dublin                                        
Language:  English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Religion:  Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)
Form of Government: republic, parliamentary democracy
Economy: Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 6% in 1995-2006. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is 40% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg.
Export: machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products

Source: The World Factbook - Ireland