“Way back in the olden days…” well, back in 2009, anyway, I admitted to being Irish and I shared a bit of the Irish legend and the shenanigans our family occasionally pursues to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The latter involve things like green-tinted milk and green cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches in school lunch boxes, green oatmeal porridge in the morning and perhaps even green mashed potatoes with green beans at dinner time. I’ve about outgrown that silliness, although on second thought, I made green cupcakes last year.
In honour of the day, I’ve brought back that blog post. I hope you enjoy it. No writing application today, just a Happy St. Patrick’s Day wish for everyone.
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‘Tis St. Patrick’s Day and I admit to wearing green. I could just as appropriately have chosen blue, mind you, as blue was the colour associated with Ireland until the mid-1700s. And non-Catholics might well choose orange. So why does green appear everywhere today?
Legend has it that St. Patrick chose a shamrock to help explain the concept of the Trinity to the pre-Christian Irish people. As the habit of tucking a shamrock into one’s hatband became a common sign of either Irish nationalism or loyalty to the Roman Catholic faith, references to “the wearin’ o’ the green” began popping up. Trust the rest of the world to go overboard with turning all things green on March 17th. Even the Chicago River is green today.
We do get carried away, in both sacred and secular circles, as we celebrate the feast day of St. Patrick. But it’s a wonderful excuse to share a bit o’ Blarney with friends. However I draw the line at hoisting a pint of green beer or stout. Just thinking about it makes me feel a little green around the gills!
Go n-eírí an bóthar leat.
(May the road rise with you.)
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I’ll be darned; thot yesterday was Paddy’s day…(but that’s how it goes around here). And oddly I put on an orange t-shirt this a.m., didn’t know it had any meaning, until I read your blog. Ted’s grandmother, on his dad’s side, was Irish, a Kirtpatrick.
Yes, today is the 17th… but there were St. Paddy’s Day parades in various places over the weekend, so it has apparently stretched into a weekend celebration this year.
I’m Irish by family roots — the McGuires originated in County Fermanagh where the Gaelic version of our name was Mag Uidhir! :)
I wore green scrubs to work last night. :)
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, Mom. Thanks for the green-milk memories.
Glad to hear you dressed appropriately. ;)
Wen I was a child I thought they were saying Saint Patty’s Day. I made a point to always be nice to Pattys on that day. LOL. Hey, I thought they were also saying Girl Cheese Sandwiches. Good ears, just weird kid.
Joylene, you always make me giggle! I’m going to tell DH that the next time we have Girl Cheese Sandwiches they’re all for me!