It is that time of year when we apply our fresh coat of green and go forth to proclaim our heritage to the world. Here are some ways you can make the experience even better.
1. Grab a glass of Guinness or a fifth of Jameson and sit down with “The Quiet Man” the best Irish American movie ever made
2. Read “How the Irish saved Civilization” by Thomas Cahill, the perfect introduction to the incredible impact of the Irish worldwide
3. Slap on a CD of “Riverdance” or ”Lord of the Dance” and enjoy one of Ireland’s greatest cultural gifts to the world.
4. March in a parade and glory in the memory of those millions who marched before and made it possible for such Irish pride to endure
5. Take your wife or beloved out to an Irish pub with music and craic and soak in the unique atmosphere – Guinness and Jameson also helps the heart relax.
6. Read some poetry by William Butler Yeats, perhaps the world’s great poet. I heartily recommend “The Song of Wandering Aengus ‘or “Easter 1916.”
7. Go to the 1901 or 1911 Irish census online and see if you can trace loved ones before they left for America. Equally Griffith’s Valuations goes right back to the famine
8. Guinness stew or corned beef and cabbage makes it feel like a very special Irish day.
9. Faith of our fathers. Attend a mass and reconnect with those generations before you who placed religion at the very center of their lives.
10. If you are up for it read “The Great Hunger” By Cecil Woodham Smith, the definitive work on The Great Famine. You will understand the lives of your forefathers much better.
Do you have any other ideas on how to celebrate the day? Let us know.
16 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.mcphearson | Mar 15, 2012, 10:47 AM EDT
opening up the house to welcome guest as they come go, corned beef and lots of cabbage and potatoes, good old irish tunes, beer and of course whisky Slainte
teddybear | Mar 12, 2012, 07:27 PM EDT
Watch QVC and buy Irish products.
IrelandNorth | Mar 12, 2012, 08:48 AM EDT
Liomsa! Beidh me ag dul ar siul sa cnog Atha Cliath, i bhad o slua mheabhar. ciaranimhurcu(needexy)! Na bi cailin dana aris. Ar ball, ciara! An bhuil tu Ciara Ni Mhurcu as Bre, Belgard no Cill Bharrog. Bhi me ag feachaint sa leabhar guthan. No an bhuil to aon Ciara Ni Mhurcu's are leabhar aighe?
doyathink | Mar 10, 2012, 12:49 PM EST
I'm not native Irish, but am an Irish American who has enormous pride in my grandfather's cultural, literary and, yes, survival heritage - and food. So St. Patrick's Day afternoon, I'm having a come and go version of afternoon tea for folks on my block. There will be brown bread sandwiches, sweet scones, the soda bread with raisins Darina Allen calls Spotted Dog, and some other "treats" from her recipe book on traditional Irish cooking, and of course Barry's tea. It's not often St. Patrick's day comes on Saturday, and this gives me a chance to share with friends the truly good food of Ireland, not what usually passes for it here in the States.
ciaradexy | Mar 10, 2012, 09:01 AM EST
Sure why dont you all just drink till you puke! That would be great craic!
sirpeter | Mar 09, 2012, 06:12 PM EST
Barry's Tea and Viagra.A perk me up in the morning and a perk me up at night.Great Cork inventions.Makes the invention of the wheel kinda dull in comparison.
numberonejoshfa | Mar 09, 2012, 03:45 PM EST
See the greening of the canal in Indianapolis, watch the parade, check out QVC's St. Pat's special, and watch Irish videos all day, till midnight:Darby O'Gill and the Little People, Quiet Man, Finian's Rainbow, Luck of the Irish, Riverdance, and Celtic Thunder dvds, all of them!! And eat green!!!
OrenTruitt | Mar 09, 2012, 03:23 PM EST
Listen to The Clancy Brothers, watch 'Michael Collins', have a fine meal of Irish stew, soda bread and Guinness, say a prayer of rememberance and thanksgiving. My favorite movie made in Ireland is 'The Rising of the Moon' directed by John Ford. Unfortunately not commercially available on vhs or DVD.
RedBranch | Mar 09, 2012, 02:45 PM EST
Number 11: Stop with the excuses and come on over; experience the real thing! We're having a heatwave, nearly 60F today and the grass really is greener...
Searlit | Mar 09, 2012, 12:57 PM EST
I started early. I've been enjoying the Barry's tea & soda bread for the past few days. We have the whole month now to celebrate Irish Heritage. So, come on now! Celebrate! It's great to be Irish! I'm not sure who said that line, first. It was probably and Irish-American. :-)
GreyGoddess | Mar 09, 2012, 12:29 PM EST
Make a loaf of brown bread and a loaf of soda bread ~ better yet.. make two loaves of brown soda bread!
muirisobric | Mar 09, 2012, 11:16 AM EST
I start out with mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral every year Then a good breakfast, Then I march with Kerry and this year I hope to have my 6 month old Grandson with me. Then he & I, unbeknownst to his mother, will down a few pints, And we'll be happy out. Beannachtaí na Féile Phádraig. (The blessings of the feast of Patrick.) Binn ach tee. nuh Faile Faw drig.
Celtlaw | Mar 09, 2012, 11:09 AM EST
Enjoy the two-DVD collection of the Irish Tenors on an HDTV hooked up to a good sound system, while quaffing a Smithwicks or two. (After the second Smithwicks, you may become the fourth tenor!)
jamieLM | Mar 09, 2012, 10:41 AM EST
@irishosu, you sure have the right idea - spot on.
irishosu | Mar 09, 2012, 10:33 AM EST
Start the day with a cup of Barry's Tea, Irish soda bread with Kerrygold butter. Doesn't get much better than that.
like2tweet | Mar 09, 2012, 07:38 AM EST
How about on a pub crawl with old friends