We hope this edition finds you in good health, good spirits and good company! As for ourselves, the daffs are up, the geese are on the pond and  there are buds on the Bradford pear - dare we say spring has sprung? Here in our Ohio Valley, we’ve had snow on St Patrick’s Day, so we don’t want to talk too soon!

 

Did you watch the Oscars?   We were a wee bit disappointed the Irish didn’t do better - especially with nine nominations, but we were very happy that Benjamin Cleary took home the Best Short Film award for his movie Stutterer. Congratulations to him - and to all the Irish nominees - it’s an honour in itself to be nominated and Ireland had more of them than any other country.  

 

We’re not certain, but this may be the first newsletter we’ve sent out on February 29th - the one day that a woman may ask a man to marry her.  Although there is no historic proof, it’s said that the custom began when  St. Brigid of Kildare complained to St. Patrick that women had to wait far too long for men to propose, so Patrick decreed that  women could do the asking on February 29 - once every four years.  St Brigid is then said to have dropped to one knee and proposed to St Patrick. Declining, he  kissed her gently  on the cheek and to soften the blow  he gave her a silk gown. It’s a lovely story with not much truth in it, since St Brigid was only nine when St Patrick died! 

 

Ireland, the UK and Nigeria  celebrate what was once known as Mothering Sunday on the fourth Sunday of Lent which this year  is March 6th; so, to all the Mams, Mammys and Mums out there:

Pronunciation: law ay-leh on waw-hirr fwee hun-ah gwitch 

It’s that time of year  when we reluctantly ask for  a small donation to help us meet our out of pocket expenses. And this time around, instead of sending out a small trinket,  for every dollar you donate,  your name will be entered in a drawing for a book or CD, including J F Fadely’s newest book - “Chickens in the Garden and Wellies at the Door.” It’s a delightful memoir of an American living in Co Kerry and the author has graciously agreed to donate a copy to our fund-raising drive. So, if you enjoy visiting  the web site and reading  this newsletter, please let is know by sending your contribution to either our account on PayPal:

 

http//www.paypal.com

Our account there is:

 bhaggerty@irishcultureandcustoms.com

 

Or our snail mail address which is

5814 Blue Spruce

Cincinnati OH 45224

 

Many thanks in advance. Your gift will go a long way to keeping  the newsletter coming and the web site growing. 

 

Is this your first issue? Many thanks for joining us and we hope you enjoy our musings and meanderings. If you do, please feel free to share them with your family and friends.  And enourage them to sign up for their own copy  - the more of us  the merrier!

It has been very frustrating for Himself trying to fix the problem. But he’s going to keep at it  and we hope we’ll have good news to report in the next issue. 

 

Enough of the blitherin’ - on with the update!

 

 

 

 

Easter is coming and that means one thing in Ireland: the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising! There are many stories of bravery and sadness, but for Tony Penston of  TP Publications, the most poignant event was the wedding of Joseph Mary Plunkett and Grace Gifford in Kilmainham Gaol the night before he was executed. So Tony commissioned for his History Book a sketch of the event. Now you can purchase the artwork in poster form  (16 X 12 in). This is a perfect, exclusive gift for anyone interested in Irish history! For complete details, please email Tony at info@tppublications.com 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4R7E4mNX5E

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-kvto8XYNU

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL5xIkDOM4c

 

With thanks to our good friend Joe McTiernan who shared this link featuring a Welsh boys choir on Britain’s Got Talent. Their performance moved us to tears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AARrVAHnkdY 

 

We’ve heard many versions of this old Irish tune and this one is up there with the best of them. This is from their new CD Invisible Stars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxjvNUNXhkU

To hear all the songs, please click  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RDVmTNCeQA&list=PLECCpfixyqVt6VC_S0nNfgINUB8c9AgNl

 

The Library of Trinity College Dublin has just announced that the Book of Kells in its entirety is now viewable in the Library’s new Digital Collections online repository,

http://www.tcd.ie/Library/news/2013/03/book-of-kells-now-free-to-view-online/

 

She's our favorite Irish mammy and if you like her as much as we do, you will want to find out how you can buy a 12-disc box set that's playable in the USA & Canada.

http://www.mrsbrownsboysonline.com

 

Most days, we try to post something of interest about Ireland and the Irish. Have you visited yet? {please stop by - and “Like: us if you haven’t already. Thank you!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Irish-Culture-and-Customs/327211532200?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

 

 

SPONSOR: Please visit our good friends, Lollysmith

They have combined sale items from throughout their shop on to one page for your convenience. You may also find them each under their usual categories throughout the shop. Save on gifts from Irish, Celtic, Angels, Books, Dolls, Mugs, Wedding, Figurines to gifts for Family, Mom and Dad, Grandparents and more! So shop today - As one very happy customer wrote: thank you for the beautiful gift wrapping that you did...couldn't have done it nicer myself. See what that customer is talking about here: 

http://www.lollysmith.com/

 

 

 

Irish saying:

 

Herself's Dublin born  mother would say to a dawdling Bridget on a Sunday morning

“You’ll be so late going to Mass you'll meet yerself coming back!” And when the family would badger her about what was for tea, she always said : "A run around the table and a duck underneath.”

 

Dear Lena O’Flaherty, , you are so missed by all who knew and loved you. RIP 

 

Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother. The first said, "I built a big house for our mother.  "The second said," I sent her a BMW with a driver." The third smiled and said, "I've got you, both beat. You know how Mom enjoys the Bible, and you know she can't see very well. I sent her a parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took 20 monks in an Irish monastery 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000.00 a year for 10 years, but it was worth it. Mom just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot will recite it."

Soon thereafter, Mom sent out her letters of thanks: " "Seamus,” she wrote the first son, "the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house." "Sean," she wrote to another, "I am too old to travel. I stay home all the time, so I never use the BMW. And the driver is so rude!" "Dearest Donal," she wrote to her third son, "You were the only son to have the good sense to know what your mother likes. That chicken was delicious."

1. Two signers of the American Declaration of Independence, William Whipple and John Hancock had Irish mothers?

 

2. General de Gaulle's maternal ancestors were McCartans from Co. Down?

 

3. US President Andrew Jackson's mother was from Carrickfergus?

 

 SPONSOR: Please visit our good friends at the  Irish Lottery

In operation since 1988, it's one of the oldest online sites in the world. With subscribers in 89 countries it is also among the most reliable. Jackpots are never lower than US $1,500,000 and are frequently worth in excess of US$5,000,000 Here's the best part - you don't have to live in Ireland to play and all winnings are Tax Free! Play from the comfort of home here:

http://www.irishlotto.net/AD300/

 

 

First off, the answer to our last Skull Scrambler:

 

Q. A king, a queen and two twins all lie in a large room.  How is it there are no adults in the room?

 

A. It’s a furniture showroom with different size beds

 

As always , this poser presented no problem for our clever Riddle People. We were swamped with correct solutions, but first in was  Ed Hamilton. Well done, Ed!  And now for our next Brain Bruiser:

 

Q. Golden treasures I contain, guarded by hundreds and thousands. Stored in a labyrinth where no man walks, yet men come often to seize my gold. By smoke I am overcome and robbed, then left to build my treasure anew. What am I? 

 

Please send your answers to Bridget:

bhaggerty@irishcultureandcustoms.com

And it t would be helpful if you put Riddle in the subject line. Thanks!

 

 

 SPONSOR: Please visit our friends at the Celtic Attic 

Are you ready for St. Patrick's Day?  We are!   We would like to invite you to shop online - we have lots of new items available for your St. Patrick's day party or gift giving.   Use our code tenp to take 10% off your order and we will give you a free gift as well with each and every order placed between today and March 17th. Also, we are giving away a Celtic Spring Basket. You only need to enter once and you are automatically entered in this contest as well as our normal monthly contest for 2 Irish Pendants

http://www.celticattic.com/contact_us/free_giveaway

For phone Orders, please call: (360) 531-1107 10am to 5pm PST Week Days

 

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACustom/Craic.html 

 

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/MothersDay.html

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/MothersPoems.html

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AEmblem/Shamrock.html

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poetry/ThomasMoore.html

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/rBreakfast.html#Tea

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/3Focloir/Lessons8.html#Gael32

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/Changling.html

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Libr/zMothersSongs.html 

 

Each morning, we scan the Irish papers and other sources for links to news we think you will enjoy reading about. We purposely avoid murder, mayhem and politics (except when it’s a general election!)

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/01News/Home.html

 

We have combed the internet to find reliable sources for authentic Irish merchandise. Here you will find the ones we like best.

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Shop/1Shop2.html

 

So there you have it until we write again . Pinch, Punch, First Day of the Month, White Rabbit! And if you are celebrating  a birthday, anniversary or other joyous occasion in March, we hope and pray it’s a time filled with happiness, merriment and mirth.

 

Were you married in February?  Here’s  your special verse:

 

tied the knot in March or planning to? Here’s your special verse: 

 

 

As always, we will take our leave with an old Irish blessing :

Slan agus beannacht, 

 

 

Bridget & Russ

Téigh ar do ghlúine is bí buíoch le Dia go bhfuil tú fós ar do chosa

 

 

 

This one has been around for a long time, but we think it’s well worth another read. We hope you agree:

 

 

Four Irish  mothers are having a cup of tea and chatting about how important their sons  are.

The 1st  mother says, "My son is a priest. When he walks into a room people say, 'Father'"

The 2nd  mother says, "My son is a bishop. When he walks into a room people say, 'Your Grace'"

The 3rd  mother says, "Well, not to boast , but MY son is a cardinal, when HE walks into a room, people say, 'Your Eminence'"

The three mothers look at the 4th mother and say, "Well?"

The 4th  mother says, "My son is a 6' 3”, hard bodied, Chippendale  stripper. When HE walks into a room, people say, 'OH MY GOD!!!'"