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Welcome to the Irish Culture & Customs newsletter which is published every week or so and sent out to more than 3200 readers all over the world. You are receiving this newsletter because you signed up for it - God Bless you! If you'd like to read past issues, they are archived at:
http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/pubarchive.php?Herself
If, for any reason, you wish to unsubscribe, instructions are at the end -
but we do hope you'll stay with us.
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Lá fhéile Pádraig shona daoibh!
This is the second time in our brief History that we are sending out a special St.Patrick's Day missive. Last year, Bridget's Close brush with meeting her maker was very fresh in our minds. It still is. Which means we now greet each holiday with much greater gratitude and joy than we ever did before.
Miracles do happen - and we hope that if you're in need of one, you'll say a prayer to our patron saint today. As the old superstition goes, any prayer said to St. patrick on his feast day will be granted. May it be so for you and yours.
God willing, we hope this little extra edition finds you in fine fettle, as fit as a fiddle and ready to celebrate. And we promise not to keep you long from your pints. This is really just a thinly veiled excuse to share Irish
news, links and other entertainment related to St. patrick's Day!
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IN THIS ISSUE:
News
From the mailbag
Links
Quips, quotes, proverbs & toasts
A bit of the wit
Joke of The Week
Did You Know
Riddle - for the wee 'uns
What's New
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NEWS FROM IRELAND
Weather: Keep the winter woolies close to hand, the cold is snapping back. Meteorologists have warned that the cold weather which hit the country two weeks ago will return, with temperatures plummeting on St Patrick's Day. Met Eireann predicts that very cold conditions will develop today and will continue through to Saturday morning.
Parades: After decades of playing second fiddle to places like New York and Chicago, Dublin now hosts the biggest St. Patrick's Day celebration in the world -the St. Patrick's Festival - with a five day street party that runs from March 15th to March 20th. Close to half a million people are expected to watch the parade which we just finished viewing ourselves. What a thrill it was.
NEWS FROM ALL OVER
Washington D.C. As they have done for nearly 30 years, the John F. Kennedy Division of the AOH from Prince George's County will place a wreath near the eternal flame at the grave of President John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. This annual tribute is given to the only U.S. President who was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
Washington D.C. Shamrocks for George Washington's adopted grandson
Fresh shamrocks from the Irish Embassy will be placed at the grave of President George Washington's adopted grandson, George Washington Parke Custis. Custis, father in law of Robert E. Lee, was a leading advocate of Irish freedom in the early part of the 19th century. He was very actively involved in Irish American affairs in Washington, DC before his death in 1847. Before he died, he wished aloud that someday an Irishman would come by and place a shamrock on his grave and say, "God bless him." The Hibernians in the Nation's Capital have been fulfilling his wish ever since.
"What are you doing St. Patrick's Day?
That's what the irish Emugrant asked people all over the world. Read what's happening in faraway places:
http://www.emigrant.ie/article.asp?iCategoryID=189&iArticleID=53342
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FROM THE MAILBAG:
We have received literally hundreds of St. patrick's Day Cards. We probably won't be able to answer each one indivudually. So here's the next best thing: we have created a card for you on Irish Corner. Please click here to view it - and we hope you like it!
http://www.irishcorner.com/epickup.php?card_id=r441ac7275a665
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LINKS
LYRICS AND MELODIES FOR ALL OUR FAVORITE SONGS
Heading for the pub and can't remember the words when they start singing? Rescue is at hand:
http://www.briansbelly.com/featured/stpatrick/stpat5.shtml
Catch up on all the latest news about St. Patrick's Day in Ireland
http://www.ireland.com/events/st.patricks/
ST. PATRICK SCREEN-SAVERS
plus pictures to color and more can be found here:
http://www.ireland-information.com/saintpatricksday.htm
FREE St. Patrick e-cards from Dublin Tourism:
http://www.visitdublin.com/postcards/
FREE St. patrick e-cards from Irish Corner
http://www.irishcorner.com
ST. PATRICK 7 THE HILL OF SLANE:
In the Fifth century A.D. Saint Patrick came to the Hill of Slane in County Meath in an early on attempt to convert pagan Ireland to Christianity. On the eve of the Christian feast of Easter, 433 A.D., St. Patrick lit a bonfire upon the Hill of Slane. The face of the land of Ireland has never been the same since. Turn your sound up as this Song called Slane is beautiful.
http://www.irishpage.com/songs/slane.htm
PARADES CENTRAL:
More than 100 parades listed at http://www.thewildgeese.com/pages/parades.html
SEEKING CORRESPONDENTS / PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR LOCAL ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADES All who send on a brief (75-150 words) report and/or photos from one of this year's parades by midnight, Wednesday, March 22, will be entered into a raffle to win prizes. (Don't forget to include your name and phone number in your
e-mail.). to enter, please click
http://www.thewildgeese.com/pages/parades.html
AN ALL-TIME FAVORITE E CARD
We've sent it out many times in previous years - now it's your turn to please your family and friends with one of the best Irish cards we've ever seen - or heard!
====================================================== SPONSOR:
Please help keep our web site free and visit our good friends at Lollysmith!
St. Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland, is remembered every year on March 17th, the national feast day of Ireland. As part of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations parades and parties are held around the world. To help celebrate the day we've got some great gifts for friends and family; and a few for yourself as well...
Happy Saint Patrick's Day! In Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit . Pronounced: La ale-lah pwad-rig son-ah dwitch
http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?lollysmith+wSpfhS+index.html
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QUIPS, QUOTES, PROVERBS & TOASTS
You've heard of St. Denis of France,
He never had much for to brag on.
You've heard of St. George and his lance,
Who killed old heathenish dragon.
The Saints of the Welshmen and Scot
Are a couple of pitiful pipers,
And might just as well go to pot
When compared to the patron of vipers:
St. Patrick of Ireland, my dear.
Parody attributed to William Maginn
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BIT OF THE WIT
They invented the three-day Irish bank holiday weekend because you can't lump all the bad weather into just Saturday and Sunday.
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OUR FAVORITE JOKE OF THE WEEK
Then there's the Irishman on the construction site who was asked if he knows the difference between a joist and a girder. "Well, sure anyone would know that," he replies. "Joist wrote Ulysses and Girder wrote Faust."
AND ONE MORE - EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT REALLY A JOKE:
Still a bit 'moppy' after all the celebrating?
The meaning of 'moppy'? "Here are a few synonyms: jarred, fluthered, plasthered, elephants, fluthery-eyed, spiflicated, mouldy, maggoty, full to the brim, footless, spaychless, scattered, well-on, cross-eyed, muzzy, sozzled, bat-eyed, and having quantum sufficio. In other words, under the influence of intoxicating liquor." Edited and adapted from The Best of Myles by Flann O'Brien.
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DID YOU KNOW
1. The Taoiseach has presented the US President with a bowl of Shamrock on every Saint Patrick's day since 1980?
2. It wasn't until 1903 that St. Patrick's Day became an Irish bank holiday?
3. St. Patrick could manipulate the winds to his advantage? It was Patrick's custom to go abroad on his own feast day. He had a particular pastoral interest, it seems, in parts of Scotland, and would depart for the Hebrides on the morning of the 17th. To make the journey easier, he always arranged for a following southerly wind in the forenoon, but later changed the wind to a northerly direction to facilitate his return journey - a sequence, it is said, which persists until this very day. No doubt, if he had a mind to do it, the saint could also arrange for the wind to be green in colour for all or part of this, his special day.*
*Source: Irish Times article by Brendan McWilliams
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RIDDLE
This one is for the wee ones:
Q: Why did St. Patrick drive the snakes out of Ireland?
A: Because he couldn't afford the airfare!
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WHAT'S NEW
1. The President's Message 2006
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/StPatSpeech67.html
2. Ireland's favourite Dubliner to lead St. Patrick's Festival
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/StPatFest06.html
LINKS TO ST. PATRICK'S TOPICS
1. Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Old Ireland
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/StPatsDay.html
2. St. Patrick's Lorica
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poetry/StPatrick.html
3. O'Reilly introduces the Russians to a St. Patrick's Day Parade
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AMisc/ReillyinRussia.html
4. St. Patrick: From Slave to Saint
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/1Home.html
5. Fooling St. Patrick
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/Maughold.html
6. Your St. Patrick's Day Party - Oirish or irish?
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/StPat_Party.html
There are quite a few more. Just check out the calendar portion of the index.
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So there you have it for another St. Patrick's Day. Until we write again, may the good Shepherd of us all keep you and yours from all harm and may St. Patrick smile upon you. We hope you have a wonderful time today and this weekend, but fair warning - don't party 'til you're green or "eat drink and be heavy!" (Bridget's having that last one made into a magnet to put on the fridge!)
As they say in Ireland, mind yourself & Slan agus beannacht!
Bridget & Russ
Get down on your knees and thank God you're still on your feet
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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
St. Patrick's Birthday
On the eighth day of March it was, some people say,
That Saint Patrick at midnight first saw the day.
While others declare 'twas the ninth he was born,
And 'twas all a mistake between midnight and morn;
For mistakes will occur in a hurry and shock,
and some blam'd the babby-and some blam'd the clock-
Till with all their cross questions sure no one could know
If the child was too fast-or the clock was too slow.
Now the first faction fight in old Ireland, they say,
Was all on account of Saint Patrick's birthday.
Some fought for the eighth-for the ninth more would die,
And who wouldn't see right, sure they blacken'd his eye!
At last both the factions so positive grew,
That each kept a birthday, so Pat then had two.
Till Father Mulcahy, who confessed them their sins,
Said, "Ye can't have two birthdays, unless ye be twins."
Says he, "Don't be fightin' for eight or for nine,
Don't be always dividin'-but sometimes combine;
Combine eight with nine, and seventeen is the mark,
So let that be his birthday." "Amen," says the clerk.
"If he wasn't a twins, sure our hist'ry will show
That, at least, he is worth any two saints that we know!"
Then they all drowned the shamrock-which completed their bliss,
And we keep up the practice from that day to this.
(Edited and adapted from Dick's Irish Dialect Recitations, Wm. B. Dick, Editor, New York, Dick & Fitzgerald, Publisher, 1879)
