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Welcome to the Irish Culture & Customs newsletter which is published every Saturday and sent out to nearly 1100 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:
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Greetings & Blessings to Everyone,
So, here we are then - not exactly the usual week that was. It began well enough for us on St. Patrick's Day with a lovely, albeit cliché, dinner of corned beef and cabbage shared with family. We hope your celebration was as much fun as ours was, (although we don't wish upon you the headache Bridget woke up to the next morning. As usual, she gave up wine for Lent, but followed the Irish custom of drowning the shamrock.) Perhaps she should have tried one old traditional Irish cure for a hangover which was being buried up to the neck in moist river sand!
From all accounts, it would appear that our patron saint smiled on most of the parades. Even in Ireland, the weather was grand. Dafs blooming, sun shining, people most definitely in the mood to cast off old man winter and welcome spring.
But then, the mood turned somber and has remained that way. We normally avoid any references to politics and world affairs mostly because we don't think we have the knowledge to make any comments that are either credible or intelligent. All eyes and ears, including ours, have been glued to the TVset. Are we any more enlightened? Hard to say. As the old saying goes, truth is the first casualty of war. We have no idea how this will all turn out - but, as with most people, we're praying for the best. And we share the hope of families everywhere that their sons and daughters will return home, unharmed.
Between watching the constant news reports and reading the papers, we didn't accomplish much on the web site this week. But we are happy to report that nearly 4,000 people visited us on St. Patrick's Day and we surpassed a million hits for the month. As might be expected, our stats have dropped dramatically since then, but you can help keep our numbers healthy by paying a daily visit to read the news or the history. With almost 1100 subscribers, that would really be a boost to our numbers - which will make us look very attractive to advertisers. Wouldn't it be a feather in the cap if we could attract an Aer Lingus?
The week also saw another surge in subscribers - thank you so much for signing up - and please do spread the word by forwarding this newsletter to your family and friends. By the way, we're puzzled because we still haven't heard from our 1000th subscriber. A lovely deck of cards from Ireland awaits your response.
With that, a warm welcome back to all of you. We hope this week's edition will provide a bit of a pleasant distraction from current events.
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FTD Florists. We are happy to feature this very familiar advertiser- and just in time for Mothering Sunday in Ireland - March 30th. Click here to view their spring collection. If nothing else, just looking at the flowers should lift your spirits!
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IN THIS ISSUE:
A Bit of The Wit
Joke of The Week
Did You Know?
Quotes & Quips
Know Your Irish Writers & Books?
New This Week
The Week Ahead
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A BIT O' THE WIT
Spike Milligan was asked if anything was worn under the kilt. Always quick with a comeback, Spike responded "No, it's all in perfect working order."
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OUR FAVORITE JOKE OF THE WEEK
Miss O'Leary, our lovely little old spinster from Leitrim makes a return visit this week. After Mass one Sunday, she went up to the priest and said, "I have to tell you Father, your sermons are a wonder to behold. Sure we didn't know what sin was till you came to the parish!"
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DID YOU KNOW...
1. "When Johnny Came Marching Home," the famous American Civil War tune, was written by Sarsfield Gilmore who was born in Co. Dublin in 1829?
2. Robert Barton of Co. Fermanagh composed the unofficial anthem of Australia, "Waltzing Matilda?"
3. The lyrics to "Danny Boy" were written by an Englishman? His name was Frederic Edward Weatherly and he also wrote the lyrics to the popular WWI song, Roses of Picardy.
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QUIPS, QUOTES & ANECDOTES - PROVERBS & TOASTS, TOO
A study in the Washington Post says that women have better verbal skills than men. I just want to say to the authors of that study: "Duh." Conan O'Brien
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KNOW YOUR IRISH WRITERS & BOOKS?
The answers to last week's quiz:
1. The Definitive St. Patrick's Day Festivity Book - Michael James Fallon
2. St. Patrick's Day With Mayor Daley and Other Things Too Good To Miss - Eugene C. Kennedy
3. St. Patrick's Daughter - Margaret Mulvihill
A salute to this week's literary sleuths:
Ellen Parodi
Namely Gifts at http://namelygifts.com
Personalized Name Keepsakes and Gifts
Our Everyday Heroes http://namelygifts.com/OtherIdeas%20Heroes.htm
Judy Ritter
http://www.white-works.com
Dallas Franklin - http://sellwritingonline.com/
Discover how You can sell your writing online. Check it out and see why Dallas was voted Best Publication Editor of 2002 for her SWO Newsletter!
Helen Dowd
Visit my website at: http://occupytillicome.online-ministries.com/ for stories, quizzes, poetry, Bible studies, and more. Easy, relaxing reading for the whole family.
Hartson Dowd
Da fheabhas e an t-ol is e an tart a dheiread - Good as drink is, it ends in thirst
Sign-up for your free daily inspirational Gaelic proverb. Drop us a line at feedback@ireland.org
Deirdre McKiernan-Hetzler
Who has the longest continuously running tour from the States to Ireland? According to Terry Flynn Tours of Ireland it's the McKiernans of Irish Books &
Media:
http://www.irishbook.com/tours.htm
Judy Skapik
Tim Flanagan
Anything and everything you want to know.
http://www.irishsetter.org.uk/
This week's quiz - who wrote:
1. Dancer
2. Newgrange and the Bend of the Boyne
3. Rory and Ita
Hint: They're all best-sellers in Ireland and all three titles can be found on amazon - please click here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385418493/qid%3D1041089301/sr%3D2-2/irishcultucus-20
Send us the correct answers to two out of three and the rewards are:
1. If you have a web site, send us your URL plus a short description and we'll publish it in the next newsletter. If you don't have a web site, please nominate a favorite. Also, please remember that we list our sleuths in the order of entries received.
2. Receive a correct entry into the current "So You Think You're Irish" trivia contest. (In fairness to those of you who go to the trouble of actually finding the answers to the trivia contest, you'll get a bonus entry!)
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HOME PAGE - NEW OR REPUBLISHED FROM OUR INDEX THIS PAST WEEK:
To visit our Home Page, please click: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com
1. Mothering Sunday in Ireland
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/MothersDay.html
2. April Fools Day
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/AprilFools.html
3. Aran Isle Sweaters
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AEmblem/Sweaters.html
4. The Irish Kitchen: Recipes for a Tea Party will be published over the weekend
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/1Home.html
5. The Library: Just added this week, Margaret Johnson's latest cookbook - The New Irish Table. She has long been a favorite of ours and this new book looks to be among the best so far. It's featured on the home page in the right-hand margin
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/
6. Circle of Prayer: Our sixth Novena in this cycle began on March 21 and continues through March 29. Now, more than ever, we need the power of prayer in our lives. If you would like to join us in daily prayer or meditation, please click:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Blessings/CirclePrayer.html
7. Think You're Irish? Just a week or so left to try your hand at this month's contest.
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/TriviaContest.html
All entries must be in by midnight, EST on March 31.
NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING:
It does seem as if we're always coming from behind. But, now that St. Patrick's Day is over (and Bridget won't be indulging in the Chardonnay until Easter), we'll be making an effort to catch up. Regular features such as news, history, blessing and quote will be posted as usual, and this is the week we'll also be doing a new basic Irish lesson. In addition, look for a new recipe from Hartson - hopefully before next Saturday's newsletter goes out!
So, except to say Happy Spring, that about wraps it up. By the way, did the swallows return to Capistrano? We didn't see anything on the news about it and we know they're supposed to come back on St. Joseph's Day - March 19th, Perhaps one of you would be kind enough to let us know? Thanks! And one more thing, before we forget - we received an email from Eileen O'Duill in Dublin who asked us to mention that the new Irish heritage and genealogy web site which debuted on St. Patrick's Day is offering 500 lucky contestants the chance to have a search done for their Irish ancestor. If you're interested, the URL is
http://www.bushmillsheritage.com
Until next time, may you and yours be wrapped in the mantle of God's love and protection and, as they say in Ireland, mind yourself.
All the best,
Bridget & Russ
Get down on your knees and thank God you're still on your feet
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