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Welcome to the Irish Culture & Customs SPECIAL EASTER NESLETTER which is being sent to more than 3,300 readers all over the world. You are receiving this special edition because you signed up for our newsletters - 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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Greetings,
May the blessings of Easter be on you
Beannachtaí Ná Cásca ort (singular) or oraibh (plural)
Bann-akh-thee nah caw-skah urth (singular) or ur-iv (plural)
We have created a special card for you here - we do hope you enjoy the message - and the music!
http://www.americangreetings.com/view.pd?i=408465446&m=6019&rr=y&source=ag999
We'd also like to thank everyone who has sent us cards - they are a delight to receive as well as to give.
Meanwhile, we hope this special addition finds you as frisky as a new-born lamb and filled with that feeling of joy and renewal unique to this time of year.
It's a gorgeous morning in our valley, and, at least in these parts, the new Easter outfits won't have to be hidden under umbrellas and raincoats. Mother nature's spring finery is at her peak as well, with blooms and buds abounding everywhere. And the grass has that luminous look that always reminds us of Ireland. All in all, we're having a lovely start to the day and we certainly hope you are, too.
We did up the baskets for our children and grandchildren last night and they will be picked up this evening after we get back from our traditional dinner with a long-time friend Jane FitzGerald. We're anticipating the same mouth-watering menu as always and Bridget is particularly looking forward to a glass or two of Chardonnay. She gave it ip for Lent and except for a tipple or two on St. Patrick's Day, she has abstained since Ash Wednesday.
Onwards.
In our last newsletter, we mentioned that Herself was hatching an article on games children play at Easter in Ireland years ago. As it turns out, there really isn't enough material for an article, so herewith is the small bit about games.
In her childhood, egg-spoon racing was very popular - and there was always someone who tried to get away with using a hard-boiled egg! That was in England. Not so common there was the custom of egg-rolling or "trundling" which appears to have been the usual Irish diversion. The children rolled the eggs down a slope and if one child's egg collided with another and cracked it, the child who owned the uncracked egg took both. Somewhat like a traditional game of marbles. Curiously, in Northern Ireland, and according to Mason's Parochial Survey, this game was practised only by Presbyterians! if he's correct, this may point to an introduction from Scotland which is where most of Northern ireland's Presbyterians came from. So there you have it on the games!. However, there are plenty of other Easter customs to read about on the site including "How Many Egss Did You Eat"
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/1Home.html
Enough of the eggravatin' blather!
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Links of The Day
Quips, quotes, proverbs & toasts
A bit of the wit
Joke of The Day
Did You Know
Leave 'Em Laughing
LINKS OF THE DAY
Hartson & Helen sent us several most appropriate links - Go raibh maith agat!
http://www.spiritisup.com/crucifixionyc.html
http://www.nancysuemain.com/CardsHdayEasterFreshStarts.html
http://www.nancysuemain.com/CardsHdayEasterSpringtimeJoy.html
http://www.angelrays.com/Cards/star/easter/bunny.html
The Irish Page: Vivian & Jack have a comprehensive collection of Irish music to listen to, including the National Anthem:
http://www.irishpage.com/songs/fly-song.htm
Leo Byrne sent us the following last year - or may be it was the year before? In any event, we kept it and would like to share it with you again:
http://wandascountryhome.com/pinetrees/index.html
For the Children:
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/easter/games/jokes.html
More fun for the childrern:
http://www.bethanyroberts.com/EasterFun.htm
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QUOTE
"Now and in time to be,
Wherever green is worn,
Are changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born."
From W. B. Yeats' haunting poem, "Easter 1916,"
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SPONSOR
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If you missed out on your St. Patrick's Day shopping, don't worry, be happy! We have delightful Shamrock and Leprechaun gifts all year long! http://www.celticattic.com/treasures/home_decor/shamrocks_and_leprechauns.htm
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BIT OF THE WIT
Not really an Irish witticism, but one of our all-time favorite children's malaprops. This came form a book called Faith Hope Hilarity compiled by Dick Van Dyke.
Four year old Liam was asked to do the Grace before Easter Dinner:
"Bless us O Lord for these thy gifts which we are about to receive through thy bunny. Amen. __________________________________________________________
OUR FAVORITE JOKE OF THE WEEK
A businessman on his deathbed called his friend and said,"Bill, I want you to promise me that when I die, you will have my remains cremated.""And what," his friend asked, "do you want me to do with your ashes?" The businessman said, "Just put them in an envelope and mail them to the Internal Revenue Service. Write on the envelope, 'Now, you have everything.'"
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DID YOU KNOW
1. God Save Ireland was once the National Anthem?
The tricolour used in the 1916 Easter Rising was sold recently to an anonymous bidder for 600,000?
3. Today's 1916 commemorations in Dublin mark the first time a military parade has taken place in the capital in 35 years?
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So there you have it until our regular issue next week.
We hope and pray everyone enjoys a safe and happy holiday weekend and 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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IF A LOT OF PEOPLE GIVE A LITTLE, A LITTLE WILL BECOME A LOT
We're still in dire need of your support, especially since our newsletter host has recently begun charging us for the service. Help us keep our newsletter and the web site free; please send whatever you can to Bridget or Russ Haggerty. Our snail mail address is 5670 Meryton Place, Cincinnati OH 45224. Of, you can send a donation via PayPal. The Url is:
http://www.paypal.com
and our email address is this one:
bhaggerty@irishcultureandcustoms.com
Many thanks in advance for your kindness.
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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
(Or maybe groaning?)
Q. What does it mean when the Easter Bunny arrives one day late with melted candy?
A. He probably had a bad hare day.
Q. What do you get when you pour boiling hot water down a rabbit hole?
A. Hot cross bunnies!
Q. What does it mean when you see thirty rabbits in a row and they are all marching backwards?
A. What you have is a receding hareline.
Q. What can rabbits have that no other animal can have?
A. Baby rabbits.
Q. Which side of a rabbit has the most fur?
A. The outside.
Q. What is the difference between a new-age rabbit that is preparing for the future and one that is getting ready for dinner?
A. The first rabbit will visualize world peace. The second rabbit will visualize whirled peas.
