Its always great to be Irish but its particularly nice to claim Irish roots in Mid-March in the US – its like having a mini-“celebrity status” at times, my neighbors cook corned beef dinners, everywhere I look has a green theme, it certainly reminds me of home. As a child growing up in Ireland in the 70’s St. Patrick’s Day was a church holiday, a family day and most important a day off school! The big discussion before the 17th was “Where can you get the best fresh shamrock to wear on your lapel?”- Jimmy Delaney’s shop always had a good selection. We started the day with a big Irish breakfast – rashers, sausages, eggs and pudding. Sometimes my Mum would make “Drisheen”, a local Waterford dish made from sheep’s blood. When eating breakfast Dan Morrissey from the farm across the road would deliver the milk and fill us in on all the latest gossip. We wore some item of green clothing and most important, half a field of fresh shamrock on our lapels, roots ‘n all. Early Mass was a must so we would have time to go to the parade. After going to Mass, we drove 7 miles to Waterford City and we braved the cold March winds to walk in The Parade with my Girl Scout troop, I still remember the cold on my bare knees and one year the parade was canceled because of show!! Unheard of in Ireland, but you just never know in March. When we got home from the parade we had dinner in the early afternoon, some years we would be lucky enough to have spring lamb (my dad worked in the meat business) but if there wasn’t lamb available we would have Boiled Bacon and maybe turkey – Corned beef was never served. After dinner the big treat was that we could eat the stash of sweets we had hoarded – it was an unspoken rule that every kid “gave up sweets for lent” and we could eat them on St. Patrick’s day, I’m sure we got special dispensation for someone above! It was a lazy day in Mid-March, we just watched TV, there was usually hurling finals on TV, but I didn’t have much interest in that. For tea, we had sandwiches and whatever cake was there – my Mum was a great cook! Great memories of less hectic times!
Today in Ireland St. Patrick’s Day is marked by huge parades in towns, usually celebrated with a glass or three of Guinness or something stronger! I think Ireland has now realized the economic potential of the “St. Patrick’s Day” brand and the celebrations are more commercial, but everyone still wears green and dons the shamrock NOT clover!! I love most of the traditions in the US, the leprechauns trashing the house, corned beef but the four leaved clover drives me mad – it has got nothing to do with St. Patrick’s day, so if you are out shopping today, don’t think of buying any four leaved clover, see if you can find some shamrock!!
Beanachtai na Feile Padraig!
