Cheers to the Irish!

[cwarmouth]

Here's to remembering Saint Patrick, letters written in Latin, people who have survived the brutality of slavery and persecution, dogged determination, fortitude and courage, forgiveness and compassion, Arthur Guinness and his family's contributions to humankind in the name of God, Oz Guinness, and all those who partake in Kingdom building and enjoying all the good things in life. To Irish folks around the world: salute!

 

[irishearl]

While I do not celebrate the Day particularly, being of Ulster derivation. I'd also say slainte. Of course, my "Irish" ancestors probably spoke Ulster-Scot as opposed to Gaelic. :P

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

 

[derekflint]

There's only two types of people in the world...The Irish and those who want to be....

 

[ashdigger]

My ancestors were booted out of Ireland, then worked coal mines in Wales and finally came here to the US.
Let's do this.

 

[mso489]

I think a bowl of Erin Go Braugh in a Peterson B11 brandy is in order. I warmed up with a bowl in my Peterson Around-the-World Ireland bulldog Thursday. I have on my green, and my wife is in a solid green dress with large green bauble earrings. My paternal grandmother was Scotch-Irish, and I've been to Ireland twice, walked St. Stephens Green and Graphton St. and visited St. Patrick's Cathedral. The irish are their own people in their own way. The weather often changes completely five times a day and the Gulfstream brings warm currents, and some places palms grow.

 

[jpmcwjr]

And the Irish National Rugby team just won the 6 nations competition, beating the English side on their home turf! (Twickenham) What a St. Paddy day present!

 

[mso489]

Just by chance, by reading the flyers in town, I happened on the 150th birthday celebration of Oscar Wilde, a native born Dubliner, at Trinity College. They put me on a waiting list for a ticket, and finally opened a new section of seats for us arrivals. The event featured readings by his grandson who looked unnervingly like the old guy himself. I love it that Jonathan Swift's life-long girlfriend, who he never married, is buried beside him in St. Patrick's Cathedral where he was Dean. Even today most churches wouldn't do that. But this is Ireland. I asked around to find out what the picturesque little steepled church is at the edge of St. Stephen's Green -- Roman Catholic, Irish Anglican? No, no ... Unitarian Universalist. On my first visit, my late wife and I visited the medieval tower where William Butler Yeats and his wife lived with their young family. My wife looked around the stonewall bedroom suite and said, "She must have really loved him."

 

[irishearl]

Would love to see my ancestral stomping grounds of N. Ireland and Scotland. I'll just add the Scots well- wishes: "Lang may yer lum reek."

 

[warren]

My ancestors were chased from the country and they were a mix, Scots-Irish and Irish only to be united in America. So, I can work the "worry beads" and mingle with the Orange if I mind me manners and watch me tongue.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Scotch-Irish on father's side. Inverness seems likely, then about 30 years on an Irish slave farm. (aka "plantation")

 

[mso489]

I've changed my plan and am having my St. Pat's bowl of Erin Go Braugh in my Peterson Around-the-World Ireland bulldog with an Irish cross on the band.

 

[mso489]

Another quick Irish tale, since the Irish are tale tellers. When in Dublin, I was admiring the River Liffey that flows through the city. In London, I'd taken a boat trip down the Thames at the highest tide of the year. In Montreal, I took the boat tour on the St. Laurence in the fall. So in Dublin, I sidled over to a coffee stand on the promenade along the river and asked if there were boat trips to be taken. The coffee vender, having no customers at the moment, gently walked me over to the fence above the river and pointed to a grocery cart, a "trolley" as they call it, to show me just how shallow the river is. The trolley was in plain view well out into the channel. Make a note: No boat rides on the Liffey.

 

[Civil War]

Happy St Paddy's Day ::

 

[irishearl]

jpmcwjr, our family wasn't part of the official plantations, though my direct paternal line until me were all farmers going back at least 300+ years judging from my genealogical researches. My family had been in Northern Ireland longer than it's been in the US.

 

[skydog]

I'm Scotch-Irish and have always loved reading the history and folklore of both countries. I had a blast on my one visit to Scotland and Ireland and want to make another trip in the near future. Enjoying my collection of Pete's today for sure!

 

[mortonbriar]

Happy Saint Patrick's day! This is the first year I have understood my paternal line came from Ireland (Cork) thanks to ancestry/dna research. My ancestor got sent to the Australian penal colony and then after his sentence (assumedly) moved his family to New Zealand where we have been since.
I don't much like Guinness, but I would raise a glass of Jameson!
Isaac

 

[workman]

I'm going to Ireland next year. Sooo excited. I saw The Dubliners in 2000 and they were wonderful. Barney McKenna did his crazy banjo medley and it was all whisky and music. Apparently the vikings who colonized my country, the Faroe Islands, came via Ireland and Scotland, cause our DNA is from norwegian men and celtic women. Which tells us that the vikings were either womanstealers or handsome as hell. Anyway, enjoy St. Patricks day

 

[irishearl]

workman, am Norwegian on my mother's side-straight off the boat from Norway. A family member did my Norwegian maternal great-grandmother's family tree back to the late 16th century.

 

[workman]

We must be related then