A Chairde,

I thought I would start I thread about the things we love about St. Patrick's Day. Growing up in New Jersey, I was always filled with a sense of pride on St. Patrick's Day, especially on school days. My home town is and was for the most part comprised of Italian-, Polish-, and African-American families. I think there might have been one or two other Irish-American families in our town. But on St. Patrick's Day, everyone was Irish!

Recently, even here on this website, it has been the fashion to deride St. Patrick's Day, to look at those aspects that bring the feeling of hate out in some. I've witnessed this feeling of hatred on some occasions, even at the workplace. So, I usually refrain from going to work on St. Patrick's Day, so as to avoid the negativity and hatred that some feel compelled to display towards that holiday. But last year was different, and it might have been the best St. Patrick's Day I've ever had. I decided to go to work and deal with the negativity and hatred, because isn't that what Irish is being about? - standing up for what you believe in even in the face of adversity.

But much to my surprise, the whole company seemed to be in a sea of green! Two of my team's colleagues, one from Poland and the other from Russia, who happens to be Jewish and was down from our Massachussett's division, both were wearing green sweaters. I approached my Russian colleague and remarked that he was wearing green, and in his eloquent, yet firm Russian accent, he responded: "Well, of course I am, it's St. Patrick's Day!"

So, I'm sure many of us have things that we could share about our love of St. Patrick's Day, from the joyous parades and wonderful music, to delicious recipes, and to experiences with our families, etc. So here's an opportunity for us to share our love of St. Patrick's Day.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Mac Léinn

(Message edited by mac_léinn on March 11, 2007)

Táim leat, a Mhac Léinn! Here are just a few of many for me at this time of the year. Marching in NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade. Celebrating all things Irish, including Mass in Irish. Dining on the tastes of Ireland. Talking about Irish-American traditions with family, friends and colleagues. Celebratiing the joy that St. Patrick and other saints brought to the world. Bathing in the culture of our heritage. Praying. Dancing. Singing. Playing music. Writing words. Laughing. Loving how the Irish can be sad and happy at the same time. Soaking in the sense of wonder about everything around us. Marvelling at how the Irish people continue to influence the world. All in all, embracing the world that is and the world to come. To be Irish is to be.

A Mhaidhc,

That's all that you're going to do on St. Patrick's Day? (just kidding!)

Ba mhaith liom ag dul ag Aifreann Gaeigle freisin, b'fhéidir an ceann go luaigh Eibhlín i Nua Eabhrac.

http://www.daltai.com/discus/messages/20/23721.html?1173485914

Tá m'iníon ina conai i Nua Eabhrac agus tá an t-adh lei mar sin feiceann sí an taispeántas mor 'chuile bhliain. Féachfaimid agat! Agus is breá liom bia Éireannach, go háirithe stobhach Gaelach. Tá oideas anseo:

http://food.aol.com/food/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222954

Tá súil agam go bhfuil oideas Éireannach ag daoine eile go dtaitníonn siad ag roinnt linn? (I hope that there are others that have an Irish recipe that they would like to share with us)

Mac Léinn Oideas Éireannach

(Message edited by mac_léinn on March 11, 2007)

Can't wait until Saturday for the festivities to begin? If you're in the NYC area you can start the celebrations early (St. Patrick's Eve ) with some top-notch music at New York University's Glucksman Ireland House. This Friday, renowned flute player Mike Rafferty will be accompanied by equally talented Willie Kelly and Felix Dolan. Read all about it at:

http://www.blarneystar.com/blarneystar.html

Here's an excerpt from the Blarney Star's website:

quote:

Flute player Mike Rafferty is one of the greatest living Irish traditional musicians in North America. An ageless marvel now well into his eighth decade, Mike is a proud native of Ballinakill in east County Galway, one of the most famously musical regions of Ireland. He grew up in a musical family headed by his uilleann piper father Tom "Barrel" Rafferty, and also picked up tunes and technique from many other famed local musicians. Though he left Ireland nearly 60 years ago, Mike has never lost his strong east Galway accent, either in his speaking voice or his flute playing. He has had an enormous influence on many younger Irish-American musicians, including the outstanding New Jersey fiddler Willie Kelly, with whom he has performed on many occasions. Mike and Willie will be joined by piano legend Felix Dolan, who has been accompanying the greats of Irish music for half a century.

I need help in translation.

I work at a high school in Florida but was born and raised in Ireland until 20 so I "kinda" remember some irish. I would love to make an announcement on Friday in our high school to wish everyone a Happy Patricks Day. Any sayings or advise would be most helpful, Thanks

I would love to make an announcement on Friday in our high school to wish everyone a Happy Patricks Day


Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Dhaoibh! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

(Said to more than one person)

Good luck with your announcement!

I think "Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh" is a more traditional way of phrasing the greeting in Irish.

I hope no one thinks I am "trashing" the day in the other thread--it is just an explanation of disappointment of the commercialization that happens everywhere these days. In the other post, I had said how Dublin's commercialization of the day was sad, but as often happens, I also had a great night. I met up with friends at a tiny pub (which no one else happened upon) and shared old stories over a few pints. It was a great memory of the holiday (it's just that the extreme green of the parade/shops was a wake-up call to what the day has become).

Our tradition: In MN, my mother has all four of us kids (plus families) to her house for stew, soda bread and stories. It is a great tradition that my four young nieces will always remember, as well as a nice way for us to celebrate our heritage as a family.

Maith thu a Mhac Leinn a chara! Good on you for starting this thread.

On St. Patrick's Day I like to ...
Curl my hair, the only time I do it in the year because my hair is notoriously straight.
Dress up in my nicest skirt and wear all my Irish jewelry, the only time I wear jewelry by the way.
Go out to various restaraunts with my dad and listen to as much music as I can get away with.
Remember St. Patrick and all the things that he did for Ireland.

One of the funnest things I ever did on La Fheile Padraig was when I was 15. After eating out my "sister" aged 10 at the time and the little neighbor girl and I made up a play about a timewarp that sends a girl from today back in time to the potato famine where she meets Irish girls who must contend with the cruel landlord. Towards the end one of the girls (me) gives a speech about how she knows that someday Ireland will be a free and prosperous nation. We video taped it and I still have it somewhere.

I can't wait until Saturday!

Beir bua agus beannacht

Thanks Antóin for the proper phrasing.

A Bethrua, an bhfuil eolas faoi arán sóid agat? Ba mhaith liom a déanamh é.

A Ríona, sounds like you need to start a blog and put that video on it - how creative and prophetic!

A chairde, here's another link to St. Patrick's Day festivities: It's also a useful calender of events for each month.

http://www.my.calendars.net/ceolagusrince


(Message edited by Mac_léinn on March 12, 2007)

Arán sóide:

http://www.daltai.com/padraig/oideas.htm

Aistriúchán anseo:

http://www.daltai.com/discus/messages/13510/13607.html?1111793235

And for arán donn, which is arán sóide made with caiscín (whole wheat flour / whole meal), seo oideas i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla:

http://www.irishgaelictranslator.com/translation/viewtopic.53763.html

There are thousands of recipes for white soda bread with dried fruit, caraway seeds, various sweeteners, even an egg. Tá siad an-easca.

Ar an láimh eile, the ingredients for arán donn are few and traditional (.i. caiscín, sóid, bláthach, salann). Technique and the origin of the caiscín are of paramount importance in getting a good result. I've never had really first class arán donn outside Ireland. The closest contender so far have been the soda bread muffins they make at a bialann called Shuckers in Seattle.

Go raibh maith agat a Dennis. Is fearr liom arán donn mar sin, taistileoidh mé é sin a dheanamh.

The links you provided were very helpful. I also found this recipe for bascaí (boxty) at the Irish Gaelic Translator's site:

http://www.irishgaelictranslator.com/translation/viewtopp.53754-0-asc-20.html

I don't think I've ever had boxty but I might try that also.

All this talk of food makes me want some of those grand pratai. My dad and I went to the local plant nursery to see if they had any of the potatoes mentioned on that agricultural site but sadly they had none. :(

Only 4 more full days!

The sad thing is at the end of Saint Patrick's Day I always feel depressed because I'll have to wait a year before it comes again. :(

Beir bua agus beannacht

Dennis, I agree that it is very hard to get good soda bread outside of Ireland. I make it every year for my family, but none have been to Ireland so they don't know that it is not as good. My recipe is from a friend in Loughrea, so I am hoping that once I try making it in Galway, it will turn out (maybe the moisture from the Bay will help). Until then, I will just try for perfection again on Saturday.

quote:

My recipe is from a friend in Loughrea, so I am hoping that once I try making it in Galway, it will turn out

Beidh caiscín ó Éirinn agat i nGaillimh. That will be the big difference!

A Chairde,

I hope y'all y'all had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day! I had a fantastic day myself, from making Irish soda bread to Irish Stew, both of which can out edible. . My family watched the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade on TV and my heart was filled with pride and joy. Seeing all the marchers, many from different, various ethnic backgrouds, made me come to the realization that St. Patricks Day is a day we can all enjoy (well, almost all of us - some have to always look on the negative side of good things - I'll just have to get better at ignoring them when I can).

A Mhaidhc, I was really impressed with the support that your university has given to the St. Patrick's Day parade. It seems like that at every commercial break there was another ad for Quinnipiac - maith sibh! I hope you had a good time marching.

A Mhac a chara,

I did indeed have a grand St. Patrick's Day. My hair still has curl in it from yesterday :)

Beir bua agus beannacht

A Dhennis, do shíniú?
The traditional sharpness is the better sharpness? Brón orm.

quote:

do shíniú?

"An seanchas gearr,
an seanchas is fearr."

Is ón amhrán "Seanchas" le Clannad a thóg mé an líne seo. Ciallaíonn sé "A short telling is the best telling" nó rud éigin mar sin.

poopie:):)

Bhíodh meas ag na Sean-Ghaeil ar ghontacht:

http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/133