Beer Beer Beer - The Clancy Brothers
(Irish Drinking Song)
It's that time of year again, when everyone's blood runs green for the day. Get to the nearest pub and hoist a cold green one and shout "Slainte".
It's my lifetime desire to visit the Emerald Isle. Yes, even in the midst of the political and religious strife of the "Troubles" that extended from the 1960's to the late 1990's. Stay away from Northern Ireland people said. There were frequent reports of bombings and terrorist type attacks. Indeed, more than 3500 were killed and 47,000 injured. Back then people thought I was nuts. Today they know it lol! I'm kidding (that's the beer talking), but I still want to go. One day I shall.
Besides the Leprechauns, there seems to be something magical about the place. An old world charm, the friendliness of the people, the camaraderie in the pubs, the comfort food, the pace of life and the beautiful countryside, the stone buildings and the ancient castles.
And the music..oh the music. You can tell so much about a nation by their traditional songs. There are not too many that I personally have heard and not liked. Some people mumble along the words to our national anthem, I find myself "trying" to sing along to ditty's I've heard but once in a drunken haze. And I want to dance. Dance like nobody is looking. Without a care in the world - like Phoebe from the television show Friends when she runs. Devil be damned, turn up the music and dance. With a pint or two of liquid courage coursing through the veins.
Truth? It reminds me of the Italian songs I learned listening to the Cucina parties growing up, with the homemade wine in the wicker-wrapped bottles decorating the table. Except the Italian traditional songs sang more about women, wine and the mountains (well in the north anyways) and were happier, less morose, less poignant feelings. Bionda, bella bionda lalala...
The fascination for all things Irish is above all else, the people. Wherever we originate, we know we will be embraced by the Irish. What other culture would allow you to laugh with them and enjoy their eccentricities right along side. Holding each other up in laughter, song and libation. What a sad world without the Irish to remind us to let loose and have some fun. Alcohol is not mandatory...Laughter is!
There are several stories that have heard recently that explain some myths we hold to be true and I want to share because I found them fascinating. Of course all related to this holy day, the land and the people of Erin.
1. The wearing of green to honour St. Patrick on the beer drinking holiday named after him has very little to do with the culture of the country. In fact the official colour of Ireland is blue. Which makes me wonder why there is green but no blue on the flag? Ok, beer fog again. But the truth is that the idea for green probably came from the colour of the shamrock and the referral of Ireland as the Emerald Isle.
2. Even St. Patrick himself is a bit of an oddity. Lore has it that he was responsible for driving the snakes out of the country and is the patron saint. But hold on to your Leprechaun, St. Patrick wasn't Irish and there were never any snakes on the Isle for him to banish in the first place. And to this day, there are no native snakes in Ireland. St. Patrick however remains a Patron Saint of Ireland.
3. Originally St. Patrick's day was a dry holiday steeped in religious tradition and solemn contemplation rather then hoisting a stein. It was likely the immigrated population in the New World that decided to mark the day as a celebration of national pride and heritage and flocked to the pubs to guzzle a cold green one.
4. Family celebrations in the form of parades were not common place until the mid-19th century and had modest beginnings in Boston and New York. Many of the millions that left their homeland during the potato famine ensured that the heritage of the land of the Shamrock stayed alive.
5. Call it a prayer or a blessing, nobody does it better than the Irish. It has roots in religion but the wording allows it to apply to all, regardless of the deity revered. Mother Nature (as a concept) figures more prominently then a higher unseen figure so often the cause of war rather than peace. Peace and love to all. Amen.
6. It is St. Paddy's Day not St. Patty's day.
7. There are currently more than 8 times the number of Irish immigrants living abroad then there are in Ireland itself. So St. Paddy's Day is another day to cry in your beer as you remember the homeland and ancestors you left behind. For the millions upon millions who claim an Irish heritage just for the day, we can often do the same, for here in the Americas we are almost exclusively "from away".
8. Any country that boasts the catchphrase/motto/slogan "Kiss Me I'm Irish" is okay by me. Next to drinking beer, it happens to be one of my favourite pass times. Mwah! ;)
Previous post on the subject:
http://pinkpantherfancanada.blogspot.ca/2012/03/i-rish-i-was-irish.html
Credit where credit is due:
http://www.ibtimes.com/st-patricks-day-history-traditions-9-surprising-facts-you-may-not-know-about-st-patrick-irish
http://www.eupedia.com/ireland/trivia.shtml
http://truenomads.com/2013/04/26-intersting-facts-about-ireland/
It's my lifetime desire to visit the Emerald Isle. Yes, even in the midst of the political and religious strife of the "Troubles" that extended from the 1960's to the late 1990's. Stay away from Northern Ireland people said. There were frequent reports of bombings and terrorist type attacks. Indeed, more than 3500 were killed and 47,000 injured. Back then people thought I was nuts. Today they know it lol! I'm kidding (that's the beer talking), but I still want to go. One day I shall.
Besides the Leprechauns, there seems to be something magical about the place. An old world charm, the friendliness of the people, the camaraderie in the pubs, the comfort food, the pace of life and the beautiful countryside, the stone buildings and the ancient castles.
And the music..oh the music. You can tell so much about a nation by their traditional songs. There are not too many that I personally have heard and not liked. Some people mumble along the words to our national anthem, I find myself "trying" to sing along to ditty's I've heard but once in a drunken haze. And I want to dance. Dance like nobody is looking. Without a care in the world - like Phoebe from the television show Friends when she runs. Devil be damned, turn up the music and dance. With a pint or two of liquid courage coursing through the veins.
Truth? It reminds me of the Italian songs I learned listening to the Cucina parties growing up, with the homemade wine in the wicker-wrapped bottles decorating the table. Except the Italian traditional songs sang more about women, wine and the mountains (well in the north anyways) and were happier, less morose, less poignant feelings. Bionda, bella bionda lalala...
The fascination for all things Irish is above all else, the people. Wherever we originate, we know we will be embraced by the Irish. What other culture would allow you to laugh with them and enjoy their eccentricities right along side. Holding each other up in laughter, song and libation. What a sad world without the Irish to remind us to let loose and have some fun. Alcohol is not mandatory...Laughter is!
The Fields of Athenry - The Dubliners
There are several stories that have heard recently that explain some myths we hold to be true and I want to share because I found them fascinating. Of course all related to this holy day, the land and the people of Erin.
1. The wearing of green to honour St. Patrick on the beer drinking holiday named after him has very little to do with the culture of the country. In fact the official colour of Ireland is blue. Which makes me wonder why there is green but no blue on the flag? Ok, beer fog again. But the truth is that the idea for green probably came from the colour of the shamrock and the referral of Ireland as the Emerald Isle. 2. Even St. Patrick himself is a bit of an oddity. Lore has it that he was responsible for driving the snakes out of the country and is the patron saint. But hold on to your Leprechaun, St. Patrick wasn't Irish and there were never any snakes on the Isle for him to banish in the first place. And to this day, there are no native snakes in Ireland. St. Patrick however remains a Patron Saint of Ireland.
3. Originally St. Patrick's day was a dry holiday steeped in religious tradition and solemn contemplation rather then hoisting a stein. It was likely the immigrated population in the New World that decided to mark the day as a celebration of national pride and heritage and flocked to the pubs to guzzle a cold green one. 4. Family celebrations in the form of parades were not common place until the mid-19th century and had modest beginnings in Boston and New York. Many of the millions that left their homeland during the potato famine ensured that the heritage of the land of the Shamrock stayed alive.
5. Call it a prayer or a blessing, nobody does it better than the Irish. It has roots in religion but the wording allows it to apply to all, regardless of the deity revered. Mother Nature (as a concept) figures more prominently then a higher unseen figure so often the cause of war rather than peace. Peace and love to all. Amen. 6. It is St. Paddy's Day not St. Patty's day.
7. There are currently more than 8 times the number of Irish immigrants living abroad then there are in Ireland itself. So St. Paddy's Day is another day to cry in your beer as you remember the homeland and ancestors you left behind. For the millions upon millions who claim an Irish heritage just for the day, we can often do the same, for here in the Americas we are almost exclusively "from away".
8. Any country that boasts the catchphrase/motto/slogan "Kiss Me I'm Irish" is okay by me. Next to drinking beer, it happens to be one of my favourite pass times. Mwah! ;)
Previous post on the subject:
http://pinkpantherfancanada.blogspot.ca/2012/03/i-rish-i-was-irish.html
Credit where credit is due:
http://www.ibtimes.com/st-patricks-day-history-traditions-9-surprising-facts-you-may-not-know-about-st-patrick-irish
http://www.eupedia.com/ireland/trivia.shtml
http://truenomads.com/2013/04/26-intersting-facts-about-ireland/
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