St Paddy's
Be a Jolly Irishman(woman)! Laugh off your worries and have craic with your friends!
The holiday is a religious event in Ireland whereas here in the States, we have parades, people add O' to their surnames, wear green and tacky jewellery. Even the Irish (the deaf ones, too!)fly over to New York and Boston to partake in celebrations.
I've actually seen St Patrick's church in Slane, Ireland. It isn't much - perched atop of a hill overlooking the city. Church ruins and surviving cemetery plots dot the very green hill. There s a statue of St Pat with a snake entwined around his staff. It's life sized - nothing grand or imposing. A small and weather beaten metal fence enclosed the base of the statue. Legend has it that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. To begin with, there ain't no snakes (and I can vouch : no roaches!) on the Island.
As most of you know, St Pat brought Christianity to the island and squelched the pagan religion (snakes). Some historians say St Pat tolerated the pagans and had good working relations as opposed to open warfare (sound familiar?).
I didn't have an opportunity to observe how the Irish observe St Pat's as my grad school class went to Geneva that week to observe WTO, Red Cross, etc. We did hit a local pub in Geneva and every one celebrated. We met some American blacks who played for Swiss pro ball team and some of the many international expats living in Geneva. Good memories that night except for an unpleasant one. A nasty encounter with a moron (and very inebriated) man from Chicago studying in France who thought people from the east coast - particularly New Yorkers - are automatically assholes. I nearly slapped him because he took my writing pad and tried to throw it out. My classmates pounced on the Chicagoan demanding my notebook back and his (very embarrassed) friends were able to wrench the pad away from him. They apologized profusely and removed him. We brushed it off and went on to enjoy the evening.
I'm off to Four Faced Liar and if I'm up to it, Side B bar tonight.. Remember: Be Jolly and laugh now and then :)
The holiday is a religious event in Ireland whereas here in the States, we have parades, people add O' to their surnames, wear green and tacky jewellery. Even the Irish (the deaf ones, too!)fly over to New York and Boston to partake in celebrations.
I've actually seen St Patrick's church in Slane, Ireland. It isn't much - perched atop of a hill overlooking the city. Church ruins and surviving cemetery plots dot the very green hill. There s a statue of St Pat with a snake entwined around his staff. It's life sized - nothing grand or imposing. A small and weather beaten metal fence enclosed the base of the statue. Legend has it that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. To begin with, there ain't no snakes (and I can vouch : no roaches!) on the Island.
As most of you know, St Pat brought Christianity to the island and squelched the pagan religion (snakes). Some historians say St Pat tolerated the pagans and had good working relations as opposed to open warfare (sound familiar?).
I didn't have an opportunity to observe how the Irish observe St Pat's as my grad school class went to Geneva that week to observe WTO, Red Cross, etc. We did hit a local pub in Geneva and every one celebrated. We met some American blacks who played for Swiss pro ball team and some of the many international expats living in Geneva. Good memories that night except for an unpleasant one. A nasty encounter with a moron (and very inebriated) man from Chicago studying in France who thought people from the east coast - particularly New Yorkers - are automatically assholes. I nearly slapped him because he took my writing pad and tried to throw it out. My classmates pounced on the Chicagoan demanding my notebook back and his (very embarrassed) friends were able to wrench the pad away from him. They apologized profusely and removed him. We brushed it off and went on to enjoy the evening.
I'm off to Four Faced Liar and if I'm up to it, Side B bar tonight.. Remember: Be Jolly and laugh now and then :)
posted by Kate O. Breen at 4:45 PM
2 Comments:
Cunt! Cunt! You didn't show up today! Me is so mad. :-)
Anyway, S brought a good point that St. Patrick, himself is from England, came to Ireland trying to convert the pagans and "drove the snakes out of the island".
Why do the Irish revere for a person from England? Is this bit odd?
Do tell us.
R-
had bit of tummy problems incurred by McD's last tuesday. And I wasn't up to waiting for Your Lateness to arrive.
I need to dig up my copy of "how the irish saved civilization" and post some info about st pat the brit.
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