I have quite a bit of Scotch-Irish blood running through my veins but nothing like Angry Joyce. My wife is as Irish as her ancestors fresh off the boat. She has the fiery red hair and the temperament to match. She loves the holiday and is very proud of proclaiming her Irish heritage.
I have always had somewhat of a mixed bag of feelings regarding the holiday. I suppose it harkens back to my childhood. My mother is fond of recalling the story of my kindergarten year. I came home crying on St. Patrick's Day and asked her if I were a radish. She was perplexed by my question and asked me why I would ask if I were a radish. I explained to her that I was pinched all day and had got into several fights because people told me that I was a radish and radishes were supposed to wear green on St. Patrick's Day and I was not wearing any green.
I have since learned my lesson and always wear some green on St. Patty's Day and I also try to listen to pronunciations a little closer. So for God's sake people, if you have small children put some green on them today. As for the picture, as the Irish say, Pogue Mahon.
29 comments:
I am wondering who will be the first to comment and translate the Gaelic phrase.
I'm still trying to figure out a radish...a radish...a radish...Oooooooh...now I get it. Did I mention I was blonde in a previous life?
Oh, and Fuzz? Kiss my ass baby!
Happy St. Paddy's Day!
That's easy Fuzz -- A "Kiss My Arse" back at ya. :-)
(The Antidote -- my husband -- is Scottish. he doesn't speak Gaelic, but the relatives that do at least taught us the good stuff).
So, what do I win? :-)
One of the great travesties in America is that St. Patrick's Day has become a day known mostly for non-Irish wannabes drinking bad green beer.
-- david
Ohh...bested by Vic. Ah, such is my luck...
Happy St. Pat's. Don't worry...no one would ever mistaken MY kids for being Irish.
(chuckle) You said...(snort) Gaelic.
vic: The prize is on the way.
cz: This is probably the only phrase that I do know.
david: But America exalts in wannabe's. How else can you explain 'The Surreal Life.'
ben: I am not sure probably only slightly less than the number that claim Native American Heritage. St. George's Day would be cool. If only I could find a damned dragon to slay.
ranea: I have a green shamrock pin on my collar. No pinches today.
phoenix: Happy St. Pat's to you sir. It is a funny sounding word isn't it.
Yea, let's say phonetically; gay-lick. No wonder they were always getting in fights, that and always telling people to kiss their arses.
And Here! Here! on the St. Georges day. I mean Patty may have run off al of the snakes from Ireland but there's not a damned dragon left ANYWHERE. Now that's a job well done and worth commemorating. Although animal rights activist and environmentalists probably wouldn't concur...
Right back at ya Fuzz! I've an O'Riley grandma and I was Irish by injection the first time I was married. So I'm sportin' a bit 'o the green myself today. For my grandma...not the hex..I mean ex.
My boys are both dressed in green, if they weren't my Irish Mom would kick my ass!
ozy: Not a Notre Dame Fan, I take it.
kari: Your term of Irish by injection is one of the wittiest terms ever.
green eyes: Your kids will appreciate it in time.
gb: Glad I was able to give you a heads up.
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Fuzz. I purposely didn't dress in green today in the hopes that I would be pinched :)
I love this day! I'm 1/4 Irish, maiden name is O'Rourke!
But what about those of us who are descended from Protestant Irish? Shouldn't we be wearing orange instead of green?
Hmmm...I put green on my child but didn't wear it myself.
What can I say...come and pinch me!
anon: If you is who I think you is, I would be happy to give you a pinch ;)
mimi: Is there a Polish Heritage Day? There should be. I luv the sausage. Happy St. Pat's.
sherri: And that is about as Irish a name as it gets.
perplexio: I wonder how many people of Irish descent actually know if they are descended from Irish Catholics or the Orange. It is a perplexing question.
april: I would luv to take you up on that.
I know that my direct patrilineal ancestry is to Northern Irish descended from Danish invaders (Vikings, I'm guessing) who invaded Scotland and Northern Ireland a few hundred years before their descendants opted to hop on a boat and move to Rhode Island to hang out with our nation's original radical, Roger Williams sometime around 1660.
But, given that the largest influx of Irish immigration to our country happened after the potato famine and was by and large moreso from Ireland than from Northern Ireland, I believe most Americans who are descended from the Irish are indeed descended from the Catholics not the Protestants.
And given that St. Patrick's Day is a Catholic holiday (how many Protestants do you know that worship or pray to saints?) the heavy emphasis tends to be on Green as opposed to orange.
Happy Little Green Man day!
Slanche!
(did I get that right?)
My mother was a Fitzgerald...
Keep smilin !
perplexio: Whew, you are a thinker my friend!
tai: Hell, I can barely spell English.
phred: :)
fuzzbox: SHHH! Don't let out the secret.
I wore green yesterday. sorry. I blame it on my mother who, even though she strongly identifies with her Irish heritage and even DJ'd an Irish folk music radio show and EVEN went to Ireland and did ancenstral research, for the life of me I can't ever remember her wearing green or a shamrock on the holiday. Maybe it's 'cause we're Episcopalian.
Or maybe it's that 1/2 Spanish outweighs the 1/8 Irish. I don't know. Come pinch me.
perplexio: I will not mention it again.
weirdgirl: If you were forced to listen to Irish folk music then I would say that you have done your time and should be given a reprieve.
I thought it said "kiss my Blarney Stone"...
*pinch*
That leprechaun has a cute butt. I'd kiss it!
Cead Mile Failte! Moran here! I should post some pics from my trip - we got to go to Ireland while I was in England, the family came over and we flew over for 10 days. We got to meet our distant cousins who still live there, plus see the graves of my great great grandparents and also their childhood home. It was a trip I'll never forget!
bruce: Cleaned it up a bit there. I was thinking you might say,'Kiss my shelailee.
pf: Thanks ;)
jane: Naughty, Naughty!!
pita: You should really post them. I know that Angry Joyce would really like to see them. Maybe one day we will be able to go back to the old country. She would love to visit Ireland and I have always wanted to see the Scottish Highlands and maybe even swing a club at St. Andrews.
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