Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of the leprechauns of the blog from the Turley Clan.
The kids woke up to find that the leprechauns had arrived once again. They drank a beer and fell into Madie’s leprechaun trap (they wrote to say that it took quite an effort to pull Patrick O’Flannigan out of the trap below (when you grab the false gold nuggets, you fall through into the trap).
They were also grateful that the kids found their missing little green hats last year that they left a pot of chocolate gold nuggets and green donuts. They also left their annual gold coins hanging from the trees outside in green bags with the kids’ names on them.
The family went to the St. Patrick’s day parade last weekend. The highlight was an unexpected confrontation between me and one of the National’s presidential mascots. While sitting on the curb with the kids, we were confronted by a giant headed Abe Lincoln wearing a Nats shirt. When I noted that he was from Illinois and should (like me) be a Cubs fan, it turned ugly. Lincoln paraded in front of my pointing at his shirt, taunting me by pointing to his Nats symbol. My pointing out that in Illinois we put him on our license plates did not change his alliance. He then proceeded along with the other giant headed presidents. (By the way, next St. Patrick’s Day parade I hope that they have the Bolivian dancers again but they may want to ask the sponsor not to hang the spray painted bed sheet proclaiming “SPONSORED BY THE SPINE CLINIC. IF YOU HAVE A CASE, YOU HAVE A DOCTOR”).
Tonight we are having corned beef and cabbage. Best wishes to the Turley clan in Ireland, particularly in the counties Armaugh and Down.
And to everyone . . . Erin go Bragh!!!
Jonathan Turley
I’ve always kinda liked this day myself.
“I do like their folk music though and there does seem to be a lot of drinking songs. ” (Lotta)
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Astute observation
(Just to tickle your observation skills … take a look at the National Anthem lyrics and speculate what conclusion a citizen of another country might deduce about Americans. Considering how often this song is sung by Americans is it any wonder that war is such an easy sell here.)
L.K. The Kennedy family rose to the very top of the American social hierarchy, and they were still plagued by alcoholism and drug addiction.
“The shamrock is a religious symbol. St. Patrick said the leaves represented the trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That’s why four leaf clovers are so lucky, you get a bonus Jesus.” – Stephen Colbert
Swarthmore mom, Thanks for the info, that’s an impressive and unfortunate number. It seems appropriate to think along the lines of a genetic predisposition, much like has been proposed for First Nation Americans and Aboriginal Australians.
It would be nice to see research along the lines of developing an effective medical treatment for the condition. Just telling people ‘don’t drink’ doesn’t seem to be an effective treatment.
I’m also inclined to think of it as a self-medication problem based on class. Unfortunately there isn’t an ‘economic justice’ pill on the horizon.
L.K. Having grown up around primarily Irish people, I don’t think that the high rate of alcoholism among the Irish is a myth. Genomic linkage studies show alcoholism to run at 50-60 percent among the Irish.
Thanks, everyone. I talked to my daughter last night and she says the Hospice nurse told her the time is getting very close. Someone left this for me (and for all of us) over on Daily Kos last night and I thought I would share it here. It is a Gaelic prayer.
‘A thiarna, tabhair dom súile a aithneoidh thú i mo phaistí,
croí a thabharfaidh grá dóibh agus caoimhe a chothóidh iad.
Tabhair dom gaois lena dtreorú, agus neart nuair is gá scaoileadh leo.
Áiméan.
Translation: [Lord, give me eyes to see you in my children,
heart to love them and gentleness to help them grow.
Give me wisdom to guide them, and strength
when I need to let them go.
Amen]
OS,
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Be strong and be well.
Rafflaw, Actually it may well be a base canard against the Irish. I only knew the one family and that’s a sample too small to draw any meaningful data from. Everything else comes from the popular media and low humor. I am willing to entertain the notion that the Irish have no more, or less, affection for the drink than any other cultural or ethnic group. I do like their folk music though and there does seem to be a lot of drinking songs. 🙂
OS
Courage, comfort, compassion to you and yours once again.
Lotta,
I can’t understand where you got the idea that Irishmen like to drink!? 🙂
Beannachtai na feile padraig!!!
OS, My godparents were Irish and St. Partick’s day was THE holiday of the year for them. My parents lived on the same block as them and they were the best of friends for decades. We would always spend the evening with them and after the drop-in guests and other neighbors left we ended the evening with them. It was by that time early morning after a night of hard partying: eating, drinking (I didn’t get a sip until I was 10 or so), singing, drinking, visiting and drinking. It always ended with several recorded renditions (by different singers on different albums) of Danny Boy and weeping amid the toasts to, and great and funny stories about, those no longer with us.
Take a drink, tell a funny story, laugh till you cry, change the record and try to get the needle down at least close to Danny Boy. Repeat. LOL, those albums and needle took a real beating the later it got. Not knowing any other ‘real’ Irish (they were both 1st generation American) I don’t know if their way of ending the last couple of hours of St. Patrick’s Day was an Irish thing or was just their thing. It was always a remarkable evening though and, in some part, is one of my few rituals to this day.
So as taught, that’s what I’ve been doing this late afternoon, me and a new bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream that I will vanquish in time to watch Rachal Maddow. I have a couple of stories left to reminisce and as I’ve been thinking about you all afternoon, one will be with you and your grandson in mind. I wish him a soft release from his pain and for you, joy-filled and happy memories of his life and your sharing some part of it. You are lucky to have each other no matter how briefly. My thoughts are with you.
An Irish Tribute to Welcoming folks…
More Irish Music!
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem at Carnegie Hall, 1966
AY, That is why we are called the “fighting irish”.
Updated posting…..
Know an Irishman…..Know NO Peace…..
Why did God let the Irish invent Whiskey….So they wouldn’t rule the world……
You can always tell an Irishman….But you can’t tell an Irishman nothing…..
Deep Peace (A Gaelic Blessing)
Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the gentle night to you
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you
Deep peace …
OS,
I love your choice of Irish music. Your Grandson is blessed to have you as his Grandfather. He will be one more King and Warrior to add to the family tree!
Swathmore,
I am not a big sinead o’connor fan, but I do enjoy the Chieftains.