Saturday, March 17, 2012

Happy St. Patty's Day!!!

Quick sidebar: If you've been directed here from Facebook, see previous post. :)

I have always LOVED St. Patrick's Day! But I never really new why. It's not that exciting to wear green all day for fear of being pinched or be treated with normal, run-of-the-mill food that has received a treatment of green dye. But for me, it is! Growing up, I never really had a reason to love March 17. I simply did. And I still do. But, the difference between now and then, is that I now have excellent reasons to love and celebrate Irish culture and tradition.

I know many have not had the opportunity to experience the magic of Ireland first hand (a blessing I would wish upon any living being on this beautiful earth!), but trust me when I say that going there first hand really gives you a boost of enthusiasm for this magical, underrated holiday.

It could have something to do with...

...experiencing the colorful landscapes and the smell of salty Irish air...

...walking on sacred Irish burial grounds...

...feeling the Irish grass between my toes (which for some also meant hosting those hearty and tenacious Irish ticks...)

...seeing actual Irish Leprechauns of the streets of Dublin...

...enjoying a hearty bowl of Irish stew in an actual Irish pub...

...visiting the stunning cathedral built in honor of Saint Patrick himself...

...bicycling through Irish sea towns...

...or sailing over the Irish sea...

...this place gets in your bones! This beautiful nation is beautiful enough to make even the staunchest neigh-sayers of St. Patty's day feel a little Irish pride.

Not only that, but my momma and I recently discovered that I actually have Irish in my blood! I am descended from James O'Carroll (through my great-grandma Urna Barbara Carroll) of the clan O'Carroll of the village of Providence of Sisters in the County of Armagh in the country of Ireland. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it...

Kiss Me, I'm Irish!!!

4 comments:

Stuart Clark said...

And you are descended from Samuel McBride through your great great grandpa Myron Nathan Crandall, son of Margaret Ann McBride of the clan McBride of the village of Antrim in the County Antrim in the country of Ireland. Twice blessed and twice Irish!

You go girl.
Mom

Taralyn said...

I don't smoke pipes. I'll stick it in my....never mind. ;) Yay Irish! Always one of me top holidays.

Tiffany said...

Bah ha ha. I guess that makes me Irish too. I have never had a huge drive to visit Europe, but Ireland . . . I could do that!

Stephanie said...

HAHA LOVE IT! And couldn't agree with you more! Never cared for St.Patricks day until this year... and all i wanted to do was GO BACK!!! (PS the pic on the boat is mine! :D Haha)