Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

"Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy."

William Butler Yeats

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Today is Saint Patrick's Day, a day for acknowledging and celebrating one's Irish heritage. I am a fourth generation Irish American whose ancestors immigrated to America prior to the potato famine.  

I used to think that being Irish was all about the fun and vibrancy of wearing green, chasing imaginary leprechauns to their pots of gold, and picturing oneself watching the sun set on Galway Bay.  

During my childhood and teenage years, I remember listening to albums by: 

• The Irish Minstrels  [sorry, no video available]

• John Gary 

• The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem (get your hankies ready when you watch The Band Played Waltzing Matilda)

• Paddy Reilly

and 

• The Wolfe Tones

  

Celtic Symphony will always be one of the best parts of several Saint Patrick's Days growing up.  My cousins and aunts and uncles even built and entered family floats in dozens of Saint Patrick's Day parades, again singing songs of patriotism, rebellion, and drinking.  And Celtic Symphony countless times.

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In high school, I became enamoured with William Butler Yeats' poetry.  I dream of going to visit Innisfree and his gravesite at Benbulben some day.  

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I will arise and go now and go to Innisfree

A small cabin build there of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee, 

And live alone in the bee loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings, 

There midnight's all aglimmer and noon a purple glow, 

And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore,

While I stand on the roadway or on the pavement grey, 

I hear it in the deep heart's core. 

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And, of course, I became one of the biggest fans of U2.  In fact, I've liked them longer than Edge has been wearing a hat!  That's a very long time!

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In the mid-1980's, my hometown of Shawnee, Kansas and my dad, who was a councilman there at that time, established a sister city with Listowel in County Kerry.  Over the years, I have been lucky enough to meet some wonderful people from there and develop friendships with them.  What a beautiful town in a beautiful part of a beautiful country.  Can you tell that I kind of like Ireland?  The picture below is of Christy's pub owned by none other than Mr. Christy Walsh. 

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Green has been my favourite colour for ages.  Now I love purple almost as much as I love green, thanks to my beloved lavender.  Yet, as the old adage goes, a true Irish person can see forty shades of green.  Or is that Johnny Cash?  

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I was lucky enough to travel to Ireland way back in 1989 while I was studying abroad.  Unfortunately, I haven't been back since but I want to go so badly, especially when I reminisce like I am doing now.  Until then, I will ensconce myself in Irish colour and culture whenever I can.  

Along these lines, check out this article!  You'll be glad you did!

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I will leave you with one of my favorite passages of Yeats.  

"When you are old and gray and full of sleep, and nodding by the fire, take down this book and slowly read, and dream of the soft look your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep."

--William Butler Yeats

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I hope you've had a wonderful Saint Patrick's Day!  

Sláinte!

National Crochet Month Post #4: Shamrock Garland

Two days ago, I posted that I was really excited to have learned how to crochet shamrocks.  Well, I took several of those shamrocks and made a small garland with them.  It is just a miniature version before I really go all out for St. Patrick's Day.  But I needed a little bit of décor for tonight's special event, my dad's 79th birthday.  

My dad has been in the hospital for the past week after falling at home.  It turned out he had an infection and has had to stay in order to beat this thing.  The infection has been playing tricks on his brain and unfortunately, he hasn’t really been himself.  He is in an excellent hospital being well cared for, so my family and I are hopeful. 

I learned how to make the shamrocks from Kim Layton at www.EverythingEtsy.com and used their photo of a shamrock garland as inspiration to make my own.  Find the pattern here.

Here I am with my dad and his shamrock garland.

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Here is a photo of a St. Patrick's Day shamrock garland done right by Kim Layton from www.EverythingEtsy.com!

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  Happy Birthday, Dad!  

Me and my dad in March 2010

  

National Crochet Month Post #2: Shamrocks

I am hoping to post every day this month some sort of crocheted goodness that I love.  Some days it will be things I have already made.  Other days it will be something I have recently learned to make.  Here is today's newly learned craft:  my own cute little shamrocks.  

Being an Irish-American gal, I love the color green, the land of my ancestors, and its national symbol, the shamrock.  Did you know that the word shamrock comes from the Irish word seamróg?  This means "little clover" and it was what St. Patrick used to teach people about the Trinity.

I learned how to make these little beauties from Kim Layton on the Everything Etsy website.  She includes written instructions as well as a video teaching you how to make the sweet little shamrocks.  Take a look here.  

I used Vanna's Choice by Lion Brand in fern, kelly green, and lime.  

I have plans to make garlands and decorate my home and classroom with these fun decorations.  

It's never too early to start planning for St. Patrick's Day!

Go raibh maith agat!