As I mentioned before I'm going to be doing an article for the main Etsy blog on St.Patricks Day about being Irish and how I feel about Paddys Day. I tried getting some feedback on facebook but it didn't really work. So lovely readers I'm asking for your help, pretty please. Two questions:What does Paddys Day mean to you, if anything?
How do you feel about being Irish, does it hold any significance for you?
Also any memories that you have of Paddys day past and present would also be appreciated, thanks!!
Paddys Day to me means a sense of being proud to be Irish on that particular day as EVERYONE in the whole wants to be a part of something special. We Irish are portrayed as a social race, good fun, having some craic etc.
ReplyDeleteMemories - hmm remember watching the Parade on TV when we were younger as going into Dublin from Greystones was a big journey back then and that's about 20 plus years ago.
Good luck with the article!
Fi
sorry that should say the "whole world!"
ReplyDeleteAh to be Irish, to have that faded tricolour tattoo beneath the heavy hairs of your forearm. To know from birth that you support Celtic no matter what, to be reassured that control of the north and vanquishing of the hated British are our birthrights and destiny, it is glorious indeed.
ReplyDeleteArmed with these proud ideals and badges of our very ethnicity we can condense our fervour and joy into one day where we will baost to the world that our Irish resolve will help us hold the course through a crap parade, terrible weather and a dismal economic situation and get more pissed than any nation really has a right to.
God bless us. Not the paedophiles of course, or the bankers or any of our embarrassments, but the true Irish - the drunks.
I don't care. I'll spend the day listening to drunken Idiots too easily led by the crowd and the belief that this night out is special.
My memories are standing cold in Maynooth watching a truly dismal parade in a duffel coat that made me itchy.
I admire your attempt to put a positive spin on it.
I grew up in a little village, so I never got to see a Patrick's Day parade in the flesh. Growing up, it meant a day off if it wasn't on at the weekend and it also meant going to Mass and wearing shamrock about your person.
ReplyDeleteEven though I've been living in Limerick for 16 years, I've still not seen an actual parade. For the first few years that I lived here I would go home the night before and spend the whole day drinking at the local. I remember one year that I was doing a night-course and I had an exam coming up. I stayed in and spent the whole day studying. It felt weird, but also like I was making a sacrifice. It worked, though, as I passed the exam.
A few years ago, I was in college and I hung around with the international students. My brother came in and we spent the whole day drinking with them. I could see that it was a big day for them, particularly the Americans, and they got into the whole spirit of the thing. I still managed to miss the parade, however.
The year before that I spent my only Patrick's Day outside of Ireland. I was studying in America and it coincided with Spring break that year. All my American friends were asking me what was I doing for Patrick's Day. I said I wasn't doing anything as I was Irish all the time.
Four or five years ago, I had a nice relaxing Paddy's Day where I just watched stuff about Ireland on the telly for the day. This included the film The Quiet Man, coverage of the parades around the country, a documentary about St Patrick and music from the oul' sod. I really enjoyed that day.
Even though my name is Patrick, I don't really celebrate the day. Many of friends in Europe and the USA will send me wishes on Facebook and I'll respond in kind. Ultimately, the day is a celebration of Ireland for Irish people living abroad and for people with Irish ancestry or connections who can feel Irish for a day. And it's also a chance for our politicians to waste more money traipsing around the world
I just put up a post on my blog about Seachtain na Gaeilge which developed into a discussion of representations about Irish identity:
ReplyDeletehttp://pathfinderpat.wordpress.com/2010/03/13/nil-aon-tinteain-mar-do-thinteain-fein/
Hey Ruth,
ReplyDeletewhat I LOVE about St Patricks Day are looking at all the children who for one day are forced to wear the aran or green knitted jumpers and cardigans their grannies usually create for them. The mammy tops it off by sticking on a huge paddys day badge, scooping hair into pig tails and tying it all together with green ribbon. If you had a sister, you were doomed as you ultimatley ended up being dressed as twins. My sister and I have an age gap of three years but I shudder when I look back at photos of the two of us! I was also always told that it was bad luck if you wore your paddys day badge the day after paddys day - not sure why, but it stuck in my head..... :)
Wow thanks everyone, I'm delighted with the great response.
ReplyDeleteKneejerk-funny!! I really feel sorry for you though I'm sure it's hell doing your job on that day! I know what it's like behind the bar, and that's pretty miserable.
Pat-thanks, lots of things to work with there, and I really liked your article