Being Irish, as the poet Patrick Kavanaugh reminds us, means that we have darkness within us. Rain, wind and a sense of foreboding are bred into our bones. Add a dash of Jansenism to the cultural remnants of colonial opression and you’ve got quite a heady stew.
Being Irish means that emigration is part of our heritage, even if we’ve never wandered far from the family farm. We instinctively root for the underdog and we find breezy optimism, especially the high-test kind from sunny California, totally baffling.
Being Irish means rejoicing in eloquence. We delight in story and song; we love puns and wordplay; we took on the English language and conquered it. From a tiny island at the edge of Europe has sprung poets, priests and politicians who have helped to shape the world as we know it.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Eric 03.17.09 at 10:23 am
I love St. Patrick’s Day. I read the online article from the Catholic Encyclopedia on St. Patrick, which includes the prayer St. Patrick’s Breastplate. I listen to Irish music much of which is full of heart penetrating beauty. I honor Ireland’s less than perfect but brave and generous heroes who contributed to Ireland’s freedom, such as Daniel O’Connell, Charles Parnell, and Michael Collins. I ask for prayers from the Irish monks who preserved Western culture during the Dark Ages and took this culture and faith in Jesus back to the European mainland. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you, Paul, and may God lead your Northern Ireland homeland ever closer to peace and reconciliation.
Eric
Paul 03.24.09 at 11:25 am
Eric,
I was certain that I had responded to you, but it was obviously another step I took along the road of good intentions…
You know a lot about Ireland, it seems, and I am rather worried that you might be a lot more familiar with Irish history and culture than I am.
Thank you for your hopes and prayers for a safer and happier northern part of the island. As you know, recents events are quite alarming – the last thing 99% of people want is a return to violence and hatred.
Paul
Toolah 08.11.09 at 8:30 pm
Patrick Kavanagh has written a beautiful poem “Raglan Road”, which has been set to music by the Scottish icon Donnie Munro and he sings it beautifully.
Ireland and everything Irish hold a huge place in most Danish people’s hearts. Why, I don’t know it is just the way it is.
Maybe because the Irish like the Danish are a small nation so we have to find a way to stand up for ourselves. Fact is that you will feel very welcome here… Irish pubs, Irish music will be available for you at many places throughout the country… so you are welcome to join us.
Toolah 08.11.09 at 8:33 pm
Patrick Kavanagh has written a beautiful poem “Raglan Road”, which has been set to music by the Scottish icon Donnie Munro and he sings it beautifully.
Ireland and everything Irish hold a huge place in most Danish people’s hearts. Why, I don’t know it is just the way it is.
Maybe because the Irish like the Danish are a small nation so we have to find a way of standing up for ourselves. Fact is that you will feel very welcome here… Irish pubs, Irish music will be available for you at many places throughout the country… so you are welcome to join us.
Toolah 08.11.09 at 8:37 pm
Sorry for double posting… have to blame a computer that does not know how to behave.
Toolah.