March 17th

[Noel]

Happy St Paddy's day.

Pubs closed but a bit of sunshine and no snakes.

 

[Garno]

 

[Dovetail]

Happy St. Paddy's Day to all of you. Do you wear green in honor of the day?

 

[SammyQ]

No, it's just the beer thats green Angie!
Slainte!
Sam

 

[Jacob]

I was just giving the tune a blast on my recorder! Sets the dog off barking for some reason, not sure whose side he's on!

 

[Noel]

No, it's just the beer thats green Angie!
Slainte!
Sam

I suspect Angie may not quite get that Sam........ : )

In other news:
Two outstanding quotes for Mar 17th -

Tyrone's finest Kevin McAleer:

"It may sound boring but I try not to let St Patrick’s day interfere too much with my normal routine.

I get up as usual at 5.30am and have my shamrock tea and read a little Joyce, Behan and Synge. My wife and I don our green tracksuits and go for a jog around our local town with our 17 children. By the time we get home the pigs in the parlour will be awake and looking for their Irish stew. If there is time I will go to the pub, get drunk, be sick in the street and fight with my friends."

And Brian Behan's tells a story about his brother Brendan:

My brother Brendan was to lead the parade in New York one year but the Grand Marshall, who was an old judge, banned him because he’d been drunk on television. Brendan’s comment was “When St Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland they all came to New York and became judges. Actually I think St Patrick and the Christian religion brought a great deal of misery to Ireland. He was a miserable Welsh git. We were better off under the Druids, doing circle dances under the moon."

 

[SammyQ]

Ahhhh. The wonderful Brendan B. at his ascerbic best. Sure ya couldnae bate it wei a big stick!

 

[Jacob]

.............Actually I think St Patrick and the Christian religion brought a great deal of misery to Ireland. He was a miserable Welsh git. We were better off under the Druids, doing circle dances under the moon."

Well yes. Actually St P was a new boy on the scene. We walked up Croagh Patrick a few years ago and spotted the bronze age (?) tumuli half way up where it levels out a bit. They were there first!
A magic mountain with an amazing view over Clew Bay and beyond. And the only walking-stick hire centre I've ever seen (for the pilgrims).

 

[Vann]

Blow St Patrick. New Zealand won the Americas Cup (yacht race for those that don't follow).

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Noel]

Well yes. Actually St P was a new boy on the scene. We walked up Croagh Patrick a few years ago and spotted the bronze age (?) tumuli half way up where it levels out a bit. They were there first!
A magic mountain with an amazing view over Clew Bay and beyond. And the only walking-stick hire centre I've ever seen (for the pilgrims).

I hope you walked up in bare feet and begged for penance* with every step............ : )

* Many do this, no idea if it works.

 

[Jacob]

I hope you walked up in bare feet and begged for penance* with every step............ : )

* Many do this, no idea if it works.

Nope. Boots for me - the pilgrim path is very rocky and eroded. Not many pilgrims when we went up - probably a special day thing.
Forgot to beg for penance - was thinking more about having a fag at the top.
You can see why it attracted attention, probably right back to the stone age - it looks like a pyramid shaped magic mountain from the Westport side and the views from the top are spectacular Croagh Patrick | Things to Do in Mayo | McWilliam Park Hotel
The chapel on top is built on a tumulus apparently - an older holy heap - sacrilege!
Churches/monuments on ancient sites, near standing stones etc is quite common.

 

[Dovetail]

No, it's just the beer thats green Angie!
Slainte!
Sam

During St. Paddy's day (in normal years) there are small or big parades that usually end up at a pub. When for that day all are Irish and the beer does get green there also. So, I know the concept.

 

[doctor Bob]

never really got why St Pats day has become a thing.
My only conclusion is it's an acceptable reason to get on it, which is like airport drinking at 6 in the morning.

 

[Jacob]

never really got why St Pats day has become a thing.
My only conclusion is it's an acceptable reason to get on it, which is like airport drinking at 6 in the morning.

https://www.ireland.com/en-gb/things-to-do/themes/culture/st-patricks-day/

 

[doctor Bob]

Thanks Jacob, doesn't seem to mention the necessity to drink 12 pints of guiness on a wednesday evening, because your Aunties husbands, step sister was married to a bloke who knew some one irish. or the one night of the year you spend a load of dough drinking something which wouldn't even rate in your top ten drinks choices.

 

[Jacob]

Thanks Jacob, doesn't seem to mention the necessity to drink 12 pints of guiness on a wednesday evening, because your Aunties husbands, step sister was married to a bloke who knew some one irish. or the one night of the year you spend a load of dough drinking something which wouldn't even rate in your top ten drinks choices.

It's not compulsory - you don't have to! But 12 pints of tea doesn't sound much fun. Maybe cocoa?

 

[doctor Bob]

It's not compulsory

Indeed but it has become acceptable. Surely it's cultural appropriation, England has stolen Paddies day, why? Simple it's an excuse to get pineappled.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Thanks Jacob, doesn't seem to mention the necessity to drink 12 pints of guiness on a wednesday evening, because your Aunties husbands, step sister was married to a bloke who knew some one irish. or the one night of the year you spend a load of dough drinking something which wouldn't even rate in your top ten drinks choices.

It used to be said you qualified for the Irish rugby team if your grandfather owned an Irish wolfhound.

 

[Lonsdale73]

It used to be said you qualified for the Irish rugby team if your grandfather owned an Irish wolfhound.

Not even as stringent as that to join an english team in any sport

 

[Noel]

Country of 55m - 18
Little Island of 5m - 32

: )