Ireland

Ireland
My favorite picture of the Irish countryside

18 March 2009

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was awesome!!! We started out the morning by fixing a big breakfast at my house around 10:30, then heading to the parade that started about 12:30. The parade was really cool - the red sails of Galway Bay and the swans on the River Corrib were all represented. They also had the different ethnic groups marching (i.e. the Asian-Irish and African-Irish). There were a lot of schools that had their kids playing the tin whistle, snare drum, and bells - that was cool! After the parade we went to eat at the Skeff (a local pub) where they had St. Patrick Day specials - surprisingly enough, there were no traditional (well, what an American would think of as traditional) foods on the list! We then went back to Katherine and Viviane's apartment and watched P.S. I Love You much to my enjoyment! :D We then decided that it was time to go out as the Traditional Society was doing a session at the Crane Bar, which ended up being packed and the musicians didn't play that much. So we decided to grab dinner (we had pizzas - how St. Patrick's Dayish is that!) I then came back to my apartment as I had an essay due today and needed to finish it... :( It was so nice outside, though - we really couldn't have asked for a better day! I was walking around in short sleeves WITHOUT a jacket! I was amazed.
Today after our Irish class, Katherine and I took her friends to the bus station and then lay in Eyre Square and people-watched and enjoyed the beautiful weather that continued into today - let's hope it stays this way for a long time!

3 comments:

  1. P.S. I Love You again??? Seriously...;) Just kidding! Glad you enjoyed St. Patty's Day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So what does Oro Se Do Bheatha 'Bhaile mean? Cool song!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Literally - Here's to You in Your Homecoming. It's a rebel song that my Irish Language teacher taught us in class. The translation is:
    Chorus:
    Oh welcome home
    Oh welcome home
    Oh welcome home
    Now at the coming of the summer.
    Verse 1:
    Hail Oh bereaved woman
    It was our sorrow you being in fetters
    Our beautiful land in the possession of rogues
    And them sold to the English.
    Verse 2:
    Grainne Mhaol is coming over the sea
    Armed warriors with her as guards
    Gaels themselves not French nor Spaniards
    And they will put the English to flight.
    Verse 3:
    A prayer to the King of Miracles that I might sea,
    Even if I live but one week afterwards
    Grainne Mhaol and a thousand warriors
    Proclaiming the scattering of the English.

    ReplyDelete