Slainte!! (Cheers) Happy Saint Patty's Day!

When Irish eyes are smiling,Sure, 'tis like a morn in Spring.In the lilt of Irish laughterYou can hear the angels sing.When Irish hearts are happy,All the world seems bright and gay.And when Irish eyes are smiling,Sure, they'll steal your heart away.


photos of Ireland


The McAndrew boys with their Mother Catherin Nolan McAndrew

Beautiful Ireland

O'Briens Tower near the Cliffs of Mohr

I grew up in a family where March 17th was not just another day in the week. It was a day where we all dressed in green. I still remember my Dad dressed for work one day with green slacks, a green shirt and tie. I think if he had them he would have worn green underwear and socks too. I sometimes wore a green dress and other times I wore a green pair of slacks with a blouse with green on it. Heaven forbid you didn't wear green...you didn't want to get pinched by a wee lephrucan!

My dear Dad would always sing Irish songs and I remember trying to sing them as well. To this day I love to sing "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, To Ra Lo Ra Lo Ra, Danny Boy and so forth. Dad was raised by his Grandmother who came to America from Ireland at the young age of 16. She was the oldest of 8 children to leave her homeland and never return to it. She instilled in my Dad the love of Ireland. I guess that my Dad instilled that same love in me. Rainbows, pots of gold, Irish brogues, shamrocks and much much more. St. Pattys Day was always special in our house and in our family.

6 Years ago I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland (Eire..as it is written in Gaelic). It was as beautiful and as wonderful as I always dreamed it would be. To be able to share this time with my Dad and my Mom was priceless. I was able to meet the Priest in Ballyhaunis in the County of Mayo that I had kept in touch with for several years. I was able to visit Dublin, kiss the Blarney stone, drive through Tipperary, walk the streets of Killarney and visit the beautiful Cliffs of Mohr. One of the best parts of our trip was to visit Ballyhaunis and Bekan and Cloontumper and Mountain Forthhill. The homesteads of my Irish families.

My dear cousin Christina took us to Mountain Forthill and showed us the 2 homes of the Nolan families...one that she lived in while growing up. I saw the field where my Great Grandmother's home once stood and my cousin Lydia had me take a rock to remember that place.

While in Ireland we learned that the Irish do not eat corned beef. No, they eat boiled dinner. A ham bone with some meat on it and carrots and potatos are cooked in a pot of water. When it's just about ready my Mom would take a cabbage and cut it up and place large pieces of the cabbage in the pot. When the cabbage was done it was time to eat!...YUM...one of my favorite dishes! This is something that my Mom would cook not only for St Pattys Day but several times a year. We all loved it.

Now on this St Patrick's Day it wouldn't be right if I didn't remember a few classic Irish Blessings..

"May the road rise up to meet you.May the wind always be at your back.May the sun shine warm upon your face,and rains fall soft upon your fields.And until we meet again,May God hold you in the palm of His hand."

"Wishing you a rainbow For sunlight after showers—Miles and miles of Irish smiles For golden happy hours—Shamrocks at your doorway for luck and laughter too, And a host of friends that never ends Each day your whole life through!"