All Things Irish: Day 5 - HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY!!!

Beannachtai na Feile Padraig! Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all my readers! The céilí (celebration or “social gathering”) is here! I hope you’re wearing green. If not, here’s a virtual pinch for you. Take it or leave it ;)
 

Today’s All Things Irish post will be a dual article about the music of Ireland, which I hope will get you in the St. Paddy’s holiday spirit. I’ll also delve into the history of St. Patrick’s Day and what it means beyond wearing green and downing the traditional green pint.

 

Ah, the Celts and their music. Yesterday we talked about how lyrical the Irish tend to be, particularly when you take a look at their authors and poets, past and present. The Irish literary history spans back further than most Europeans’. The same can be said for their music. Not only do they have a flair for it; there are several instruments that are Celtic in root. The bagpipes, of course, are the most obvious of these. I find the bagpipes fascinating both for the unique sound they make that calls to my deep Celtic roots and because they one of the few instruments throughout the world that are played without pause. Talk about your strong abdominals….

 

Interesting note: it is a preference of Irish pipers to use the Uilleann Pipes, which have a small bellows.

 

Listen to the Uilleann Pipes on YouTube.

 

Another instrument you might not know of that has roots in Celtic history is the bodhran. This is a round, percussion instrument covered in goat skin. Those who played the bodhran usually tapped with a beater (stick) with the right hand while using the left hand to touch or graze the back of the case. Touching separate parts of the case creates different percussive sounds, from hollow to sharp.  

Listen to the bodhran on YouTube.

While the Greeks were known for their guitars, the Irish have their own version: the bouzouki. While most acoustic guitars have six strings, the bouzouki only has four. It is tuned differently, mostly due to the its body which is more deeply rounded.

Listen to the Irish bouzouki on YouTube.

 

Other and more well-known instruments with Celtic roots include the harp (one of the famous symbols of Ireland), the banjo, the fiddle, the accordion/melodion (or “squeeze-box”), the flute, and the tin whistle. Get two or three of these instruments and their players together and you’ll have yourselves a proper Irish seisiún (music session)!

Listen to these Irish jigs on YouTube.

 

The Irish music we recognize today is the traditional sort – the drinking songs, the ballads and laments. The reels and jigs are toe-tapping enough to make just about anyone attempt a stepdance. Traditional Irish singing in and of itself is unique. Singers perform accompanied and unaccompanied, but some even sing in the old style, or “sean-nós.”

Listen to "Wild Rover" on YouTube.

 

Has all this music put you in a fine St. Paddy’s Day mood? Good! Now let’s talk about the meaning of this very Irish holiday….

 

A few years back I delved into the history of my favorite holiday of the year, St. Valentine’s Day. Being that St. Patrick’s Day is my second-favorite, I’ve been hankering to do something similar for March 17th for some time now. Finally this year, I did my research. My Irish blood is ashamed it took me this long.

 

St. Patrick’s Day takes place during Lent on the anniversary of St. Patrick’s death (March 17, 461). It is the feast day of St. Patrick. People have been observing St. Patrick’s Day for over 1,000 years. After spending a morning in church, observers then spend an afternoon and evening drinking, dancing, and eating a fine St. Patrick’s Day feast. (Bacon and cabbage are the foods you’ll most likely find on an Irish table on March 17th.)

 

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world. On this day, everybody is Irish, as the saying goes. Aside from Ireland, the United States in particular is known for its St. Paddy’s Day celebrations. New York and Boston celebrate in the grandest Irish tradition. Chicago dyes its river green for the day. The nations of Canada and Australia are also known for their St. Patrick’s Day festivities. At home in Ireland, a whopping one million people descend on the city of Dublin for the St. Patrick Festival.

 

Though St. Patrick’s Day has come to be associated with all things Irish, it goes back to one man, a patron saint, who was kidnapped and brought to Ireland at the age of sixteen. St. Patrick is credited for bringing Christianity to Ireland and spreading it throughout. He became a national apostle of Ireland and the myth and legend that grew around the events of his life can be found in most aspects of Irish culture.

 

For more fun facts about St. Patrick’s Day and more on the history of St. Patrick himself, visit History.com!

 

Thank you so much for taking part in five days of All Things Irish, Cozies! I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and maybe learned a few fun facts to take back to your friends and family. Spreading the St. Paddy’s cheer far and wide today! I’m off to cook my family’s traditional Irish feast. Slainte! Go n-éirí on bóthar leat!

All Things Irish: Day 2....

What do you put in your stomach on St. Patrick’s Day besides green beer? Well, you might start out with a traditional Irish breakfast if you object to drinking in the morning. Or you might make up some “poundies” to go with dinner – mashed potatoes. For the main course you could make a soup or broth, a shepherd’s pie, or some corn beef and cabbage. If you’d like to have yourself a proper Irish meal on March 17th, here are a few suggestions.

 

A Proper Irish Breakfast….

When I was young, sometimes breakfast wouldn’t just come in the morning. Once every few weeks, my mother would make breakfast for dinner. The best thing about the Irish Breakfast is that every family gives it its own flair. But it all starts with the “fry up.” If you’re in the habit of simply grabbing a quick bite in the mornings before work, you’re in for a treat with this Irish tradition. It’s a full, hearty meal. If you eat it in the morning, it’s sure to keep your belly happy through most of the day. It starts with when in a shallow pan you “fry up” eggs, bread, vegetables, meat, and pudding. And don’t forget the toast, orange juice, and hot tea.

Ingredients you would likely include in a traditional Irish breakfast are bacon, sausages, black and white pudding, fried or scrambled eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, and potato bread or wheaten bread.

 

Corn Beef & Cabbage….

This has become my family’s traditional St. Patrick’s Day feast. It’s easy, extremely Irish, and there aren’t too many ingredients you have to worry about picking up over the weekend. You can put it in the crockpot and leave it to simmer all day. Then you can come home to the smells of cooked brisket. Yum. Instead of fooling with the poundies, you could throw some small potatoes in the crockpot to simmer, too.  We're potato people so we usually add more potatoes than the recipe calls for. Also, being Southern in addition to Irish, I usually serve it with cornbread. Here’s a recipe very similar to the one I used last year:

Ingredients you’ll need: 2 stalks halved celery, 4 carrots, 1 medium onion cut into 4 wedges, 4 to 6 red potatoes quartered, 1 4-pound corned beef brisket, 12-ounce bottle stout or dark ale, 1 tablespoon corned beef spices or pickling spices (or spices that come with the brisket), 1 medium head cabbage cut into 6 wedges.

Directions: Place celery, carrots, onion and potatoes in the bottom of a large slow-cooker or crock pot. Rinse the corned beef brisket and place over vegetables. Add the bottle of stout, spices and enough water to just cover the meat. Cover and cook on LOW for eight to nine hours. Remove the meat and vegetables from the pot and cover with foil to keep warm. Increase heat to high and cook cabbage until softened but still crispy, 20 to 30 minutes. Slice brisket across the grain, serve with vegetables, mustard and horseradish sauce. Pass extra cooking liquid at the table.

 

Soda Bread….

I’ve read many books set in Ireland and something I’ve noticed that is mentioned quite often besides the pub music and peat fires is the bread. If you love bread or are a bread maker (unlike me), here’s a recipe to get you going:

Ingredients you’ll need: 2-lb of plain flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, and 1 pint of buttermilk.

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Mix ingredients into a bowl adding enough buttermilk to soften the dough. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured cutting board, knead lightly and shape into a round loaf. Lightly butter a baking tray and place the shaped dough onto the tray careful using a knife to create a cross shape on top. Bake the soda bread between 20-30 minutes and serve warm by cutting the bread into slices. As suggested serve Soda Bread as part of an Irish traditional breakfast but can also be used as part of any morning breakfast. There are variations of the Irish soda bread recipe with some including adding rolled oats or using a beaten egg to glaze the top of the soda bread.

 

Traditional Irish Stew….

The great thing about the Irish stew is that it’s a very hearty meal but, in terms of money, it won’t set you back much. Like the traditional Irish breakfast, an Irish stew varies from home to home but is always very simple. If you don’t have your own stew recipe for St. Patrick’s Day, here’s one for you:

Ingredients you’ll need: 2 large onions, 4 large Carrots, ½ stewing steak / mince or lamb, 8 large potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: Wash and cut onions into moderate size chunks and add to the pot. Wash carrots and cut into chunks. Wash and peel the potatoes (spuds) then cut each one in half. Slice the meat into smaller pieces. If using stewing mince roll into meatballs. Get a large pot and fill it with water. Add the potatoes and meat. Heat pot until water boils then add carrots and onions. Keep on a low boil and stir every now and then until vegetables are cooked. Serve it hot. Cooking time for the Irish stew should be approximately 60 minutes or when the meat is fully cooked and the potatoes are soft inside (check using a fork).

 

For more details on how to make these Irish recipes or for more ideas for your St. Patrick’s Day feast, visit this traditional Irish website!

Tune in tomorrow for the exciting Day 3 of All Things Irish here at the ol’ blog! There might be some hot Irish men hanging about…. ;)

All Things Irish: Day 1....



Throwback Thursday; March 17, 2013
Somebody partied a little hard on his first St. Patty's Day, lol

You may have noticed that St. Patrick’s Day is coming up. I look forward to March 17th every year. Yes, I was the schoolgirl who handed out paper clovers and gold coins every year. I’m also the mom who doesn’t let anyone come or go from her home without some stitch of green. (I’m allowed to cheat, by the way – my eyes are green. Hee, hee.) When I leave the house on St. Paddy’s Day, I’m in full Irish dress – green from top to toe, and I may be wearing a shamrock headband. Even before I found out at least one branch of my family tree has strong Irish ties, I felt the call to the Emerald Isle. The culture, the heritage, the music, the history…it all appeals to me. One of my life goals is to learn more than a little Irish Gaelic – in addition, of course, to standing on Irish soil.

 

If you ever meet anyone by the name Whiteside in or around Antrim County in Northern Ireland, chances are they’re a distant cousin of mine. I also may or may not have some mighty McClure cousins in Ireland as well…. Bearing this in mind, last year my family and I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a traditional Irish feast – cornbeef, cabbage, cornbread, and, of course, some green beer. It was such a hit, I plan on doing it again this year. Last year also marked my son’s first St. Patrick’s Day, another reason to celebrate. I’m looking forward to teaching him about his Irish heritage (along with his strong German, Scottish, Native American, and Bohemian heritage as well).

Every day for the next five days leading up to Monday’s celebration, I’ll be posting about All Things Irish here at the ol’ blog. For the next five days, be sure to stop in for everything Irish – long-standing Irish traditions, toe-tapping Irish music, great Irish literature, sexy Irish men, yummy Irish foods, and more!

Here’s today’s Irish starter kit for you….
 

Since words are some of my favorite things, here’s a fun little lesson in Irish language: There are two types of Gaelic – Irish and Scottish. The Irish Gaelic (Gaeilge) is known simply as “Irish.” While it does share similarities to Scottish Gaelic (Gaidhlig), an Irish Gaelic speaker would probably only recognize a few words from Scottish Gaelic and vice versa. The Gaelic language is descended from Primitive Irish through Old Irish. Though most of the population in Ireland and Northern Ireland is English-speaking nowadays, it is estimated that 1,656,790 people can speak competently in Irish and 538,574 even use it on a daily basis. So it’s safe to say that Irish Gaelic isn’t fading out completely despite the changing of the times.

Some of my favorite Irish Gaelic phrases/sayings, some of which might be quite useful as you go about your business on St. Patrick's Day....

Eist moran agus can beagan.

Hear much and say little.

Is minic a gheibhean beal oscailt diog dunta!

An open mouth often catches a closed fist

De reir a cheile a thogtar na caisleain.

It takes time to build castles.

Slainte!

Health/Cheers!

O m'anam.

From my heart.

Saol fada chugat.

Long life to you.

Cuimhnigh i gconai.

Always remember.

Is fearr Gaeilge briste, na Bearla cliste.

Broken Irish is better than clever English.

Ta suil agam go bhfuil tu i mbarr na slainte.

I hope you are in the best of health.

Mo anam cara.

My soulmate.

Beannachtai na Feile Padraig!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Tá grá agam duit! 

I love you!

Cá bhfuil an teach pobail?

Where is the Pub?

A chuisle mo chroí.

My dear darling/treasure.

A ghrá mo chroí.

Love of my heart.

Dia dhuit.

God be with you. (This phrase is the equivalent of 'Hello'.)

Go n-éirí on bóthar leat

May the road rise with you.

 

I love to hear the Irish speak even in English. The Irish brogue is very distinctive. Here's a lesson in how to speak with an Irish accent....

I hope you enjoyed Day 1 of All Things Irish! Check back in tomorrow for more….

Cozy Guest Friday: Georgie Lee

Welcome to this week’s edition of Cozy Guest Friday! Today’s victim…*ahem* special guest is Georgie Lee, author of A Little Legal Luck available now from The Wild Rose Press....

 On St. Patrick’s Day, the last thing paralegal Lisa Brennan needs is another lawyer in her life, but when handsome attorney Daniel Wilson shows he’s a sweetheart in an industry of sharks, she’s intrigued. Daniel is impressed by the pretty paralegal and her desire to succeed despite a bad job, but with the pressure of running his own firm, does he have time for a relationship? Thrown together in the jury pool, Lisa must overcome her prejudices about attorneys to trust Daniel and get lucky in love.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek into A Little Legal Luck! We go now to our Cozy correspondent Tink, live from her favorite tropical island of PutSomeRumin’it along with a few of her swashbuckling friends. Take it away, Tink….

*luau music*

Tink: Hello, Cozies! It’s a sunny day here on WanaLuvaPir’ate Beach. *rings bell* Jack will get you something to drink from the tiki bar…. Jack?

Tink: Oh, never mind. The rum’s probably gone anyway. Speaking of cocktails… Georgie, if you were a mixed drink what would you be and why?

Georgie: A pina colada, I’m a little bit serious, a little bit fruity and all in a curvy glass.

Tink: Excellent answer! We’ll have Jack bring us a round of those when he’s done playing tag with his friends. We’ll pass the time playing a round of Desert Island. Ready?.... If you were stuck on a desert island and could bring only one of the following…what would they be? Person? Song? Book?

Georgie: I suppose a survival guide would be the most practical thing but I think I would bring my husband.

Tink: Most importantly….what would you name your pet gourd? :)

Georgie: Gordy.

Tink: Now for a bit about your book. While we’re playing with the island jukebox, I might as well ask…if you wrote to music, what would be this book’s theme song?

Georgie: Irish Eyes Are Smiling. A Little Legal Luck takes place on St. Patrick’s Day and Irish imagery plays a big part in the story.

Tink: What are the first words your hero speaks to your heroine?

Georgie: “We aren’t going to get pinched today, are we?” These are Daniel’s first words to Lisa.

Tink: Would you define your hero as an alpha or a beta? Why?

Georgie: Alpha. He’s an attorney who put himself through law school and now runs his own firm. He takes chances and goes after what he wants.

Tink: Does your hero prefer to wear boxers, briefs, a kilt? Or does he go commando?

Georgie: Boxer-briefs. He likes the support but doesn’t want to be too snug.

Tink: What is your heroine’s idea of the perfect date?

Georgie: An evening at an Irish pub with a pint of Guinness and some greasy pub food.

Tink: What is your favorite thing about each character?

Georgie: I love Lisa’s determination and the way she keeps trying despite a number of setbacks. I love Daniel’s sweet side. He’s a lawyer but he isn’t the stereotypical sleezeball.

Tink: More seriously, what was your biggest challenge crafting this story or these characters?

Georgie: The biggest challenge was weaving in the Irish elements without being corny or disrupting the story. I wanted St. Patrick’s Day to play a part in the story but I didn’t want to hit people over the head with the Blarney Stone.

Tink: Now for a more in-depth look at the author… *puts on her smart glasses* I will now ask you a round of nosy and nonsensical questions developed by Bernard Peevo and used by James Lipton on Inside the Actor’s Studio…. Brace yourself J What’s your favorite word? Least favorite?

Georgie: Cloy is my least favorite word. When I took the GRE (the most pointless test in the universe, I might add), this word kept coming up in the study guide, and for some reason, I could never remember the definition. My favorite word is clearance. I hate paying full price for anything.

Tink: What’s your favorite curse word?

Georgie: A lady never cusses, dammit.

Tink: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Georgie: I once considered becoming a pharmacist but alas, math and science are not my strong points.

Tink: What profession would you not like to participate in?

Georgie: Corporate motivational speaking. I just cannot shovel that much manure all while pretending to believe it.

Tink: There, that wasn’t so bad, was it? Now, just in time for the luau, let’s share a sneak peak from A Little Legal Luck with the Cozies back home….

“I’m hoping St. Patrick smiles on me today and I get picked for a trial.” Lisa laughed, finding the stranger’s upbeat mood infectious. “I’d kiss a lot of blarney stone to get out of work for a few days.”



He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “Then we must be the only two people here eager to do our patriotic duty.”


Glancing around the room at the bored women watching the morning show on the large overhead TVs and the college students absorbed in their i whatevers, she had the distinct feeling they were in the minority. “You want to serve?”


“I’m a lawyer, I know how important jurors are to the system.”


Her body tensed and the muscles in the back of her neck tightened.


Not all lawyers are like Lou, she reminded herself, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to relax.


Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice her unconscious reaction as he held out his hand, and smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Daniel Wilson.” She grasped his hand, her skin tingling as his long fingers curled around hers.

Tink: And the final questions Jack has been dying to ask all day…. If you could choose anyone in the world to be the captain of your…er…ship…who would it be? J

Georgie: My husband, of course. Followed a close second by Mr. Darcy.

Tink: Which savvy piece of the Caribbean would you most like to take home – the Black Pearl, the Dead Man’s Chest, or the Fountain of Youth?

Georgie: I’ll take the Fountain of Youth please. Oil of Olay isn’t working like it used to.

Tink: Would you rather take your chances with a zombie, a mermaid, or Blackbeard?

Georgie: A mermaid. Like Jaws, if you stay out of the water, you aren’t in danger.

Tink: And most importantly…Captain Jack Sparrow or Will Turner? ;)

Georgie: This will surprise you, but my answer is none of the above. Captain Norrington is the man for me. The uniform, the accent, the height all combined with a calm commanding presence in the face of trouble. Yummy.

Tink: Ah, Norrington. Not to be forgotten! Especially when he comes back all disheveled-like in POTC: Dead Man's Chest.

Tink: C'mon, who doesn't want to hug that? And now we hula! From PutSomeRumin’it…this is Tink, Georgie, and Jack signing off….

A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry. When not writing, she enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Visit  www.georgie-lee.com to learn more about Georgie and her books! She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter....

Readers, Jack still seems to be drumming up some votes for himself. If you had to choose between our naughty pirate, Will Turner, or Norrington, who would it be?

Why I Love the Irish...

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Cozies! Or as my sister likes to say, "Happy Excuse to Get Drunk Day!" The green beer isn't the only thing I love about St. Pat's. It all started when I was five. My first St. Patrick's Day memory harkens all the way back to the first grade. The class was coming back to our classroom after lunch and we opened the door to find little green footprints trailed across the long line of windows. There were gold doubloons filled with chocolate littered all across the windowpane. After an experience like that, how can anyone not believe in leprechauns and love St. Patrick's Day?

Another reason I love St. Pat's is because I have ancestors from The Emerald Isle. Although I've never been to Ireland (must remedy that soon), when presented with pictures of the country I feel more of a connection to it than any other land. I feel as much for crumbling Irish castles, the country's misty moors as well as its rain and verdant green hills as I do for my beloved hometown here on the coast. I like to think the one thing besides my complexion I get from my Irish lineage is my storytelling abilities. Oh, and my love of potatoes and bagpipes, of course!

The thing I love most about the Irish is their impact on television, movies, and literature. It is said the Jane Austen herself loved an Irishman. James McAvoy played that delightful hero, Thomas LeFroy in Becoming Jane. In the documentary show Who Do You Think You Are? in which celebrities trace their ancestral roots, Jeremy Irons found his Irish heritage. The frontman of one of my favorite bands, Bono, is also Irish as is James Bond...er, make that Pierce Brosnan. Though they play the rogue (sometimes in real life), Colin Farrell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are both from the Emerald Isle. In fact, Jonathan portrayed a good Irish hero in the movie August Rush. The always lovely Liam Neeson is a product of Ireland, too. My most recent favorite Irish hero is Branson from Downton Abbey. Branson may not get as much screen time as Mr. Bates or Matthew Crawley but he certainly shows his Irish every time he walks onto the scene in his chaffeur uniform - which he wears quite well ;)

In terms of the romance genre, it's hard to beat Nora Roberts's Irish heroes. It started out with her Born trilogy and continued later with the Gallaghers. (Aidan still makes me swoon!) Her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, is still one of my favorites. Nora carries her love of the Irish into her J.D. Robb books. In fact, I think the character of Roarke embodies the perfect Irish hero. And I'm convinced, if ever Hollywood wanted to give us a little Roarke, Gerard Butler would be the suitable choice for the role. That is, Gerard as seen in Timeline and heard in P.S. I Love You.

If you're looking for a good ol' Irish read this St. Patrick's Day, I highly recommend Kris Kennedy's The Irish Warrior. Finian is up there with Roarke when it comes to ideal Irish heroes.

It's your turn, Cozies! What do you love most about St. Patrick's Day? And if you have any favorite Irish heroes, fiction or non-fiction, shout 'em out! Most of all, here's wishing you the luck of the Irish today and always!

I'll leave you with this quick flying trip to Ireland as well as a fun link: Why Guinness is Good for You!

Kiss me...I Really Am Irish!!!

Aye, tis the day when the green hills, the blarney stone, and a tall glass of Guinness call me home to Ireland. I really am Irish, I promise. Somewhere on my dad's side...and possibly my mom's though there's a wee bit of an argument as to whether they're really Scottish or not. Anyway, the point is I've got SOME Irish blood in me and YES, I celebrate St. Patty's Day, thank you very much!!!

To anyone who loves Ireland, I highly recommend Nora Roberts' Irish trilogies. Born in Fire, Born in Ice, and Born in Shame was her first. But before those I read Jewels of the Sun, Tears of the Moon, and Heart of the Sea and fell in love with not just Ireland but its people as well. Or like me you could just read her J.D. Robb In Death series and fawn over Roarke.... I'm so re-reading Naked in Death. Like right now!

Ah...I love me some Irish :)

Want a taste of Ireland? Visit Nora's travelogues on adwoff. Here's a lady who knows a little something about The Green Isle: http://adwoff.com/nora-travelogues/ireland2004/.

And...ahem...am I the only one who got really giddy to see the trailers for Nora's new movies? (http://www.noraroberts.com/movie2009.htm) But, hey, where's Roarke?