Growing up, I pretty much associated St. Patrick's Day with shamrock shakes, green carnations, and people drinking too much beer (and urinating on Madison Avenue).When I got older, and became an adult, and moved to Chicago, I associated St. Patrick's Day with dying the Chicago River green, and drinking too much beer.
But last summer, after visiting the West Coast of Ireland, and seeing Croagh Patrick, the mountain where St. Patrick reputedly fasted for 40 days before casting all the snakes out of Ireland...
and the statue erected in honor of St. Patrick in the main square in Westport, Ireland...
I realized that the true meaning of St. Patrick's Day was...
An excuse to drink a pint (or two) of Guinness. (Or some other beer.)
Some things never change.
Wishing you all a Happy -- and safe -- St. Patrick's Day.
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5 comments:
Where did the Chicagoans urinate? I assume they couldn't wait until they made it to Madison Ave. Philadelphians at least ducked a few feet down an alley, from my observation (NOT participation).
The correct answer to a good many questions is, in fact, "Guiness."
@Dave S. How do you think the Chicago River got green? :-O
Savannah has a giant St. Patrick's Day to-do every year as well, and they also dye the river green. My sister used to live in the historic district, which was the best place to be for the festivities.
She was on the 2nd floor, so we fashioned a pulley and bucket system to lower beer to guests on the sidewalk. The coolest thing I saw that year was a pair of white huskies in green hats hitched to a little wagon loaded with beer and ice.
That set-up would never work with my unruly dogs, who would promptly overturn the wagon and bite into the beer cans.
@Betty, I did not know that about Savannah. Huh. (Everything I know about Savannah I learned from reading "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" or Paula Deen.) Can I come party with you and the dogs some time? I promise I won't bite into any beer cans.
I always used to get really excited when I would come uptown and see that the line down Fifth Avenue had been painted green!
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