Irish Festivities 2011

Well yesterday found my family sporting the green and taking a stroll down Central Avenue for the St. Patrick's Day parade. Can't remember why we missed the event last year, but thought we would get into the spirit of things for 2011. I jokingly told the kids that maybe we should sport the "O" in front of our last names and be known as the O'Happel's for the day. This didn't sit too well with my three, but I got a laugh out of it.



We did the traditional Corn Beef and Cabbage dinner menu but this time I read about a "side dish" called Colcannon. It has potatoes (slightly mashed) with Kale, green onions, cream, and butter. We all found we really liked this new dish. Also, it was my first time ever eating Kale.

Today we are back to normal and having some Italian for dinner. Come to think of it, we had Mexican for lunch. So as our appetites and menus carry us all over the world, think I will leave you with the traditional Irish Blessing.

Irish Blessings

Here is a beautiful stained glass pattern for the Irish Clauddagh found at the following website link: http://chantalstainedglass.50megs.com/2claddagh.html



This particular legend takes place in the village of Claddagh in Galway, Ireland, around the 16th century. One morning, a boat went out to sea and was captured by pirates, and the crew was taken as slaves. One man of the crew, who was to have been married within the week, now had no hope of seeing his true love again. The pirates eventually sold the man to a wealthy Moorish gold-smith, under whose rule the man became a master goldsmith. Still remembering his lost love, the man created a ring for her. The elements of the design each had its own meaning—the heart symbolizing love, the hands holding the heart symbolizing friendship, and the crown symbolizing loyalty. After many long years of slavery, the man finally returned to his village, looking for his true love. To his overwhelming happiness, he not only found her, but also found that she had never married. The man gave her the ring, the two were soon married, and they were never parted again.