Monday, September 30, 2013

Irish Thought for September 30...

Irish Toasts


Here's to a generation of children on the children of your children!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Irish Thought for September 29...

Irish-American Movies

The Long Gray Line

Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara star in this biography of a humble and strong-willed immigrant from Ireland, who has an impressive career that spans 50 years at the West Point United States Military Academy.  Directed by John Ford.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Irish Thought for September 28...

Irish Writers

Roddy Doyle

Born in Dublin, Roddy Doyle is a screenwriter, playwright, and novelist.  The movies The Commitments and The Snapper were based on his novels.  Also, in 1993, Doyle won the Booker Prize for his novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, a book notable for its beautiful childlike use of language.

Hmmm, I do not know what the Booker Prize is, so if I have not heard of the prize, I am guessing that there is a good reason.  Therefore, I would not call this award an accomplishment.  If anyone is out there that can make me believe differently, I will let you write the Irish Thought for an Upcoming Day!

Friday, September 27, 2013

Irish Thought for September 27...

Irish Trivia

After a long time of inclement weather, a long sunny day that suddenly arrives in Ireland is sometimes known as a "pet day."

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Irish Thought for September 26...

Limericks!

There was on Old Man of Columbia,
Who was thirsty, and called out for some beer;
But they brought it quite hot,
In a small copper pot,
Which disgusted that man of Columbia.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Irish Thought for September 25...

Irish-Americans By The Numbers 

Irish-Americans are more likely to own a home: 70 percent own instead of renting, as compared to 66 percent for all Americans.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Irish Thought for September 24...

Quotations

My father was totally Irish, and so  went to Ireland once.  I found it to be very much like New York, for it was a beautiful country, and both the women and the men were good-looking.
  -James Cagney

Monday, September 23, 2013

Irish Thought for September 23...

Irish-American Writers

Margaret Mitchell

For her only novel published during her lifetime, the immediately popular Gone With the Wind, a novel about an Irish immigrant family living in the South during the Civil War, Margaret Mitchell received the Pulitzer Prize in 1937.  Her maternal great-grandfather, Phillip Fitzgerald, emigrated from Ireland to Americ and lived on a plantation in Jonesboro, Georgia.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Irish Thought for September 22...

Irish Toasts

Here's to the most you wish for being the least you get.

Irish Thought for September 21...

Irish Fest News

I HAVE A NAME!!!!  

My name is Irish Stout.  The winner is an inventive young one by the name of Asher.  He came up with the name Stout for me, but I wanted to make sure everyone knew I was an Irish Stout, and so my name was born!  Thanks Asher for giving me a great name!

Asher, my name giver

Friday, September 20, 2013

Irish Thought for September 20...

Irish Folklore

The Blarney Stone

A block of bluestone known as the Blarney Stone, reputed to have magical powers, is set in a tower battlement of Blarney Castle in County Cork.  The stone was placed in 1446, but its legends have been traced back centuries before that, even to Biblical tales of Moses or King David, or to local stories of a king saving an old woman who told him about the stone's powers.  Kissing the Blarney Stone supposedly bequeaths someone with the gift of gab, which has been variously described as eloquence, skill at flattery, or the ability to delude someone without insulting them.  Blarney Castle is a popular site for tourists, attracting more than 300,000 people annually from all over the world who come to tour the castle and kiss the Blarney Stone.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Irish Thought for September 19...

Irish-American Heroes

Johanna Sullivan Macy, better known as Annie Sullivan, gained international fame as the tutor, governess, and companion of Helen Keller, despite her own impaired vision.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Irish Thought for September 18...

Irish Drink

Irish Coffee

The credit for inventing this variation of the hot toddy goes to Joe Sheridan, the chef of Foyne's restaurant in County Clare in the 1940s, who mixed Irish Mist liqueur with hot coffee and sugar, and topped his creation with thick cream.  Today, Irish whiskey is more commonly used, and whipped cream is often substituted for the topping, although the original recipe called for thick cream that had not been whipped.  The proper way to drink Irish coffee is to sip it through the layer of cram

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Irish Thought for September 17...

Irish Curses

May there be guinea fowl crying at your child's birth.


Monday, September 16, 2013

Irish Thought for September 16...

Irish Etymology

Biddy

Meaning "old woman," started out meaning "Irish maid-servant," stemming from the pet form of the common Irish name Brigid.


Sunday, September 15, 2013

Irish Thought for September 15...

Quotations

Ireland, thou friend of my country in my country's most friendless days, much injured, much enduring land, accept this poor tribute from one who esteems thy worth, and mourns thy desolation.
  -George Washington

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Irish Thought for September 14...

Irish Folklore

Merrows

The merrow (also known as a mermaid or sea maiden) uses her graceful beauty and irresistible siren song to lure sailors and fisherman to their doom for her amusement.  The sight of her, or the sound of her song, ensures a disaster at sea, either by storm or accident.  Merrows have been spotted lounging upon sea rocks and described as having a fish tail and webbing between their fingers.  In some accounts, she is unclad and in other accounts, she is wears a foamy white gown.  When a fisherman or sailor never returns home from the sea, it is said the he "married a merrow."

as found at http://www.the-irish-path.com/merrow.html

Friday, September 13, 2013

Irish Thought for September 13...

Irish Movies

The Secret of Roan Inish

When 10-year-old Fiona goes to live with her grandparents in an Irish fishing village, she learns about the legends of the selkies - seals that transform into humans.  Fiona's baby brother had been washed out to sea, and now she wonders if he is being raised by seals.  Starring Jeni, Courtney, Eileen Colgan, and Mick Lally.  Directed by John Sayles.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Irish Thought for September 12...

Limericks!

There was an Old Man of the Isles,
Whose face was pervaded with smiles;
He sung high dum diddle,
And played on the fiddle,
That amiable Man of the Isles.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Irish Thought for September 11...

Irish Food

Barmbrack

Generally served toasted with butter as part of an afternoon tea, this leavened, flattened round bread is not quite as sweet as cake but has added sultanas and raisins to add flavor and texture.  As an Irish Halloween custom, barmbrack is baked with various small tokens embedded inside, and each charm found foretells the future for the finder (and I supposed each charm not found is added yummy for your tummy?!?!).  The name barmbrack comes from the Gaelic Báirín Breac, a combination of the word báirín, meaning "loaf", and breac, which means "speckled", referring to the raisins in the bread.



Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Irish Thought for September 10...

Irish Trivia

An old legend tells the tale of a mythical cow who boasted that the month March was unable to kill her, despite its terrible weather.  So March stole three days of awful weather from April to more time to kill that cow.  These "borrowed days" have come to refer to the first three days of April, which are traditionally link to bad weather.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Irish Thought for September 9...

Irish Writers

Neil Jordan

Born in the town of Sligo, Neil Jordan is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and novelist with an eccentric body of work, sometimes fanciful and sometimes realistic, and often with themes of childhood or the Troubles of Northern Ireland.  He won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for The Crying Game.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Irish Thought for September 8...

Quotations

When anyone asks me about the Irish character, I say look at the trees: maimed, stark, and misshapen, but ferociously tenacious.
  -Edna O'Brien

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Irish Thought for September 7...

Irish Proverbs

God's mill may grind slowly, but it grinds finely.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Pics from Irish Fest Part 4

A random assortment of pics...

Mass inside Crown Center

Me building this at home and proud of the finished product
The well ready for the coin guesses

Potato pirates.  OH NO...should we be scared?!?!?!
My favorite thing from the awesome balloon man made it home with me.  I always knew I was lacking a minion!


Thursday, September 5, 2013

Pics from Irish Fest Part 3

Here are pics of the many faces that put together and run the Children's Area at KCIF.  Love and thanks to all!!!!






Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Pics from Irish Fest Part 2

Here are storm damage pics after that crazy thunderstorm.  Good thing we have such an awesome staff running to put things back together before the magic starts!  Did anyone sink in the mud the next day???




Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Pics from Irish Fest Part 1

Here are some face painting pics from Irish Fest.  Beautiful work!!!





Monday, September 2, 2013

Irish Thought for September 2...

Irish Etymology

"Emerald Isle": first appeared in a poem called "Erin," written by William Drennan in 1795.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Irish Thought for September 1...

Irish-American Facts

From the 1830s to the 1960s, Irish Catholics voted 80 - 95 percent Democratic, with occasional exceptions like the election of (crazy as a loon - IMO) Senator Joseph McCarthy, who inspired the term "McCarthyism," is a very notable Republican exception to the Irish-American connection with the Democratic Party.