Thursday March 16th, 2017
St. Patrick’s day celebrates the patron saint of Ireland. This is the eve of the Irish special day honouring St. Patrick. For clarification, it is St. Patrick’s Day or St. Paddy’s day. There isn’t even a criminal Irish sinner who would call it St. Patty’s day. St. Patty’s day would be to honour a Saint named Patricia or to honour the meat of a hamburger. So sit corrected.
His name was the Irish Padraig hence Paddy. The irony is he was likely a Scot. He is credited with bringing Christianity to the Irish. All this taking place in or around the 5th century, St. Patrick dying around 461AD.
Tomorrow John Mango is going to prepare ‘corned beef and cabbage’. This ‘traditional’ Irish meal is an Irish/American traditional food. When the Irish arrived in North America they couldn’t find or more likely couldn’t afford bacon and/or ham. Corned beef was more easily attainable and it was substituted by the Irish folks. Traditions are traditions some very old some not so much.
The drinking associated has its roots in the fact that St. Patrick’s day occurs during Lent and those restrictions were lifted for the day to toast St. Patrick. This tradition continues and like most things to excess. St. Patrick will be well toasted and most revellers will be toast as well… more later
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