St Patrick’s Day Celebration and Giveaway

You are most welcome here today, St Patrick’s Day (well, almost, as I am posting it an hour or two early, before I head to bed!)

A Wish for a Friend
Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers-
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours-
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!

This sign hangs in the Guinness Museum in Dublin.

However, I must start with an explanation /confession …….this is the first time I have ever celebrated St Patrick’s Day! Growing up it was not a big deal in our town, and it was not even a day off school, so I have never been to a St Patrick’s Day parade…ooops! Even if I wanted to go to a celebration today – all 3 of my kids are in school/playgroup so it is just a normal day. My husband does have the day off work as it is a public holiday – we may celebrate by both going to the gym later for a spin class!

So here are a few typical images of Ireland, with some commentry from me!

I do not live in a thatched cottage

I don’t like Guinness

We don’t own a donkey

I have never learned Irish Dancing (but have nieces that have!)

I have never met a leprechaun

We don’t own an Irish Red Setter

I don’t play the harp!

I have never eaten Corned Beef and Cabbage – nor seen corned beef on sale, except in a tin. (a number of american/canadian friends have mentioned they eat this on St Pat’s day – but we don’t – sounds like a good marketing ploy to me!).

However, here are a few local food items associated with Northern Ireland which I have enjoyed

Brown Lemonade
Bailies Irish Cream Cheesecake
Champ
Irish Stew
Potato Bread
Soda Farl
Tayto Cheese and Onion crisps
Ulster Fry
Veda Bread
Yellow Man
Wheaten Bread

I hope I have not disillusioned you all about St Patrick’s Day here in Ireland. For some it certainly is a big celebration – and even more so in other corners of the world!

But I am very proud of our wee corner of the world, and I do think it is stunningly beautiful. I have made you a slide show of photos I took through the year – the slide show starts in Spring, and ends in Winter (if you make it too the end!). The “diddley-dee” music was the most appropriate of the choices available, but I would probably prefer Van Morrison, Brian Kennedy or Peter Corry.

Credits
kit used – Jingle Jangle by Melissa Bennet
font – Pea Alicia
alpha – Sticky Scraps by Zoe Pearn
paper curl action – T Murphy

So on to the give-away, which I have cruelly prevented you from seeing in all it’s glory.

If YOU would like to win these very cute and springy (is that a word?) egg cup and mug, you just need to do the following:

• leave a comment either telling me if you celebrate St Patricks Day, or 3 things you think of as associated with Ireland. It doesn’t matter if you don’t celebrate, or if your 3 things are not original (but that would be more interesting reading for me!
• Please make sure I have a way of contacting you if you are the winner. The comments must be made by 12 midnight on Tuesday 18th March (GMT)
• I will select a random winner, post the winning comment on my blog and email them for delivery details. This is open to everyone, worldwide! If the winner does not respond within 3 days, I will select another winner.

So that’s all from me, enjoy your St Patrick’s Day, wherever you are in the world. If you have any questions or comments, be sure to let me know, and I will do my best to help.

I will leave you with this…..

An Old Irish Blessing May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

All the photos today which were not taken my me were from Stock.xchng – click here for more info.

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