Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day

A little sampling of St. Patrick's Day and Irish-themed snippets for you:

The story of St. Patrick:

So, who do you suppose Saint Patrick was? What have you heard about him?

Some of you may have heard that he was an Irish lad named Patrick, that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland, that he was the first missionary to introduce Christianity to Ireland, or that he favored using the shamrock to teach people about the Holy Trinity. Well, these are all myths. We do not know for certain the date he was born, or the date he died, or even if he was ordained as Catholic or Protestant (although some would argue that they know either to be true.)

In the late fourth century, Maewyn Succat (later known as St. Patrick, from the Latin name Patercius) was born in what is now Great Britain to a wealthy, high-ranking family - Roman subjects. When Maewyn was 16, Irish raiders invaded his family's estate, murdered his family, kidnapped and sold Maewyn into slavery. He was taken to Ireland, and remained there for the next six years, working as a shepherd.

Although his family raised him Roman Catholic (it is said that his grandfather was a priest, and his father was a deacon), he had been (like many youth) spiritually rebellious. Now orphaned and completely broken, tragedy, isolation and fear finally brought him to Christ. His faith and love for God were ignited, and he spent much time praying and fasting. He later wrote that one night he had heard a voice in a dream, which he believed was a revelation from God, which said, "You fast well; soon you will go to your fatherland."

He wrote, "And again, after a very short time, I heard the heavenly voice saying to me, ‘Lo, your ship is ready.’ And it was not near at hand, but was distant, perhaps two hundred miles. And I had never been there, nor did I know any person living there. And there upon I shortly took flight and left the man with whom I had been for six years. And I came in the strength of God, who prospered my way for good; and I met with nothing to alarm me until I reached that ship" (Confession of St. Patrick 17 [A.D. 452]). This prompted his escape from Ireland. His escape was nothing short of miraculous.

After escaping and having a second revelation, 15 years later he was ordained as a priest, and began his missionary journey back to Ireland. He not only wanted to minister to Christians already living in Ireland, but to also convert the Irish non-believers to Christianity. He chose to incorporate native Irish beliefs and ritual into his lessons, which proved effective. For the rest of his life, he ordained priests, founded churches and monasteries, taught, preached, baptized, praised God, and when he was finished, nearly all of Ireland was Christian.

St. Patrick, the holy and tutular man
His beard down his bosom like Aaron's ran:
Some from Scotland, some from Wales, will declare that he came,
But I care not from whence now he's risen to fame;
The pride of the world and his enemies scorning
I will drink to St. Patrick, today in the Morning!

He's a desperate big, little Erin go brah;
He will pardon our follies and promise us joy,
By the mass, by the Pope, by St. Patrick so long
As I live, I will give him a beautiful song!
No saint is so good, Ireland's country adorning:
Then hail to St. Patrick, today, in the morning!
-Traditional Irish song

Quotes of the Irish:

Winston Churchill
"We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English."

Barry McCaffrey
"When I get a very generous introduction like that I explain that I'm emotionally moved, but on the other hand I'm Irish and the Irish are very emotionally moved. My mother is Irish and she cries during beer commercials."

Oliver Herford
"The Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scotts as a joke, but the Scotts haven't seen the joke yet."

Brendan Behan
"If it was raining soup, the Irish would go out with forks."

James Boswell
"The Irish are a very fair people, they never speak well of one another."

Colin Farrell
"Being Irish is very much a part of who I am. I take it everywhere with me."

Oscar Wilde
"I can resist everything except temptation."


Irish Proverbs:

• A friend's eye is a good mirror.
• A hair on the head is worth two on the brush.
• A son is a son till he takes him a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life.
• A trade not properly learned is an enemy.
• A turkey never voted for an early Christmas.
• As the big hound is, so will the pup be.
• Better be quarrelling than lonesome.
• Don't talk about a rope in the house of someone whose father was hung.
• Even a small thorn causes festering.
• Everyone is wise until he speaks.
• Good as drink is, it ends in thirst.
• If you do not sow in the spring you will not reap in the autumn.
• It is a long road that has no turning.
• It is not a secret if it is known by three people.
• It takes time to build castles. Rome was not built in a day.
• Nodding the head does not row the boat.
• Praise the ripe field not the green corn.
• Put silk on a goat, and it's still a goat.
• The man with the boots does not mind where he places his foot.
• There is no fireside like your own fireside.
• Time is a great story teller.
• When a twig grows hard it is difficult to twist it. Every beginning is weak.
• You never miss the water till the well has run dry.

Irish Blessing:

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

Enjoy these delicious recipes:

Crock Pot Corned Beef with Cabbage

Ingredients:

3-4 lb. corned beef brisket
Water
1/2 c. chopped onions
3 carrots, cut in 3 inch pieces (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 head cabbage, cut into wedges

Directions:

Place corned beef in large crock pot. Barely cover with water. Add onion, carrots, garlic and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

For Cabbage: Place cabbage wedges around beef for last 30 minutes or cooking time or until done.

No Peek Irish Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 pounds cubed stew meat
6 carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons tapioca flour
1 cup tomato-vegetable juice cocktail

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
In a roasting pan, combine the meat, carrots, onions and potatoes. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, tapioca flour and juice cocktail and mix well. Pour this mixture over the meat and vegetables and cover tightly with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 5 hours.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Toss the raisins with the flour mixture until coated. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

Have a wonderful and safe St. Patrick's Day!