Erin Go Bragh

Meaning, Ireland Forever!

Greetings blog friends and Happy St.Patrick's Day.

Being Irish is a blessing to me and I look forward to this day each year. 

St. Patrick's Day brings back many memories growing up

 and our home celebrations with special meals and Irish music. 

My Father was Irish and his father was from Dublin.

 I have not been to visit, but look forward to a trip one day.

Ireland is about the size of West Virginia, 

and this tiny island has some of the richest history of the Western world. 

Some important dates in Irish history are 600 B.C. when the Celtic arrived on Irish soil.

 In A.D. 432 St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland.

 During the time from 500- 800 known as the Golden Age of Ireland,

 great music and  literary creativity made Ireland the most accomplished in Europe.

 When the Vikings invaded Ireland in 800, they founded the first towns, including Dublin in 988.

In 1002 Ireland was united for the first time under one leader

 and by 1801 Ireland is part of the United Kingdom.

In the year 1845 a million and a half Irish starve to death due to the Great Potato Famine

 and a million more people emigrate to avoid the same fate.

 By 1922 Ireland becomes a free state within the British Commonwealth except for six counties of Northern Ireland which still remain part of the United Kingdom.

 In 1949  the twenty six counties of Ireland become an independent republic.

St. Patrick is the man who converted the Irish to Christianity

 and is the most famous Irishman of all time.

 No one is sure where exactly the patron saint was born or buried,

 but they do know when he died,

 which is March 17th.

 So on this day, the Irish worldwide celebrate this holiday in honor of his name. 

The shamrock is the symbol of Ireland and comes from Gaelic Seamrog, 

which refers to the plant's three leaves. 

As the story goes,

 It was in a heated debate with a Druid priest that St. Patrick bent down,

 picked a shamrock and used it to demonstrate the Christian trinity

 using the three leaves held together by one single stem. 

Meaning, "The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit." 

The Shamrock is regarded today as the national plant of Ireland

 and worn in many forms on St. Patrick's Day.

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

My grandfather Charles was from Dublin and came to this country residing in Pennsylvania in 1921.

 He married a wonderful girl , my grandmother Rebecca also from Ireland,

 and they had four children, one of wish was my father Joseph,

sisters Kate and Mary and youngest brother Charles.

Here is a picture of Dublin today overlooking the River Liffey.

 Shown is a portion of the Ha'penny Bridge. 

The Dome building in the background is the Custom House.

 The photos below share some of my favorite books

along with a few treasured keepsakes I enjoy and display this time of year.

I hope you enjoy a bit of the Irish today

and may your day be filled with blessings and good cheer!

Thank you for stopping by.

 May the road rise up to meet you, and may the wind always be at your back."

ERIN GO BRAGH

 "Ireland Forever"