Archives for February 2016

The Irish Flag

February 21, 2016 by Irish American Mom 24 Comments

The Irish flag is probably the most internationally recognized emblem of Ireland, the harp being the official emblem. Today I thought I might continue my series of posts on the symbols of Ireland with a brief exploration of the history and symbolism of our flag.

The Irish Flag is a tricolor boasting vertical stripes of green and orange, separated by white that symbolizes the hope for lasting peace on the island of Ireland.

But how many of us know how Ireland’s flag was chosen, where it was designed, why the colors were chosen and the history of when it was first flown?

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Well, don’t worry. Today we are going to delve into a little bit of Irish flag history, and try to answer these flag inspired questions.

A French Design:

Believe it or not the Irish flag wasn’t designed by any Irish man, woman nor child. No! It was a group of French ladies who first came up with the idea. And of course, their own tricolor of red, white, and blue provided inspiration.

And how did all of this come about? Well, in 1848 Thomas Francis Meagher and William Smith O’Brien of the Young Ireland movement headed off to France at a time when Paris was in the throes of a mini revolution. While there, a group of French women presented them with a newly designed Irish flag, inspired by the revolutionary flag of France.

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The tricolor of France was designed to represent the people of France . White is the traditional color of the House of Bourbon, the rulers of France before the French Revolution. The color white on the flag represents the King. The red and blue represents the city of Paris and the revolutionaries who wore blue and red ribbons on their hats.

The Irish tricolor presented to Smith O’Brien and friends was designed to represent Ireland’s green nationalist and orange unionist traditions, separated, yet joined by a white zone of peace.

I just think this symbolism is beautiful. Here’s hoping, that for centuries to come, the central white stripe will signify a lasting truce between the ‘orange’ and the ‘green’.

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An Orange Not A Gold Stripe:

When I was a little girl in school in Dublin in the 1970’s we learned that our flag was “green, white, and gold.” I never learned about the true meaning of our flag, like children learn about the stars and stripes in America.

As a child of about 8, I remember thinking to myself, “it’s orange, not gold.” I asked one teacher why we said ‘gold’ not ‘orange’, to which she replied, “it’s a golden shade of orange.” So much for enlightenment.

And talk about undermining the beautiful egalitarian purpose of the flag with our ‘golden’ stripes. Back in those days Ireland was only a free nation for about 50 years, but now that 100 years have past since 1916 I’m so happy we are embracing the true symbolism of our flag.

The Irish Government now actively discourages the flying of flags with a lighter “golden shade of orange” as my teacher called it.

The Irish flag is an emblem of inclusion and reconciliation and represents the entitlement of every Irish person to be part of the Irish nation, regardless of ethnic origin, religion, or political conviction.

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The First Flying Of The Flag:

Thomas Francis Meagher returned to Ireland from France with a beautiful, silk, Irish tricolor, which he raised publicly for the first time in his native city of Waterford on March 7th 1848.

On the 15th of April he presented the flag to the citizens of Ireland, saying …

“The white in the centre signifies a lasting truce

between the “orange” and the “green”

and I trust that beneath its folds,

the hands of the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholic

may be clasped in generous and heroic brotherhood…”

~ Thomas Francis Meagher

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Raised Once Again In 1916:

Meagher’s flag was carefully folded and put away, and stored with mothballs I presume, because it didn’t see the light of day for 68 years, until it was raised again over the GPO during the Easter Rising of 1916.

In 1922 it was adopted as the flag of the Irish Free State, and in 1937 it was ratified as our National flag in the Constitution of Ireland.

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Rules For Flying The National Flag:

There are some special rules associated with the use of the Irish national flag, just like there are rules for how the American flag should be handled.

The main rule is that no other flag should be flown above the Irish flag. It’s also important that it does not touch the ground or become entangled with trees.

Slogans and logos should not be placed on the flag. Don’t tell our soccer supporters, they’re breaking all the flag rules with their funny slogans on our flag.

I don’t know if this rule about slogans applies to the American flag, especially because it is used so widely for clothing and other patriotic items.

I suppose the big Irish flag balloon in the picture above may not adhere exactly to the rules.

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The Flag As Part Of the 1916 Commemoration:

As part of the 1916 commemorations, a program has been established to present a national flag to every school in Ireland together with a copy of the 1916 Proclamation, and a booklet detailing the protocols for respecting the flag.

On Proclamation Day, March 15th, 2016 schools all around Ireland will display their Irish flags.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Irish Flag check out the Irish government’s paper about the National Flag of Ireland.

Irish Pride:

And so, when you see an Irish flag billowing in the wind wherever it may be raised across the globe, I hope your heart stirs with a little bit of Irish pride, knowing that it is a beautiful and inclusive symbol, designed to represent all the people of Ireland.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Romance And The Irish

February 13, 2016 by Irish American Mom 6 Comments

Especially for Valentine’s Day, I thought we might explore the topic of romance and the Irish.

I know we are not world renowned romantics like the French and the Italians, but Ireland is a land of poets and balladeers, so we must have a romantic side too.

Sending Anonymous Valentine’s Cards:

When I was growing up in Dublin, St. Valentine’s Day was just for teenagers and those in their early 20’s. Unsigned cards were delivered through mail boxes across the city, raising all kinds of questions about would-be card senders, and potential admirers.

Who sent who a card was the topic of the day. Now that I am many years older I realize most of the cards were sent by parents, not yearning admirers.

My Irish Romantic Credentials:

Since those early days of penning anonymous Valentine’s cards, I must confess I have done little to develop my romantic credentials.

Truth be told, the very mention of Valentine’s Day makes me cringe, just a tad. After 23 years of marriage, I understand a little about love and commitment, but when Valentine’s Day comes around I find all the commercially-driven, compulsory outpourings of love a little off-putting.

And so since my romantic credentials are so sadly lacking I thought I would recruit the help of the good folk at Celtic Cross Online, who put together this informative graphic about the Irish and romance.

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Romantic Ireland’s Alive And Well:

If you enjoyed this information you may wish to explore some lessons in love from old Irish sayings, or perhaps you might smile as you read about love and marriage, Irish style.

And so, are the Irish any good at romance?

The big problem I perceive is that romance itself is very hard to define.

We Irish may not be any good at showy demonstrations of love and affection which are universally accepted as romantic gestures. But if you carefully examine the romantic traditions outlined in this graphic and our old Irish sayings, it’s clearly evident we’re very good at loyalty and commitment.

For me, romance has nothing in the world to do with money wasted on unnecessary gifts or flowers. For me, romance is something completely intangible and priceless. It’s the ongoing devotion that helps us plod onward together in life, through thick and thin, always trusting in each other’s love and support.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

P.S. This is not a sponsored post and I don’t have a business relationship with the good folks at Celtic Cross Online. I simply enjoyed their infographic, appreciate the effort they put into creating it, and thought you might like it too.

Buttermilk Pancakes

February 8, 2016 by Irish American Mom 22 Comments

Buttermilk pancakes should be light and fluffy, and oozing with buttery flavor and goodness. Since buttermilk has always been widely available in Ireland, even in centuries past when food sources were limited, Irish mothers perfected the art of cooking buttermilk pancakes.

Pancake Tuesday is very early this year, but whichever week it may fall in the calendar, Irish mams will be beating batter all across the country tomorrow.

Some prefer a crêpe like pancake served with lemon juice and sugar, but many will make tried and true traditional buttermilk pancakes.

They are delicious served warm from the pan with butter and honey, or fruit, or jam.

Here’s how I make them….

Ingredients for Irish Buttermilk Pancakes:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 eggs
1 and 1/4 cups of buttermilk
2 tablespoons of melted butter
oil and butter for frying

Cooking Directions of Irish Buttermilk Pancakes:

I prepare the wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls.

First sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.

I know many people skip this sifting step and just toss the dry ingredients into the bowl. However, I believe the sifting process distributes the raising agents more evenly throughout the flour, and a little bit of air gets incorporated also, for lighter, fluffier pancakes…… just my “Geary Theory” on the whole process.

Next, toss in the sugar, and mix through the dry ingredients.

I only add a small amount of sugar, and to many Irish cooks this may be sacrilege. Irish buttermilk pancakes from days gone by probably never saw even the tiniest pinch of sugar, since sugar was such a prized and expensive commodity.

But in these days of plenty, I add just a little bit for my sweet tooth. But not too much, mind you. There’s nothing worse than an overly sweetened pancake topped with sweet honey or syrup.

Next I take another bowl or pitcher or jug or whatever you wish to call it, and add the buttermilk and eggs and beat them together.

Now I know many of you will say I used one egg too many in this recipe. If your eggs are very large, use just one. I cracked two medium eggs into the buttermilk, since I like to convince myself I’m getting a little bit of protein into my picky eaters, whenever I make these pancakes.

Too much egg will run the risk of a heavy batter, and won’t produce light and fluffy pancakes.

Before I mix the wet and dry ingredients I put my cast iron skillet on to heat. The oil can warm up and the butter melt as I’m mixing the batter.

You see, buttermilk pancakes must be cooked pretty quickly after mixing. The buttermilk is acidic and starts to react with the baking soda the moment they come in contact. And for that simple reason I heat my griddle or skillet or whatever you like to call your pancake pan, before I mix the batter.

You can use oil alone, or butter alone for cooking your pancakes, but I find a combo of canola or rapeseed oil, with a small knob of melted butter works perfectly. The oil allows for high heat cooking and the little bit of butter adds lots of extra flavor.

Next, I pour the buttermilk and eggs into the dry ingredients.

Mix them together GENTLY. (Sorry for using upper case or capital letters. I don’t mean to shout, but I have to get my ‘gentle on the batter’ message across somehow).

Buttermilk pancake success is all in the mixing or the lack therof. Whatever you do, don’t batter your batter.

Overmixing to a completely smooth consistency just does not work. If you simply mix the ingredients together until combined, your pancakes will be light and fluffy, even if the batter looks a little lumpy.

You see, once the buttermilk hits the baking soda, they start reacting and releasing gas which will help your pancakes to rise. If you overbeat the batter all that rising power gets lost, literally going up into thin air.

Next I add the melted butter, and combine gently into the batter.

Many recipes for buttermilk pancakes only use butter in the skillet for cooking, but I find a little bit of melted butter in the batter, adds loads and loads of flavor.

Next drop the batter into the skillet in small circular blobs.

I use my 1/4 cup measuring cup to drop just the right amount of batter. I scoop some up and only what drops onto the skillet is what I use. No scraping the sides of the measuring cup required.

Cook the pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side until small bubbles start to rise to the surface.

Flip them over and cook them for another 2 to 3 minutes on the second side.

Here’s a bigger pancake I cooked in a 7 inch-round cast iron skillet, which is perfect for individual serving sized pancakes.

Cook the pancakes in batches until the batter is all used. This recipe yields between 6 to 8 large pancakes and about 24 small pancakes.

Cook all the batter at one go. Don’t be tempted to save the batter in the fridge for cooking later. The buttermilk and baking soda work their magic straight away, so if the batter sits for too long, your pancakes will literally be “flat as pancakes”. No light and fluffy center to savor.

Stack them neatly if you wish, or I just toss them onto a plate with a little butter for melting on top.

Or you can serve them with butter and a little honey, or a massive, soaking dollop of maple syrup. Whatever you fancy on top is just fine.

Slightly warmed maple syrup – now you’re talking perfect pancake toppings! My years in America converted me from a butter and jam pancake kind of girl, to a maple syrup loving, pancake gal.

Take a look at the light and fluffy insides of these pancakes.

Perfect buttermilk pancakes, hot out of the pan! You just can’t beat them.

Whether you like your pancakes with fruit or honey, butter or jam, or a little bit of everything, these simple pancakes are delicious every which way, and a grand way to celebrate Pancake Tuesday.

I hope you all have a lovely Pancake or Shrove Tuesday.

Happy batter making.

Irish Buttermilk Pancakes Printable Recipe Using American Measurements:

For anyone cooking these pancakes in America here’s the printable recipe in American cups and measurements …

Yum

Buttermilk Pancakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 medium eggs
1 and 1/4 cups of buttermilk
2 tablespoons of melted butter

Instructions

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large mixing or batter bowl.
In a separate bowl or large pitcher combine the eggs and buttermilk.
Place a skillet over medium to high heat to warm before mixing the batter. Add oil and a knob of butter to melt.
Pour the buttermilk and eggs into the dry ingredients and gently mix together.
Add the melted butter and combine gently.
Spoon he batter onto the hot pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side until small bubbles start to form on the surface.
Flip the pancakes over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the second side.
Remove from the pan and serve warm with butter, jam, honey or syrup.

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https://www.irishamericanmom.com/buttermilk-pancakes/

Irish Buttermilk Pancakes Printable Recipe Using Metric and Imperial Measurements:

And here’s the printable recipe for readers on the Irish side of the Atlantic. This one includes both metric grams, and the old tried and true imperial ounces.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Print recipe

Serves	6
Prep time	10 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	25 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Milk, Wheat
Meal type	Breakfast, Lunch
Misc	Serve Hot
Region	Irish

Irish buttermilk pancakes are delicious served warm from the pan, with butter melting on top and a spoonful of honey.

Ingredients

225g plain white flour (8 ounces)
5ml baking soda (1 level teaspoon)
10ml baking powder (2 level teaspoon)
3ml salt (1/2 teaspoon)
25g sugar (1 ounce)
2 Medium eggs
300ml butermilk (1/2 British pint)
50g melted butter (2 ounces)

Directions

Step 1	Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large mixing or batter bowl.
Step 2	In a separate bowl or large pitcher combine the eggs and buttermilk.
Step 3	Place a skillet over medium to high heat to warm before mixing the batter. Add oil and a knob of butter to melt
Step 4	Pour the buttermilk and eggs into the dry ingredients and gently mix together.
Step 5	Add the melted butter and combine gently.
Step 6	Spoon he batter onto the hot pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side until small bubbles start to form on the surface.
Step 7	Flip the pancakes over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the second side.
Step 8	Remove from the pan and serve warm with butter, jam, honey or syrup.

You can check out all my pancake recipes here.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

St. Brigid – A Strong Irish Woman

February 1, 2016 by Irish American Mom 16 Comments

St. Brigid epitomizes everything a strong Irish woman should be, and she holds a special place in many Irish hearts, including mine.

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When we think of Irish saints, good old St. Patrick first springs to mind, but let’s face it, he was a blow-in from England, France or Wales … nobody knows for sure.

St. Brigid is actually the first native-born Irish saint, and a true role model for independent, feisty Irish women.

Stained Glass Window of St. Patrick and St. Brigid in S. Joseph's Church, Clifden, Co. Galway — Stained Glass Window of St. Patrick and St. Brigid in S. Joseph’s Church, Clifden, Co. Galway

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St. Brigid’s Legacy:

In the past we have explored St. Brigid’s legacy, learning why St. Brigid’s Day and the beginning of spring or Imbolc, the old Celtic spring festival are linked.

We have delved into the history of her reed cross in the blog post “The Story of the St. Brigid’s Cross”.

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We’ve even made St. Brigid’s crosses from pipe cleaners.

And we’ve shared a boxty recipe to celebrate this holy woman of Kildare.

But this year, on her feast day, I’ve decided to share my thoughts on who Brigid was as a woman, as a role model, and try to figure out why she is so beloved by many Irish people around the world.

A Generous Spirit:

Brigid’s childhood was a privileged one, but she was not a spoiled, self-centered little girl. Her’s was no rags to riches story, but the tale of a girl determined to share all she had with the poor.

Her abundant generosity is recorded in many Irish legends where she is described as one of the most open-hearted, giving souls to ever live in the Emerald Isle.

Much to her father’s chagrin she gave away his milk, his butter and his meat to all and sundry who passed their door in need of a bite to eat.

Her father decided the best solution to control his overly charitable daughter was to marry her off, and pass the problem on to her husband.

But Brigid had no intention of marrying, even if her chosen was the King of Leinster himself.

Brigid waited in their chariot while her father negotiated her marriage deal with her royal suitor. Her father left his bejewelled sword with Brigid, since etiquette demanded he bear no weapons to an audience with the King.

As Brigid waited a leper approached. She had nothing to share with him, only her father’s sword, so she gave it away so the leper could sell it.

Well, as you can imagine, her father was none too pleased when he returned to introduce her future husband, who immediately began to reconsider his decision to marry this leper-loving girl.

“Will you give away my riches too?” he asked her, to which she replied.

“I would give all the wealth of Ireland away to serve the King of Heaven.”

The King of Leinster knew Brigid was no shrinking violet, and far more than he could ever handle or contain. He immediately granted her wish to become a nun.

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A Tough Irish Woman:

And so from an early age Brigid showed she was strong-willed, and smart, attributes that helped her grow into a great leader.

Another legend claims she avoided marriage to the King by praying to God to take away her beauty. She soon developed the pox, disfiguring one half of her face, thus making her unmarriageable.

The King of Leinster himself granted her land in Kildare to build her monastery. Legend has it he granted her the amount of land equal to the size of her cape.

Once Brigid spread her cape over the ground, it kept spreading and spreading until it covered a vast acreage. The King could not renege on his promise and gave her all the land covered by her cape, upon which she built a great monastery. for both monks and nuns.

St. Brigid's Cathedral Kildare Town — St Brigid’s Cathedral from the adjacent Round Tower © Copyright Colin Park and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License.

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A Center Of Great Learning:

St. Brigid promoted learning and craftsmanship within her community of holy men and women.

When Gerald of Wales visited Kildare in the twelfth century he described the Gospel Book of Kildare as being so beautiful it must have been the work of angels.

This magnificent work of art has been lost over the centuries, but some believe it may be the famous Book of Kells or a similarly illuminated manuscript.

A Woman Who Knew How To Party:

Not only was Brigid a master of 5th century multi-tasking, she was kind and compassionate, and very fond of a good party.

She understood the importance of good food with plenty to drink when family, friends and strangers gathered together.

Ballaun Stone in County Kilkenny — Ballaun Stones can be found dotted around the Irish countryside and have a deep hemispherical cup hollowed out of the center. They are associated with water and St. Brigid. This one is in County Kilkenny.

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Brigid liked an odd beer, or two or three or four. She brewed beer. She served beer in abundance. She drank beer. She gave her beer away. And when she didn’t have enough beer to go around she miraculously created more beer from water.

One keg of Brigid’s beer not only satisfied a monastery of monks in need of ale, it quenched the thirst of 17 more monasteries full of beer-loving saints and sinners. She turned well water into ale on one occasion, and the old legends of her brewing prowess record other beer making miracles.

One can’t but help notice the similarities between Brigid’s miracles and Jesus’ miracles in the Bible. Stories of turning water into wine may not have been understood by 5th century Celts, but a woman changing water into beer may have made these miracles far more realistic for our pagan ancestors.

Fact or fiction we’ll never know, because in Ireland we always say “never let the truth get in the way of a good story” and there are plenty of good stories when it comes to St. Brigid.

St. Brigid's Well, Raffony, Virginia, Co. Cavan — St. Brigid’s Well, Raffony, Virginia, Co. Cavan, Ireland © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License.

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Holy Wells:

Holy wells dot the Irish countryside and many are named after St. Brigid. Our super woman saint of the 5th century probably never set foot next, nigh nor near most of these wells, but her name was bestowed upon them through her namesake Brigid, the Celtic goddess of fire, poetry, unity, childbirth and healing.

Holy wells were sacred places for the ancient Celts. When Irish people converted to Christianity they transferred many rituals from their Celtic Religion directly into their new Christian traditions. The fact their very first female saint was named after the old Celtic goddess made this transformation of sacred places all the more easy.

Offerings outside St. Brigid's Well Loch Dearg, near Carn, Co. Donegal — St Brigid’s Well at Loch Dearg, County Donegal. Adorned, as is tradition, with view to healing. © Copyright louise Price and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licencse.

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And so, St. Brigid’s holy wells are still visited to this very day. A small “clootie” or a piece of cloth is dipped into the well.

The water is used to wash any wounds or bless any ailing part of the body. The clootie is then tied to a tree to seek spiritual healing. Old rags can be seen tied to trees around these holy wells to this very day.

A Symbol Of Fire:

St. Brigid is symbolized by fire in old Irish tradition.. What better way to memorialize a stubborn, fiery woman. In her honour a perpetual fire was kept burning in her monastery in Kildare for over one thousand years.

Fire represents her wisdom, love of poetry, her healing ministry and her support for the art of metallurgy.

Her flame burned brightly in Kildare for centuries. It was extinguished in 1220 by Henri de Londres, a Norman Archbishop of Dublin, or other stories clame it burned until 1540 when it was extinguished by none other than Henry VIII when he ransacked Ireland’s religious houses and brought about the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

A perpetual flame burns once again in her honor in Kildare. On February 1st, 1993 a flame was relit in the Market Square in the town, and is now kept burning at Solas Bhride, a Celtic Spirituality Center. Hats off to the people of Kildare for reigniting devotion to this Irish woman of the ages.

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The Prayer of St. Brigid:

A poem dating to the eighth century is attributed to St. Brigid and is preserved in a manuscript in a Brussels’ library. Her poetic words sum up her outlook on life, and above all her great faith.

“I should like a great lake of the finest ale

for the King of kings.

I should like a table of the choicest food

for the family of heaven.

Let the ale be made from the fruits of faith,

And the food be forgiving love.

I should welcome the poor to my feast,

for they are God’s children.

I should welcome the sick to my feast,

for they are God’s joy.

Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place,

and the sick dance with the angels. . .

(quoted in Van de Weyer, Celtic Fire)

St. Brigid’s Day Blessings To All:

And so, St. Brigid definitely deserves the title of Strong Irish Woman. She was direct, confident, and outgoing. She knew what she wanted and she made sure she accomplished her goals. Never self-centered she cared for the sick, the poor, and the dying.

This St. Brigid’s Day 2016, let’s pray that in the coming year we may live lives filled with concern for others, demonstrated by generosity towards those in need, just like St. Brigid.

But may we also emulate the self-confident, brave, and fiery spirit of the bold Brigid whenever life so demands.

Archives for February 2016

A French Design:

An Orange Not A Gold Stripe:

The First Flying Of The Flag:

“The white in the centre signifies a lasting truce

between the “orange” and the “green”

and I trust that beneath its folds,

the hands of the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholic

may be clasped in generous and heroic brotherhood…”

~ Thomas Francis Meagher

Raised Once Again In 1916:

Rules For Flying The National Flag:

The Flag As Part Of the 1916 Commemoration:

Irish Pride:

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Sending Anonymous Valentine’s Cards:

My Irish Romantic Credentials:

Romantic Ireland’s Alive And Well:

And so, are the Irish any good at romance?

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Ingredients for Irish Buttermilk Pancakes:

Cooking Directions of Irish Buttermilk Pancakes:

Irish Buttermilk Pancakes Printable Recipe Using American Measurements:

Irish Buttermilk Pancakes Printable Recipe Using Metric and Imperial Measurements:

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

Directions

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

St. Brigid’s Legacy:

A Generous Spirit:

A Tough Irish Woman:

A Center Of Great Learning:

A Woman Who Knew How To Party:

Holy Wells:

A Symbol Of Fire:

The Prayer of St. Brigid:

“I should like a great lake of the finest ale

for the King of kings.

I should like a table of the choicest food

for the family of heaven.

Let the ale be made from the fruits of faith,

And the food be forgiving love.

I should welcome the poor to my feast,

for they are God’s children.

I should welcome the sick to my feast,

for they are God’s joy.

Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place,

and the sick dance with the angels. . .

(quoted in Van de Weyer, Celtic Fire)

St. Brigid’s Day Blessings To All:

Lá Fhéile Bríde Shona Daoibh,

(Happy St. Brigid’s Day)

Irish American Mom

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