For my family Saint Patrick’s Day is the high holy day of our family history, our cultural legends, and massive tales told in both song and story.
We all know at least the chorus of the Irish National Anthem, The Soldier’s Song (Amhrán na bhFiann) written in 1907 by Peardar Kearney and Patrick Heeney. The song became very popular during the Easter Rising in 1916 and was given the status of National Anthem in 1926.
And we always do “The Grand March” (2×2 in columns all around the house) while we laugh and sing fine Irish songs, even if we don’t know all the words. One song we always sing is The Fields of Athenry which tells the story of one of the many painful parts of Irish history–the Famine 1847-1851.
You can hear it here
And while you are listening, I’m going to sit and have a cup of tea and a piece of homemade soda bread that my darlin’ grandkids sent to me by express mail. Their mother made it fresh and they wanted to share it with the auld one. The attached note features a huge shamrock, and says: “Happy St. Patrick’s Day. We hope you like Mom’s Irish Soda Bread. . . we love it!”
To my wild Irish family and to all of you I say:
May you have love that never ends,
lots of money, and lots of friends.
Health be yours, whatever you do,
and may God send many blessings to you!
Terrie