Fun Facts for St. Patrick’s Day

Leprechaun – A form of sprite or ‘faerie’ in Irish folk legend.  Tales were told of little old men, cranky and cunning and given to mischief.  They were invariably rich, hiding pots of gold which you could find if you followed one to the end of the rainbow.  By the way, it’s bad luck to refer to them as little people, they are called ‘the good people’.

The Irish Hare – Originally a pagan portent, it was transferred to a sign of good luck and used especially on Easter.  From this tradition came the Easter Rabbit and the March Hare.

Lucky Horseshoe – Is a used horseshoe, and always hung over the door with the points up, so the luck doesn’t run out.  Brides always wear one, made of fabric or embroidered on the clothes somewhere, for good luck.

Lucky Penny – When making a private transaction, for instance at a bazaar or flea market, the seller gives back a coin from the cost of the sale.  This is the “lucky penney”, and the buyer’s status goes up with the worth of the coin.

A Gra (pronounced Ah Graw) – means ‘my love’.  ‘Kree’ means ‘heart’.  ‘Slainte’ (pronounced slaw-in-tche) means health, and is a familiar toast with the upheld glass, either to one or to a crowd.

Limerick – A witty poem of five lines, usually twisted or funny and often ornery.  Although first recorded in England, it is thought to have originated in an Irish parlor game where poets tried to outdo each other in rhyme.  The best ones were referred to as ‘coming up from Limerick’; i.e., Limerick, Ireland.  Tossing slanted limericks at each other is a familiar pub pastime.  An example of a limerick would be,

“The limerick packs laughs anatomical
In space that is quite economical
But the good ones I’ve seen
So seldom are clean
And the clean ones so seldom are comical!”

Famous published writers:

James Joyce (1882-1941), born in Dublin.  Most noted for writing the epic novel ‘Ulysses’.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), born in Dublin and moved to England later in life.  Considered one of the most brilliant playwrights since Shakespeare, he was a ruthless social critic.  He was also noted for satirical comedy, eloquent letters, music and theater critiques, and several books.

Samuel Becket – (1906-1989), born in Foxrock near Dublin.  He was a poet, novelist, foremost dramatist for the theater of the absurd, and in 1969 won the Nobel Peace Prize.

William Butler Yeats – (1865-1939), world renowned as a poet, dramatist, and Nobel laureate.  Yeats was a leader of the Irish Renaissance and is considered one of the foremost writers of the twentieth century.

Seamus Heaney – born in 1939 in MossBaun, County Derry, Northern Ireland.  A forward-thinking man, he writes poems, plays, novels and papers largely concerning the need for reconciliation and an end to sectarianism in Ireland.  He was awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature for “works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past.”  In 2000 he was also awarded England’s prestigious Whitbread Prize for his translation of the Anglo-Saxon “Beowulf” into modern English verse.  He currently lives in Dublin and is still writing.

Oscar Wilde – (1854-1900) Noted as a brilliant epigrammatist and social commentator, wrote plays, poems and novels.  Wilde scandalized society by being arrested and convicted of sodomy with his young boyfriend, and spent two years in prison.  Many of his best and deepest works were written from there.

One-line toasts:  There are many, but two are favorites of mine:  ‘May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future’.  And, ‘May you be in Heaven one half hour before the devil knows you’re dead’.
Sources:

• Wikipedia
• The History Channel
• Funk and Wagnall’s New Encyclopedia, 2005 World Almanac Education Group
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick_(poetry)
• http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/index.html
• http://www.blarneycastle.ie/

Related articles:

• http://www.socyberty.com/Holidays/So-Who-is-St-Patrick.540127
• http://www.socyberty.com/Holidays/The-History-of-St-Patricks-Day-Parades.539247