17.3.08

Lucky Enough

My grandfather, perpetually representing the Irish side of the family, used to tell us:
"If you're lucky enough to be Irish,
you're lucky enough."
That's the approach I've always taken toward St. Patrick's Day. I'm dealing with Irish blood running through my veins every day of my life - I don't feel the need to make an obscene novelty of my heritage for one day every year.

[I don't run around with the Polish flag tied to my back like a superhero's cape on Pulaski Day, either. Nor do I do anything particularly German during Oktoberfest.]

A lot of St. Patty's Day tradition is distorted anyway. Did you know that blue was the color originally associated with St. Patrick? Only through the phrase "wearing of the green" did the common practice of wearing green (instead of a Shamrock) become the tradition.

Color is not the only bastardization of tradition on St. Patrick's Day. A properly poured Guinness, not cheap beer dyed green, is the appropriate drink. Or a good Irish whiskey. Think about that before you help support the "drunk Irish" stereotype this evening.

If you're lucky enough to be Irish at all.

2 comments:

DC Liar said...

Didn't drink one drop of the sauce yesterday.
HERE'S my 6 cents on the matter. Which is to say, My two cents three times.

PYLB said...

Great minds drink alike.