"Ireland forever." Should I be wearing orange today? I fear my ancestors were confirmed Ulstermen, nothing like romantic Irish revolutionaries. I turned to the internet this morning to find out what and how I should be celebrating. It informs me that "Éirinn go Brách," or rather the Anglicized "Erin go bragh," showed up on the flag of some deserting Americans, including Irishmen, who went over the Mexican side in the Mexican-American War, calling themselves Los San Patricios, or St. Patrick's Batallion. Always on the losing side of history, poor fellows, which explains the humorous translation of "It's Irish for you're f**cked."
The Wiki entry also clears up a long-term mystery about crossword puzzle clues, which may be asking for either "Erin" or "Eire" in referring to the Ould Sod. It seems that Eire is nominative, but the dative form "Erin" is used colloquially even as the subject of a sentence. Back to the proper method of celebrating today. I can remember singing "The Wearing of the Green" in elementary school, back when there was music in elementary school and traditional songs of this sort could be sung without spurring a federal investigation. I understand Lenten restrictions are lifted for the day, which encourages alcohol consumption. An Irish Member of Parliament introduced legislation to close the bars on March 17 to prevent drinking from getting out of hand, a measure that must have been inspired by some truly legendary drinking in order to have excited comment in Ireland.
All in all, I don't find any trace of North-vs.-South tension in the traditional acknowledgements of the day, so I feel free to pull out my tin whistles, wear green, and listen to this:
I have a Jacobite heritage, but from my Scottish (mother's) side. Still, St. Patrick lived in the fifth century, and the House of Orange grew out of a set of counts that became important vassals in the 12th century. So it's almost as far from his life to the first Orangemen as it is from them to us; and if you want to talk about the Orangemen in Ireland, well, they've only been there since the 1600s.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very different era when Patrick lived among the Gaels. He's a near contemporary of King Arthur, in fact.
Having been to Ireland on St. Patrick's Day in 2009, I can tell you he's as big a deal to the Church of Ireland (a.k.a. Church of England, a.k.a. Anglican, a.k.a. "them Protestants") as he is to the Catholics. He kind of transcends the Catholic/Protestant divide. In fact, I recall specifically that year a joint Catholic/Protestant celebration of St. Patrick that year. It probably didn't hurt that 2009 was also the 250th Anniversary of Guinness.
ReplyDelete"My people" (as you're supposed to refer to them, I am led to understand) are Catholics from County Cork and include such rogues as a highwayman and hedge priests. My wife's people are Scots-Irish and can trace their roots to the Red Earl of Ulster. We've got a great shot of her family at their ancestral castle in Dunluce. And the fruit apparently doesn't fall that far from the respective trees, as I was raised Catholic, and she Protestant. But much like the isle, we manage to get along pretty well these days. ;)
I just recently found (again) the geneological research my Mom and her sister did many moons ago. Having found it, this time I actually went through some of it while I was sorting papers. Turns out my Mom comes from a very distinguished Irish family from the Isle of Mann. For instance, one of my ancestors was the William Christian of "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame. Another ancestor was the Irish version of William Wallace. I also found my family crest which, according to the description that accompanied it, was a very highly regarded family lineage. My crest has a collared unicorn for it's symbolic animal and several other important points on the shield that were/are considered to be something akin to royalty in the Irish isles.
ReplyDeleteWho knew?
Maybe I should challenge Cass for the title Blog Princess?
heh
Happy St. Patty's day!!
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