Similar to the way Easter holidays have gained more popularity than the actual reason for the season, Jesus', death, burial and resurrection, I found this to be true about Patrick of, Ireland. I found scores of references about the ST Patrick's Day celebrations than I did about him.
To hear an original, fascinating, and very amusing description told by an Irish child with Dublin accent, Google St Patrick & log in Wikipedia. Scroll to bottom of long page to External Links and the last on the list is : Video animation of St Patrick as told by Irish schoolchildren. The Irish are famous for their gift of the gab & this little girl can really tell a tale.
Pious legends credit Patrick with banishing snakes from Ireland, ( a big plus) but one suggestion says it was a covert way of speaking about the Druids who used the serpent symbolism. Another tells Patrick taught the people about the concept of the trinity using the Shamrock--3-leaved clover.
A brief history: When Patrick was 16 he was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he was enslaved and made to be a shepherd. He lived there for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After entering the Catholic Church, he returned as an ordained bishop. His time span? Somewhere around the second half of the fifth century.
Special St Pat's Day recipe:
Begorrah. Be takin' a noice piece orf Corned beef brisket about 1.5 k, 1 onion halved, 1 carrot chunked, 1 Tblspn mixed spice, half cup brown sugar, 1 Tblspn prepared mustard, half cup white vinegar.
Place c.beef in Dutch oven or similar & cover with water, add vegs & spices.
Bring to boil then simmer 2 to 3 hours.
Ditch liquid & vegs. Or you can slurp it if you take a mind to. Place meat in baking pan & score diagonally. Add vinegar. Slather mustard & brown sugar like you were soapin' up for a noice hot tub. Then me spalpeens, bake one hour in a noice hot oven around 160c or 325 dependin' what dear little country you be livin' in. Of course you'll be wantin' to aite it with mashed taties and a noice bunch orf green beans.
With profuse apologies to my Irish friends!
Rita Stella Galieh
Rita, thanks for sharing your Irish recipe - it sounds delicious :-)
ReplyDeletehey thanks, for that recipe, me husband was wanting a recipe for that !
ReplyDeletejust had our cornbeef and cabbages, and taters ! ;)
I seem to cook far less these days, Rita, so not sure if or when I'll use the recipe! This year we even clebrated my birthday early on St Patrick's day by going to a (gasp, horror!) Chinese restaurant and then to see a wonderful local production of Les Miserables.
ReplyDeleteMary