ST. PATRICK WOULD ROLL OVER IN HIS GRAVE

If St. Patrick were alive to see the shenanigans we get up to on his day, I’m sure he’d roll over in his grave.

Ugh. Shudder.  Yikes!!!

As a person who was born on the actual old sod, a true child of the Emerald Isle, I admit to having mixed feelings about St. Patrick’s Day. I’ve got the birth certificate to prove that I am authentically Irish—born in 1957 at the Jubilee Hospital in Belfast, N. Ireland. All right, all right, you can do the math. 

But today, I’m standing up. Might even get myself a placard and march around the streets. 

“I am Irish, hear me bellow! Something’s gotta give. We’ve gone too far.”

Now, I’m just as full of blarney when it comes to discussions on the myth of leprechauns—do they exist or do they not? 

Well, of course they exist. Any self-respecting Irishman will tell you so. When I was in grade two my teacher thoroughly insulted me. We were given a test, and one of the true or false questions was, “Does a Leprechaun bury his gold at the end of a rainbow?” 

I answered yes. 

Apparently in Canada the correct answer was, “No.” Because according to the Canadian Education system there is no such thing as a leprechaun.

I ran home after school and cried on my mother’s lap. Oh the shame of it all. To this day I’ve never forgotten.  

On the other hand...though...as a women of—shall we say mature years—I get a bit miffed when I see the ridiculous paraphernalia that certain large department stores carry to sell to unsuspecting Americans and Canadians. Really now!!! Since when did St. Patrick ever wear a bright green cowboy hat with a fringe of feathers? Or a baseball cap with fake hair growing out of the top? Or a green jester’s hat with accompanying bells?

That’s when this child of the old sod gets really riled up.  Green cowboy hats...of all the silly things.

Still, I’m all for green iced cupcakes, green candies, green sugar cookies, green pudding. But I have to say a very clear, “No thank you to the green beer”. 

I do get a bit misty over an old Irish ballad or two. And downright keen when it comes to leprechaun sightings.

But what has all of this to do with the actual saint...Patrick the missionary to Ireland?

Absolutely nothing. 

However, St. Patrick was a Christian. A darlin’ man who brought the gospel message to Ireland, don’t ye know. 

 
God bless him for that. He taught the Irish about the Trinity by showing them a shamrock—which is Gaelic for the word clover. Patrick took the three-leafed shamrock and pointed out that the Trinity is like this—three leaves in one. Like God, three in one. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Each St. Patrick’s Day, it is that truth that I reflect upon. 

Not Green food or drink. Not silly green hats. Not even green cupcakes, although I’ll not decline the offer to eat one, and wash it down with a nice cup of tea. 

But for now, God bless you all this St. Patrick’s Day. And here are the words from the saint himself, to inspire you.

Christ be with me,

Christ be within me,  

Christ be behind me, Christ be before me,

Christ be beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all who love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

By St. Patrick, a 5^th Century Cleric.  

And if you're looking for a nice romantic yarn set in the Emerald Isle, well sure, I'd like to point out this charming tale that I wrote called LONDONDERRY DREAMING. 

Here's a wee minute-long jaunt in a Book Trailer to put you in the mood. And turn up your volume, be ready to tap your feet to a modern-day rendition of an old Irish tune.

LONDONDERRY DREAMING by Christine Lindsay

Acclaimed New York artist, Naomi Boyd, and music therapist, Keith Wilson, loved one another five years ago, until her grandfather with his influence over Naomi separated them. 

That root of bitterness keeps them apart until a letter from Keith’s grandmother, Ruth, draws Naomi to Londonderry to find she’s too late. Ruth has passed on. After the death of his beloved grandmother, Keith has also come to Londonderry only to open the door to his past…Naomi...beautiful as ever, the girl who broke his heart.

A mysterious painting in Ruth’s attic brings up questions about their grandparents’ entwined past and their own broken romance. But more comfortable with the unspoken languages of art and music, Naomi and Keith find it difficult to share their old hurts and true feelings.

Will the majestic coastline of Northern Ireland inspire them to speak the words to bring peace to their grandparents’ memory and to rekindle love?

CHRISTINE LINDSAY

You can find out more about Christine Lindsay's novels on her website www.christinelindsay.com

 

Christine Lindsay was born in Ireland, and is proud of the fact that she was once patted on the head by Prince Philip when she was a baby. 

Her great grandfather, and her grandfather—yes father and son—were both riveters on the building of the Titanic. Tongue in cheek, Christine states that as a family they accept no responsibility for the sinking of that great ship. 

It was stories of her ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India that inspired her Multi-award-winning, historical series Twilight of the British Raj. Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight, and Christine is currently writing the final installment of that series called Veiled at Midnight to be released August 2014.

Londonderry Dreaming, Christine’s romance novella set in N. Ireland released Feb. 2014.

Aside from being a busy writer and speaker, Christine is also VP of Christian Authors’ Network. She makes her home in British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada with her husband and their grown up family. Her cat Scottie is chief editor on all Christine’s books. 

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