Today is Saint Patrick's Day.
Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated every year on March 17 and it is the annual celebration of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. It has been commemorated for over 1000 years and is the day when across the world people come together to celebrate Irish culture and heritage.
For some reason, it took me until January 2020 for me to make my first trip to the Republic of Ireland. That seems a long time ago now given what has occurred since.
It is said that there are only 2 types of people in this world: the Irish and those who want to be Irish. The friendliness and hospitality that I encountered during my trip was second to none and I have travelled extensively throughout western and eastern Europe. In my experience, you will not find a nicer group of people on this planet. Everywhere I went, I met friendly and interesting people who went out of their way to make me feel welcome in their country. Of course, the Guinness and traditional music didn't hurt either.
There is a passion and patriotism to the Irish people that seems very different from that in the UK. This is well demonstrated in ”Ireland’s Call”, an anthem commissioned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) for the World Cup in 1995 and now sung at many sporting events but still most notably prior to matches played by the Irish rugby union team. “Ireland’s Call” is so rousing, an anthem for everyone, whether in the south or the north of the island.
Maybe I am biased, being both a republican and an atheist for many years, but
the UK national anthem, that interminable turgid “God save the Queen”, is an
anthem to one person with huge privileges and an anthem inflated with imperial
self-regard and breathless entitlement.
So .... happy Saint Patrick's Day .... it is definitely a lovely day for a Guinness!
Here is how to properly enjoy a pint of Guinness, as I did in the Tig Cóilí in Galway in the far west of Ireland. Clear evidence that Guinness does not affect your ability to hold your camera phone steady 😀.
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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