SOME IRISH TRIVIA

 Good to Know Trivia

• Burning peat in homes emitting its distinctive aroma is common.
• Celts used hanging moss as toilet paper eons ago.
• The tapping of the foot is called riding the boat.
• In an Irish wake the body remains above ground for a week.
• An Irish ceilidh (pronounced cay lee—the dh in Gaelic is silent) involves Irish music, song and dance.
• Signs are in both Gaelic and English. Gaelic is learned in school and tests are given in Gaelic.
• There is no definitive yes or no in the Irish language.
• Getting to know the Irish is like finding a friend for life.
• The Irish love any excuse for a party and the country is legendary for its craic (good fun). Festivals and fairs are a massive part of Irish cultural life.
• In the Republic of Ireland 95% of the people are Catholic.
• Divorce was not legal until 1995.
• Birth control was not allowed until the 1980s.
• Celtic designs represent eternity and leave a story telling legacy.
• The faster an Irishman talks, the heavier the bough and the harder to understand.
• Fish and chips are a common menu item.
• 99 ice cream is popular everywhere.
• The thousands of sheep are marked with the owner’s colored grease mark.
• Counties all have colors and display such flags everywhere for all kinds of events.
• No bother is a common expression.
• A well known Irish comedian says, “That’s a good one. Write it down.”
• Shay la la means another story.

Drinking

• Poteen is moonshine made from peat.
• Irish whiskey with cloves, sugar, lemon and hot water is called hot powers.
• Ireland is as famous for its castles as it is for the national drink, Guinness.
• Water of life is Irish whisky.
• Downing a pint is equivalent to ingesting the most complete vegetarian meal in the world.
• Women imbibe a half-pint, not a full pint---that is left to the men.

THE BLARNEY STONE

                               When There Gotta Do!

           Blarney Castle, home of the famous Blarney Stone, is in County Cork. Its tall tower overlooks the River Lee and the surrounding wooded countryside. There are several legends regarding the stone, the most popular being that Elizabeth the First demanded the 15^th century fortress/castle but the Lord of Blarney kept putting her off. Eventually she said he was full of blarney meaning his word meant nothing. Another legend says the prophet Jeremiah brought the stone from the Holy Land.

            It is said that if one kisses the stone he will receive the gift of gab and eloquence. Many of us climbed the 127 narrow twisting stone steps to the top. The slow moving crowd made for an easy climb and the view at the top was magnificent on the clear sunny day. Blarney House is a Scottish baronial mansion that has been the residence of the Colthurst family since the 18^th century and was easily visible from the top of the castle.

            To kiss the stone one has to lie on his back, grab hand rails and bend over backwards. One had better empty his pockets and remove glasses. More than one has lost his treasures by not heeding this advice. A fellow is there to assist, as it is really something one cannot do on his own very well. There is no graceful way an older person can get into position, but we were all in the same boat so to speak. I’m sure the photographer is a permanent fixture---never missing an opportunity to snap a picture.

            After kissing the stone, we took our time leaving the production line to absorb the fantastic view of the grounds below. After descending back to ground level I walked a couple of the several paths covering the lovely grounds. A fellow traveler joined me just before I made my wish and walked backwards up on the 26 wishing steps. The paths were uncrowded and wove though peaceful quiet wooded areas.

            I was there, I did it, but I probably enjoyed the grounds and the walks most. The tranquility  and quiet were wonderful.

            Castles, ruins, lush fields, craggy coastlines, gentle hills, azure lakes, and ancient monuments abound in Ireland making it an incredible picturesque old world country. Its long and passionate history is evident in landscapes and the lives of the friendly people. Yet, today Ireland is also one of Europe’s most vibrant nations. Ireland’s remote western seaboard has sheltered the old traditions of language, music and folklore that have enabled them to survive. Although the European Union is bringing many changes to Ireland the local economy still relies on small farms, fishing co-ops, and cottage industries.

More Dublin Sites

     National Gallery, established in 1854, but was not built until ten years later. The gallery houses 3000 pieces of the national collection of Irish and European paintings. The old Victorian building just keeps going from one gallery to another. In fact we did get a bit lost and had to ask a guard to show us the way out! There was a sold our concert that evening in the gallery, but we heard a good part of it as we wandered around looking at paintings. We also stopped for a snack in the gallery café.

Next door is the Natural History Museum, referred to by locals as ‘the place of dead animals’. Housed in another Victorian building, all the specimens are displayed in lovely old Victorian cabinets and showcases. The museum has a huge collection covering  four floors. A graceful staircase leading from both sides of the building meets at a middle landing on the second floor.

      Dublin Castle represents 700 years of British rule and now is the symbol of Irish statehood and is the heart of historic Dublin. More a palace than a castle, it stands on a strategic site at the juncture of the River Liffey and its tributary the Poddle, where the original fortification may have been an early Gaelic Fort. Later a Viking fortress stood on the site. The Drawing Room in the Bermingham Tower dates back to 1411 and was rebuilt in 1777. The Record Tower is the earliest of several towers and is the largest remaining relic of the original Norman structure. The clock tower now houses a library. The south range houses the magnificent State Apartments, which were built as residential quarters of the vice regal court. Now they are the venue for presidential inaugurations, state functions and entertaining  heads of state.

    O’Connell Street, previously known as Sackville Street, is the most famous thoroughfare in Dublin. The 150-foot wide street changed its name in 1924. After the devastating 1916 Easter Uprising. The street had to be almost entirely rebuilt which took until the end of the 1920s. At the end of the street there is a large monument dedicated to Daniel O'Connell erected in 1854. Seated winged figures represent courage, eloquence, fidelity and patriotism. The four ancient provinces are represented by their coat of arms. O’Connell is wearing a glove on one hand, as he often did in real life as a self imposed penance for shooting a man in a duel. This is a busy street with lots of traffic and pedestrians. The focal point was the Nelson pillar that was destroyed in 1966.

     One morning we started out for our most distant point which was City Hall where there is an interesting multimedia display of city history. In 1867 there was a proposal to move a marble statue of O’Connell inside the building as it was not considered to be weather proof. It still stands in the refurbished rotunda. In the center of the marble rotunda floor is a 1898 mosaic of the coat of arms. The ceiling is beautiful. In 1915-19 frescos were added to the ceiling. Repairs due to dry rot were made to the building in 1926 and a wonderful restoration was done in 1998. Outside, the front façade still shows some bullet davits from the civil war.

      One afternoon we rode the bus to the far side of the city to Phoenix Park to visit the zoo. Covering 1760 acres, the park is the largest enclosed public park in Europe. Livestock graze the pasturelands and deer roam the wooded area. The Presidential Residence is on the park grounds. Ashtown Castle sits next to the visitor center. Dry rot demolished the castle and now it is a fully restored modern house. Easily viewed from the main street is the large white cross commemorating the pope’s visit in 1979. A large obelisk marks Napoleon’s defeat by Wellington.

     The Dublin Zoo, three kilometers from the city center, was established. in 1830. It is the world’s 4^th oldest public zoo. Set in 60 acres of attractive and colorful gardens within Phoenix Park, the zoo has a large collection of exotic animals. The lion used in the MGM logo before each picture was born at the Dublin zoo. We wandered all over the zoo. It was not the best zoo we’ve ever visited, but it was a good one. The Amur tigers from Russia and China were huge beautiful animals.

MORE ABOUT IRELAND

    Daniel O’Connell, 1775, is considered the liberator of Ireland. After securing the passage of the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829 the lawyer was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin. As a young boy he watched the British shoot his uncle because he owned a horse worth more than the allowed five pounds which he refused to give up. This event was no doubt a big factor in his drive for Catholic emancipation. There are several memorials and statues around Dublin of O’Connell who died in 1847. His heart is buried in Rome and his body is buried in Glasnevin.

 

  The 305 foot-long St Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 450 A.D. and built in 1192, is the largest church in the country and is the National Cathedral of Ireland. The church was restored in 1860 with Guinness monies. The organ dates to 1902. The present structure dates from 1254. Inside the floors are done in geometric designs using 4-inch tiles. The lectern is of ornate brass involving an eagle perched on top of a large world globe representing the word of God around the world. Jonathan Swift was Dean of the church 1713-1745 and is buried there. He was responsible for building an alms house for women who could no longer take care of themselves.

 

   From City Hall it is a short block to Christ Church. Standing in the heart of Viking Dublin and on the site of a wooden church built by a Danish king in 1038, it is one of two protestant churches in the city. It is one of the oldest and most recognized landmarks in Dublin. By 1152 it was incorporated into the Irish church. King James was protestant and King William catholic so the church switched religions a couple of times.

     In 1562 the nave roof collapsed and emergency rebuilding lasted until the 1870s. The church declined in the 19^th century so Henry Roe, a wealthy distiller hired a gothic expert to restore the building. After the 1895 renovation the church appeared Victorian. A two-year restoration of the cathedral roof and stonework was undertaken in 1982. A new organ was installed in 1984. Christ Church was the first church in Ireland to have English spoken.

    The crypt, under the church is the actually the oldest building in Dublin, and the largest crypt in Europe. During the 16^th and 17^th centuries the crypt was used as a market, a meeting place for business and at one point a pub. Reconstruction between 1870-1878 was accomplished with monies from the Guinness brewery. Today the 900 year old crypt is open to the public. New lighting recently has been installed in the crypt floor. Several display cases hold outstanding rare church silver including the stunning royal plate given by King William III in 1697 as a thanksgiving for his victory at the battle of the Boyne. Also on display are candlesticks used in 1689.

  Just before we were about to descend down into the large crypt I looked up and saw a sign on the wall that said in bold letters “CAT and RAT”. Moving my eyes upward I saw a shadow box with a mummified cat and rat. The written explanation stated that the animals were trapped in one of the organ pipes in 1860. I guess that cat really wanted that rat!

                       

St. Patrick's Day is time for the wearing o' the green and dodging leprechauns.     So, tip your tam o'shanter jauntily to the side, take a wee step forward into the land where Irish eyes are smilin’ for some St. Patrick's Day History.

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and many miracles have been attributed to the bishop, including the driving of the snakes from Ireland. His sainthood derives from his conversion of the Irish Celtic pagans to Christianity. He used the native shamrock as a symbol of the holy trinity when preaching and brought the Latin alphabet to Ireland. March 17 is the feast day of St. Patrick.

The custom of imbibing alcohol on St. Patrick's Day comes from an old Irish legend. As the story goes, St. Patrick was served a measure of whiskey that was considerably less than full. St. Patrick took this as an opportunity to teach a lesson of generosity to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper that in his cellar resided a monstrous devil that fed on the dishonesty of the innkeeper. In order to banish the devil, the man must change his ways. When St. Patrick returned to the hostelry some time later, he found the owner generously filling the patrons' glasses to overflowing. He returned to the cellar with the innkeeper and found the devil emaciated from the landlord's generosity, and promptly banished the demon, proclaiming thereafter everyone should have a drop of the "hard stuff" on his feast day. This custom is known as Pota Phadraig or Patrick's Pot. The custom is known as "drowning the shamrock" because it is customary to float a leaf of the plant in the whiskey before downing the shot.

St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in America in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737, and is now celebrated nationwide with parades and as an opportunity to wear green and consume green libations. One reason St. Patrick’s Day might have become so popular is the fact that it takes place just a few days before the end of winter; one might say it has become the first green of spring. The celebration in Ireland is more of a religious matter. The wearing o' the green is a symbol of Ireland's lush green farmlands.

also.see posts 9-22-13,  6-9-14,  8-12-12

IRISH FOOD

                                            Filling and Nourishing
      It is said that in rural areas food is simple, but in Dublin the food is spectacular. However pub food tends to be simple everywhere and usually includes fish, salmon, and Irish stew.

     Potato is a staple of the Irish diet and potato dishes are popular. Boxty, champ and colcannon are all variations on mashed potato.

     Seafood, especially oysters and mussels, are popular. Ireland has some of the best smoked salmon in the world. It is served on soda bread with lots of butter.

     Coddle is a boiled stew of bacon, sausage and smoked meat; it is a favorite in Dublin.

      Irish coffee and Guinness are favorite drinks. A whiskey called Lageuvlin is known for its strong peaty taste.

      Breakfast is called fry and consists of bacon, fried egg, sausage (black and white pudding) and baked beans. Often breakfast is preceded with coffee or tea, juice, a muffin or pastry or a bowl of cereal.

      I always wondered just what made stew Irish stew. Irish stew is a filling, flavorful peasant dish made with the cheapest, most readily available ingredients. Also called ballymaloe or stobhach gaelach in Gaelic, the stew traditionally is made of lamb or mutton (less tender sheep over two years old), potatoes, onions, carrots and parsley. Often, only lamb or mutton neckbones, shanks, and other trimmings were the basis for the stock. Yet, these would-be discards still hold enough flavor after a long simmering process to do justice to a hearty bowl of stew. The root vegetables also add flavor and thickening, as well as a filling sustenance. Some cooks add turnips or parsnips, carrots, and barley when available.

      When Irish people began immigrating to the United States, fleeing from the ravages of starvation caused by the potato famine, they naturally brought along their wonderful hearty food traditions. The stew evolved and adapted to include local offerings. Sheep were not as plentiful, so other types of meat often were substituted. When made in the traditional manner, the result is very thick and hearty, not a thin soup. The recipe has evolved to often include Guinness stout. Some variations have exalted this original peasant dish to near gourmet status.

      I expected to see Irish stew on every restaurant menu. Not so. It is often on a pub menu though. We had stew that was thick enough to eat with a fork and some that was broth-thin. Sometimes the vegetable chunks were large, other times small.  It was always good.

      The Irish raised primarily sheep and root crops for subsistence. The sheep provided wool for warm clothing, milk for drinking and making cheese, and eventually food. Potatoes were the main food crop, prior to the potato famine.