Over 30 Americans of Irish ancestry celebrate Patrick's Day. Those who are not of Irish ancestry celebrate as well. Restaurants offer Irish dishes, favorite watering holes pour drink pale green beer and serve green tinted cream cheese on bagels which are sometimes green. Friends send sentimental Gaelic blessings and dancing Leprechauns by internet.



This 'make you think' Irish proverb is a favorite of mine. You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was. However I think the beautiful blessing below may be the most known and the most popular.

Traditional Gaelic Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.


Shining Through The Tears

It's easy to be pleasant when life flows by like a song.
But the man worth while is the one who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong.

For the test of the heart is trouble and it always comes with years.
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through the tears.


Whenever I Dream

Whenever I dream, it seems I dream Of Erin's rolling hills
Of all its lovely, shimmery lakes and little babbling rills
I hear a Colleen's lilting laugh across a meadow fair
And in my dreams its almost seems to me that I am there
O, Ireland! O', Ireland! We're Never far apart
For you and all your beauty fill my mind and touch my heart.

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