Kiss me, I'm Irish!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!  March 17th is by far, my favourite day of the year!  St. Patrick's Day has always held a special place in my heart.  I'm only a teensy part Irish, but on this day, I'm a full-blood Irish lass!  It's always been a special day as March 17th is also my Grampa's birthday.  When I was a kid, we would always head out to my grandparent's farm and enjoy a delicious meal (my ultimate favourite meal) of corned beef and cabbage.  My Grampa would have been 84 today.  He's truly the greatest man I've ever known, raised me as a father would since the one I had didn't exist in my life.  He's by far my favourite person in the world...perhaps this is why St. Patrick's Day has always been such a special day to me - not only do I have a great excuse to drink beer, wear lots of green, dance and be merry, but I also get to celebrate the life of someone who was truly wonderful :-)


The majestic Cliffs of Moher

Of all the places I have travelled, compared to some it's  lot, compared to others it's not - and in my eyes it's definitely not enough - Ireland is my favourite.  Even considering 2 of the 3 times I have been to Ireland I have received pretty awful news (my first visit, I discovered one of my housemates was found dead, committed suicide...my third visit - on St. Patrick's Day, mind you - I found out I wasn't successful for a job I really had my heart set on (by the way, what kind of person calls you ON St. Patrick's Day WHILE you're in Ireland to tell you that you didn't get a job?  A heartless one!))




Rolling hills of the emerald Irish countryside

There's something about Ireland that's just magical to me.  The people are truly lovely and definitely lively!  In Dublin, on every street of every hour of every day, there's live Irish music to lift your soul!  The locals love to talk to you and drink with you.  The country is just beautiful - rolling hills of emerald green dotted with sheep and lined with stone walls older than time itself.  The breath-taking Cliffs of Moher, the unusually beautiful and curious Giant's Causeway, the legends of leprechauns and fairies, stories and songs, dances and drinks.  Ireland is magic.



Blarney Castle



Kissing the Blarney Stone, gettin' the Gift 'o the Gab!

I am not a big city person, but of all the cities in world that I have been to, Dublin is my favourite.  It doesn't feel like a big city to me.  It's easy to navigate with plenty of things to do!  Take a ghost tour.  Visit a museum.  Tour the Jameson distillery.  Or visit my version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory: The Guinness Brewery.



Dublin with the Millenium Spire - that was
built in 2003 ;)

I've always heard that Guinness tastes better in Ireland and I always thought people were full of shit when they said that.  But the legend is true.  Arthur Guinness bought a 9,000 year lease on the St. James's Gate Brewery, of which only 252 years have passed.  Guinness is so delicious, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!  Guinness is made with only 4 ingredients: water from a lake in the Wicklow Mountains, locally grown barely and hops, and yeast - the same strain of yeast that was used 252 years ago is still used to this day.  To pour a pint of the "black" stuff (Guinness is actually red) takes precision, it's an art!  Pour it with care until it's about 3/4 full then let it settle for 2 minutes.  Two. Whole. Minutes.  Be patient!!  Then top it off and take a giant gulp...unless you get the Guinnie-stache, you're not drinking it right!

Boats in Dingle, Ireland

Doolin, Ireland - Where road signs go to die

Here's my Photo of the Week...brought to you from O'Connor's pub in Kilarney, Ireland - a refreshing meal in glass, a beautiful piece of art: A glass of Guinness.  Sliante!!  (That means "cheers" in Gaelic :)

Photo of the Week: The perfect pint!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

I'm off to toast my Gramps and celebrate my (little) Irish heritage!

Please, don't forget to press play!  From the ultimate Irish rock band, The Pogues, I bring you, the Irish Rover!