That is the Irish Gaelig way of wishing a group of people a happy St. Patrick’s day and its pronounced lah aluh PAH-drig SUN-uh YEE-uv. Yeah, I know, it doesn’t sound the way it’s spelled. You can listen to the correct pronounciation below.
While elsewhere in the world St. Paddy’s day (and yes, it’s Paddy not Patty) is a party day, until relatively recently in Ireland the day was more subdued. It is still mainly a religious holiday there.
There are many misconceptions surrounding the life and times of Padraig. He wasn’t Irish. In fact he was a Welshman who was enslaved by Irish raiders when he was a youth. He was credited with introducing the Irish to Christianity, yet part of his mission when he finally became a priest was to minister to the Christian communty that already existed there. And then there’s the snake thing. Let’s be honest, there weren’t any snakes in Ireland before he got there, so he clearly didn’t chase them away.
He isn’t even the only patron saint of Ireland nor arguably the most important. St. Brigid and St. Columcille (Columba) are both patron saints of Ireland along with St. Brendan the navigator who is supposed to have sailed to North America in the 5th century.
Now on to the fun stuff. Booze. Here are a couple of drinks/cocktails to enjoy during your Paddy’s day celebrations.
You can’t go wrong with a pint of the Black. Guiness has been brewed exclusively at the St. James Gate brewery in Dublin since 1759 when Arthur Guiness signed a 9,000 year lease. The company pays 45 pounds a month in rent. If your tastes run to lighter brews, check out Smithwick’s (pronounced Smiddicks), Harp or any of the fine beers from O’Hara’s. You could try a half and half, just don’t call it a black and tan if you’re in a pub in Ireland.
If it’s whiskey you’re drinking, this editor has a specific recommendation: Killbeggan. You could be plebian and drink John Jameson’s, you could pose and drink Teeling, you could be a bloody Prod and drink Bushmill. There are others, Tullamore DEW being prominent, and if this editor is being honest, even that Prod shite is good.
If it’s a cocktail you be cravin’ give this one a shot (no pun intended). It’s called the Irish Cactus and it’s just a two ingredients Bailey’s and tequila. Fill a whiskey glass with ice, pour in two ounces of Bailey’s and then add an ounce of tequila and stir. Theres some history behind this drink. The Batallón de San Patricio, around 175 Irish and Irish-American men fought for Mexico in the Mexican-American war of 1846-8.
