Beannacht Lá Fhéile Pádraig!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! So far this year, my celebration of St. Patrick’s Day has been to attend the local parade last Saturday with Declan and Eoin – bundled up from head to toe to keep out the cold – and to bake two loaves of Irish Brown Bread, my first ever! One loaf went with Eoin to school for his Culture Project Food Day and the other was just for us. Served with raspberry jam and the deep yellow richness of Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter – and moistened with cupán tae – the brown bread was celebration enough! However, adding to the pleasure of the holiday, I just received the following video in a “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” email from The Francis O’Neill Club of the Irish American Heritage Center. Song for Ireland perfectly conveys my affection for Ireland and this version by Dick Gaughan is particularly soulful. So, in celebration of the day that’s in it, I offer this video for you to enjoy a wonderful song and to feast your eyes on the beauty of the island St. Patrick loved so well! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PInNrFZQEwk&feature In addition, with thoughts directed toward the people of Japan in their struggle with the ongoing devastation in their country, instead of talk of green beer and shamrocks this St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll leave you with the comfort of a small part of St. Patrick’s Breastplate, a prayer attributed to the saint himself.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
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March 17, 2011 at 8:29 am
lifeonthecutoff
Happy St. Paddy’s Day, Janet. This was absolutely beautiful. I’m sitting here wiping a few tears from my eye. The song, the images, Dick Gaughen. Tom will enjoy this later today. I keep a book of quotes that I love or have discovered along the way. St. Patrick’s prayer you quote here is just about to enter its pages, citing your blog as where I first saw it. Thank you.
We’ve yet to get to the Irish Heritage Center and I must make that happen and the Francis O’Neill Club sounds like something my Irish lad needs to know about.
March 17, 2011 at 10:49 am
bloggingfromthebog
That song always gives me goosebumps and really transports me to the cliffs looking out at the Atlantic! I’m glad you enjoyed it too. I also love the mysticism of that prayer.
I hope you and Tom have a great St. Patrick’s Day!
March 17, 2011 at 9:07 am
Anton from work...
I can’t load this song on my lousy, overworked, office computer… but I’m sure it’s beautiful. I am listening to the Dropkick Murphys right now (Mom, you would not like these guys) and have a couple of renditions of Parting Glass to enjoy before the day is through, I’m sure. Great post!
March 17, 2011 at 10:52 am
bloggingfromthebog
Well Anton, you may be right that I would not like them – but I love their name! I hope you take the time when you get home to check out this video, I really think you’ll enjoy it. Enjoy the day!
March 18, 2011 at 9:39 pm
janet (Country Mouse)
This is a beautiful post. I love the music. I’m sorry I didn’t get to it on St. Patrick’s day. Better late than never.
March 19, 2011 at 11:37 am
bloggingfromthebog
Thanks for stopping by janet. Isn’t that a beautiful song? I’ve listened to it several times since I posted it here. I hope you did something fun on St. Patrick’s Day!
March 19, 2011 at 12:39 pm
kate
old irish songs have a kind of sad nostalgia to them that always tugs at those heart strings. people arent really celebrating the holiday here, but this and a hot irish whiskey will do for me!
March 19, 2011 at 1:24 pm
bloggingfromthebog
Doesn’t this song remind you of standing at the top of the Kilkee Cliffs looking out to sea? Or driving along the Coast Road? That and a hot whiskey will do for me too!
March 20, 2011 at 11:05 am
lovelti
You have a beautiful blog 🙂 I love all things Irish and now your blog is added to my list of favorite Irish things. I really enjoyed this post. The music and prayer really pull at your heart strings.
Happy (late) Saint Patrick’s day!
~kimme
March 20, 2011 at 1:05 pm
bloggingfromthebog
Happy belated St. Paddy’s Day to you Kimme! I’m glad you enjoyed the post, thank you for commenting! That song is beautiful isn’t it? And for me, just reading that prayer is calming – it’s sort of like a chant.