March 17, 2023
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
On a lighter note, as a person of Irish descent (growing up, I was always fascinated my maternal grandfather’s brogue), I would like to wish everyone a happy St. Patrick’s Day, and I hope you are able to celebrate whatever it is that we celebrate on this day!
The occasion gives me an opportunity to tell what I think is my only St. Patrick-related story. When my family was traveling in Ireland many years ago, we were visiting the beautiful Cliffs of Moher on the west coast, and we were walking from the cliffs to the car park. A family was coming along the path the other way, and their young son was walking in the flora that grew along the side of the path, so his mother said in a very American accent “Billy, get out of those weeds, there are probably snakes in there.” To this comment I responded indignantly, in my very best fake Irish accent, “Madam, there are no snakes in Ireland, thanks to our beloved St. Patrick.” The American woman mistook me for a local and told her son “its OK Billy, he says there are no snakes in there.” I have no idea why I was being so cheeky that day, perhaps it was the lingering effects of the blarney stone!
– Dave Lynn