That’s cheers in Gaelic, prounounced slahn-cha. And Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all! I have a half cooked corned beef at home in my fridge, and cabbage, carrots and potatoes to go with it. My last class of the term is at 1pm today and I have tomorrow off from work. That means that as of this evening, I will be on vacation. And what better way to kick that off than with a traditional irish-american boiled dinner. Mmm…I do love me some poor food.

I love the irony in St. Patrick’s Day. When my great-grandfather arrived in this country in 1924 the Irish were hated. Signs bearing the letters N.I.N.A. were everywhere and no irish need apply was the feeling in the nation for these impoverished people. my great-grandparents eventually became comfortabley employed, nanny as a nurse at an insane asylum (they even named a building after her, although it is long demolished) grandpa shoveled coal at the same asylum, although i’m not sure he did that all his life. (my great-grandfather was quite the character–he came to this country because there was a warrant out for his arrest; dead or alive, because of his political views). They struggled to make it for many years, and then my grandparents did the same. Pop-pop, my dad’s father was a member of the Irish-American society and fiercly proud of his Irish Catholic parents. It still strikes me as ironic that “everyone is irish on st. patrick’s day” in a country that hated the irish when they first arrived.

Being of Irish heritage has always been a huge part of my life. So today, on St. Patrick’s Day, eat a potato, drink some whiskey, and for pete’s sake, don’t drink green beer. Drink a Guiness, its good for you!