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The Galloping Geezer
Jack Downey ~ The Galloping Geezer

"Photo Credit to Julie Ann Biggs out on the Mekong River, Cambodia Vietnam Border."

Jack Downey Comments on Canadian Issues to Inform and Amuse.




Me name is St. Patrick and Welsh is What I Be!



Every March 17th, there is a mad rush of people all over the world to declare themselves Irish Bog Trotters by putting on something emerald green in color, swilling green beer, and marching about singing sentimental American songs written about Ireland. These antics are thought to make every person on earth not only Irish, but Catholic as well, even if they were Protestant, Jewish, Moslem, Buddhists or Shinto. I wholly support this wonderful camaraderie on the 17th of March, but how come, on the 18th of March, we all revert to regular beer and continue throwing grenades at each other. St. Patrick tried to teach the Irish to be civilized, but the whole world keeps acting like barbarians lost in a fog of Guinness Ale. Regardless of your faith or ethnic background you may continue with your St Patrick Parties, parades and fun, but mark on your forehead (or a Shamrock) with a green Magic Marker one word, PEACE.

"All wars and revolutions must be just the killing of strangers against whom you feel no personal animosity; strangers whom, in other circumstances, you would help if you found them in trouble, and who would help you if you needed it." (Mark Twain.)

Do we need days like Christmas, Valentine Day, St. Jean Batiste, or St Patrick's Day to give some kind of release to the goodness in our hearts and let it overcome the evil side of our psyche? Maybe we need more special days to release these pent up good feelings of intercultural fun and caring.

It is said of the Irish that, "Given a choice of attending an Orgy or a Wake the Irish will chose the Wake every time." It is time for all of us, not just the Irish, TO DEMAND the UN decree, to have more "Orgies" and fewer funerals. St. Patrick would forgive a few Orgies, but how could he forgive the Funerals of innocent civilians or Peace Keepers cut down in their prime.

St Patrick was born in Wales, captured by Irish Raiders, and enslaved in Ireland. He escaped to France, where he studied theology and returned to Ireland to work amongst the Druids priests of a Celtic nation. The Celts were the center of European culture during the Dark Ages. In a short period of time the Celtic clans accepted Catholicism, whilst retaining some of their own important traditions. St Patrick and Mark Twain both knew that "Indecency, vulgarity, obscenity, wars--these are strictly confined to man; he invented them. Among the higher animals there is no trace of them." St. Patrick was an advocate of love and harmony. He may have used the Shamrock as a device for teaching the Holy Trinity and its relationship to universal love.

It is thought that the Irish were the first Europeans to arrive in North America. Large stones with Runic writing chiseled on them have been found in North Eastern USA. These give Irish and pseudo-Irish alike the right to celebrate our North American Irish heritage. There were several waves of Irish immigrants to both Canada and the USA. See jack90.html St. Patrick's celebrations started in the USA in 1735 CE. The Civil War saw masses of Irish fighting on both sides. Since the war, New York and Boston have held St Patrick Day parades attended by the many veterans of this terrible war. Such reunions have since caught on around the world. Dublin Ireland has turned a six day celebration of St Patrick's life into the largest tourist attraction in Ireland, during which there seems to be an unwritten truce between the Orange Lodge and the feast of St. Patrick revelers.

One of the strangest stories about St. Patrick is about the inclusion of the Celtic wheel onto the Christian cross. There are many versions of how this wheel was placed on the cross. Below is one I like, excerpted from this site. There are more and well researched, but none are for sure, so take your choice.

"At the pub when the subject comes up you might just as likely hear the explanation that the great stone Celtic Crosses were carved from the standing stones of the Druids and were originally phallic symbols, just carved into crosses to disguise their original purpose. No proof of this theory is offered and the in-your-face delivery of this information will probably intimidate you from asking for any. The barroom iconographer will swear on the graves of all his ancestors that it is true. With the rise of interest in the occult and pagan ideas in recent years you are likely to read New Age interpretations about how the cross in the circle is a symbol of the Sun that was worshipped by the Druids and that this symbol was appropriated by the Christians. Look for these sorts of explanations on the cards that accompany jewelry and head shop bric-a-brac. Born Again Pagans are enthusiastic about Celtic designs and are successfully appropriating Christian symbols back to their supposed primal meaning. Just how much of this is fantasy and how much is based in historical fact is difficult to sort out since the academic keepers of the facts are so reluctant to discuss symbolic meaning. "

We have all met many a person whom a phallic symbol grave marker would describe to a T and they were not all Druids or Irish!

Here are some strange traditions and bar Toasts that seem to enhance the Spirit of St. Patrick and Druid folklore.

  • Donegal - No Irish person can be buried on St. Patrick's Day, they are laid out in their favorite Pub to enjoy the party.
  • Derry - Unmarried Colleens wear green knickers.
  • Tipperary - Colleens with red hair, braided with green strips get the first three drinks free in honor of the Trinity.
  • Cork - The "Missus" comes to the Pub barefooted to show where her man has left most of his pay over the last year. His Bar credit is canceled by the Publican for the next year.
  • Mayo - The eldest son pours a shot of Irish whisky on the father's grave on St. Patrick's Day and then the family all toast the father with a stiff drink and go to the Pub and reminisce.
  • Kerry - A toast to those who have emmigrated "I'll sell the horse and cow me boy and send you far away 'cause in Paddy's land it's poverty you'll find" the glasses are drained and banged on the table, in unison, then every one in the Bar shouts "Write when you get work!"
  • Aran Islands - We don't pray for a ship wreck, but if there is one St Patrick, may it be loaded with rum!
  • Belfast - How many Brits does it take to turn on a light…none they're all condemned to eternal darkness!
  • Dublin - Here's to St. Patrick who chased out the snakes except for the ones I'll see in the morning.
  • Killarney- (To the Publican) I was going fishing, but my mates said it was bad luck to fish sober… pour me a pint of luck.
  • Galway - Toast - If the past cannot teach the present, and the father cannot teach the son, then history need not have bothered to go on, and the world has wasted a great deal of drinking time "...paraphrased from "Russell Hoban".
  • My family toast: May you live to be a hundred years with one extra year to repent.
Keep in mind that not all Irishmen drink and dance on St. Patrick's Day; some won't dance unless the pretty, single Colleens drink and flash their green knickers. It's then that they sing the songs of the green, green grass of home. It has never been established if it is the green grass or the green knickers they are alluding too! Either way, the wearing of the green is important to an Irish lad away from his home and kin.

(The Aqua Vitiate… water of life, pretty Colleens and nostalgia is part of Irish tradition and celebrated in songs and stories.)

The Irish have traveled the world and have blended into most cultures. They have preformed many brave acts and are ardent politicians. One of the least known of the great Irish accomplishments is:

Tigh Neachtain public house, at the junction of Cross and High Street, was the townhouse of Richard Martin (also known as 'Humanity Dick') who, as one of Galway's first Members of Parliament at Westminster, was instrumental in bringing new anti-cruelty laws which led directly to the founding of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). at his actress wife's insistence.

That in itself is a reason to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

"May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rain fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again
may God hold you in the palm of His hand."
Irish Toast

Irish Music.
click here

You may note that the song "Garry Owen" was the favorite of Gen. George Armstrong Custer of the USA 7th Cavalry and The battle of the Little Bighorn saga. The North Americans Indians to this day celebrate St Patrick's Day with a toast to the 7th Cavalry
"Here's to the lads in the 7th Cav- they looked good in their Arrow shirts...
"

Irish Names. click here

A look at the Emerald Isle


© Jack C. Downey CD 2004





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