Reflections On St. Patrick's Day

Our Contributing Editor and sometimes Poet-in-Residence, Bob Weirauch, is celebrating St. Patrick's Day as he has for many years. He's reflecting on the events that happen once a year, but he's also reflecting on the Irish history that was always so very important to him and his family. Erin go bragh!

It’s cool here today, another St. Patrick’s Day. It seems to match the tradition. We dressed in all green, no orange was there seen, as we set out on an all-day mission.

We sang the old songs, drank the green beer, and sat with a snear as we sipped from the Jameson bottle. By 2 p.m. with 4 hours in, we were reaching what I call “full throttle”.

There was a “St. Paddies” parade and the corned beef was made, as we sat in the Hiawatha. Roger was there and so was the mayor and they flirted with a waitress named Kramer.

There was O’Malley and Cotter and Riordan and Crooks. But, there was Becker and Weirauch, Marks and Brooks. And each in their own right and in all different ways, all got much greener on this special day.

And on goes the tradition year after year. Green beer and corned beef served with great cheer. But it’s different today than it was long ago. It’s no longer about being Irish deep in our soul. I

t’s like everything around us, it’s fake as can be. It’s a Hallmark event and a long drunken spree. Everyone’s forgotten why the Irish came to this land. Uprooted their families and abandoned their clan.

What it meant to be Irish to my grandparents and friends, was a love of words and being attached to the land. They sculpted their words into lyrics and poems and worked in the fields until the land let them down.

They migrated westward, and started anew, and with hard work and suffering their fortunes grew. They celebrated their heritage with music and parades to let people know, that they had survived to this day.

So, now that I’m older I celebrate anew. I live with the memories of the great people I knew, and I miss the ones that are gone now, though there are more than just a few.

So on March 17th if for only one day, we all can be Irish in our own special way. A Happy St. Paddies and Erin go Bragh, and may happiness find you wherever you are.

Author’s Note:

"Erin go bragh" is an Irish phrase, an anglicized version of "Éire go brách" (or Éirinn go brách), meaning "Ireland forever" and is used to express loyalty and affection for Ireland.

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