March 17, 2010

I hope everyone has a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day! Everyone here is planning to finish the day early and tip a pint at the university pub. What are YOUR plans for St. Patrick's Day?


I was at the Chicago River last Saturday when it was dyed green. The crowd for this event never fails to amuse me - folks lining up at the beer kiosks at 10am for lagers and ales. And then folks falling down drunk by 11am! haha


Erin go Bragh!

corned beef brisket!

The snake with eyes of garnet

Michael Collins!

Luck o' the Irish!

Celts!

Drinking songs!

Fighting songs!

Drinking and fighting songs!

'When Irish Eyes Are Smiling'

Tell the King he can kiss my royal Irish arse! -James Joyce, KMRIA

pints of Guinness ale and Harp lager!

San Patricio Battalion!

To Hell or Cannaught!

Gerry Adams!

The Book of Kells

Let us go to the Waxie Dargle!

Leprechauns!

The Blarney stone!


I sat for a while by the gap in the wall
Found a rusty tin can and an old hurley ball
Heard the cards being dealt, and the rosary called
And a fiddle playing Sean Dun na nGall
And the next time I see you we'll be down at the Greeks
There'll be whiskey on Sunday and tears on our cheeks
For it's stupid to laugh and it's useless to bawl
About a rusty tin can and an old hurley ball
So I walked as day was dawning
Where small birds sang and leaves were falling
Where we once watched the row boats landing
By the broad majestic Shannon


Irish whiskey!


The car park is going up
as they are pulling down the pubs
and it is just another bloody rainy day


boiled cabbage and potatoes!

U2

wearing green!

The great potato famine!


Oh the words that he spoke
Seemed the wisest of philosophies
There was nothing ever gained
By a wet thing called a tear
When the world is too dark
And I need the light inside of me
I'll walk into a bar
And drink fifteen pints of beer


up the British empire!

Why did God invent whiskey?
So the Irish would not rule the world!

That weird Spain (Galicia?)-Ireland Connection thingummy!!

Emigrate to America!

four-leaf clovers and Irish shamrocks!

irish bagpipes!

...and all things Irish!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Aren't Boston and Chicago the two cities with the biggest and most impressive St. Patrick Day parades?

I'm about as Irish as Antonio Banderas but I still have a good time.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Not done yet

This song is traditionaly sung at pub's closing, by all arm in arm - then you go out and fight!

I've taken Thursday and Friday off, and plan on getting well and truly hammered with some friends tonight in one of the numerous Pubs in Vienna. I kinda adopted this a few years ago when I was between jobs in March (that most memorable evening lasted well until 7am in the morning) and St. Paddys day is now my official "get drunk and don't care about work or anything else" day of the year.

Not that it can't happen on other days but it's a wonderful thing to make a yearly habit with a fixed gang of guys

Ah, Car bombs at Liams in Framingham, 1973....sorry, but I really can't remember much more of that St. Pat's Day.

Always liked your style Helmut!

btw, we'll need pictures!

I'll try, and thanks

The only Problem is, St. Patricks has evolved in such a mass activity here in Austria (and Germany, and everywhere else I guess) that it's becoming increasingly hard to find the places with the real Irish and British customers who have the real fun. Most normal places you just get locals who can't even sing one damn Dubliners or Pogues song straight.

I was fortunate to be wedged in between true expats on that long morning years ago, and there's quite nothing like a 50 man (and woman) chorus giving it their best trough 10 consecutive songs after 10 pints, and happily tumbling all over each other. The last thing I remember was heading to the mens room where the barkeeper (a guy from Cork) just came out of the Closet with his trousers round his ankles and a girl chasing him out of it, and he still had his beer in hand... now THAT's style!