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i was born with ireland in my soul...

3.17.2010


1. sheep's wool 2. bluebell field 3. fiddle 4. bodhran 5. home on the sea

"there is something in their core that belongs to their birthplace.
it is like uranium with a half-life so long that it becomes
part of the genetic makeup, passed down two, six, generations.
it is that DNA that makes the american who is one sixteenth irish,
whose great-great-grandparents came to america during the famine,
who has never set foot in dublin, wear green on march 17."
-ireland in mind, alice leccese powers


that's me. never been to ireland.
but i'm irish. my ancestors were. so that makes me irish.
today is my favorite day of the entire year.
hands down.
am weeping inside that my sixth annual irish night will only
be attended by one soul tonight: me.
i was too timid to ask neighbors to write limericks,
perform jigs, tell stories, and sing songs...it's an overwhelming night,
to say the least.



1. fiddle 2. walk on the beach 3. boys 4. red woman 5. boat

how can you not be in love with this country?
a place that seems to value
the sea, farming, story-telling, music, family, red hair.
it sounds as if the irish have the simple life perfected.
this little country pulls on my heart strings daily.
i used to get anxious about visiting...feeling that i had to go now, right this second.
but now i've calmed down a bit because there's no question that i'll get there,
and visit often. i'll get there when i get there.
i'm already there in my heart...truly.
and by the way, if you want to learn about st. patrick
click here to watch a wonderful little snippet about him.
and did you know the irish saved civilization? well, they did.






1. cliffs 2. thatched house 3. man at yellow house 4. farmer

so i will be spending my day listening to Cathy Jordan and Dervish,
Leo Rowsome, Liam Walsh, Molly's Revenge and Moira Smiley,
and many more.
i'll probably make some boxties, potato champ, or soda bread.
i'll take a walk along the river {pretending it's the sea}.
i'll close my blinds and do some dancing and singing.
i'll attempt to play the bodhran.
i'll write a limerick or two.
i'll read about the good people and banshees.
i'll watch the secret of roan inish and waking ned devine.




1. cellist 2. girl near thatched house 3. pub 4. bicycles 5. sheep 6. farmer

since i've never been to my "homeland"
i've provided with you with some images by other photographers.
click on the descriptions to find out more.


happy st. patrick's day!!
what are you doing to celebrate?
why do you love ireland?

20 comments:

Sarah said...

What a small world it is! Jill & and our neighbors.. :) I love your blog! I also love this holiday. Usually I have a party too but, didn't this year. I'm aching to make something green for dessert tonight!

Nathan Williams said...

wow.
those photos all look great together.

Tree Peeps said...

I love Ireland, too!
I love sheep, wool, knitting, the rocky cliffs by the shore, their rich plant dye history, and the look of the country side covered in heath and heather bushes.

Ireland is very similar to Iceland in look and feel regarding geography and culture.
My family is from Iceland, I love to knit and dye, AND my birthday is the day after St. Partick's Day (tomorrow).
That is why today is one of my favorite days :)

Char said...

i always watch 'the quiet man' with maureen o'hara - love her!

beautiful choices for today.

Cassie said...

It just seems to be so full of magic. I will go someday as well...

Bernie said...

Corn Beef and cabbage for dinner wearing my favorite green sweater. I think Ireland is the most beautiful country in the world, I am totally going back....:-) Hugs

Christine said...

Beautiful post. Sounds like you have a great day planned. If I could find some Irish I would go drinking and talk about Ireland but otherwise I try to avoid all the drunken chaos here in the city.

Tiffany Kadani said...

I love Ireland also! I totally would have come to your Irish party and danced a jig a la Michael Flatley. I love the book Irish Country Doctor and other Irish novels. My husband is half Irish and so cute!

Cindy said...

sounds and looks wonderful! we live in a neighborhood with many people from ireland so today is very festive. i worked on fifth avenue in nyc for many years and would hear the beat of the drums from the parade all day long and encounter many people on the subway who were quite 'merry'. it was a beautiful day for a parade, today.

we're having a corned beef dinner tonight, although my friend from galway said they never ate such meals. i'd love to visit ireland, someday. erin go bragh!

Bernie said...

I ment to tell you I have the book How the Irish Saved Civilization, loved it......:-) Hugs

Kerry O'Gorman said...

Oh Ann Marie you are truly an Irish lass! I love that fact that no matter how far removed we are from the birthplace, it still runs DEEP within our veins. I too thought "when will I ever get to the motherland?" and then last April it all fell into place and I made the trip with my da. Tonight at the cafe where I work we are lucky to have a lad from Dublin and his mandolin, a lass from Newfoundland with her fiddle and many who are Irish at heart to join along in the craic! You of course are invited. Cheers.

kelly ann said...

i've never been, either, but i cannot wait until i do! i have quite a bit of irish blood in me, and i've always felt a special connection to all things irish... i really want to figure out where exactly in ireland my family is from and go there! how amazing... to walk the same green grounds my ancestors did before coming to america. i cannot wait!

from one irish soul to another... happy st. patrick's, dear :)

amy said...

This sweet, lovely girl, Ann Marie
She really knows how to par-tee
She loves Zora Neale
And knows autumn's appeal
But the best is the yearly hoolie!

Sorry I can't be there to dance a jig, but now you're not the only one penning limericks :)

holly jo said...

oh how i wish you were here for a theme party.

Tree Peeps said...

I just saw the part about 'Roan Inish.' I love that movie. I saw it years ago and couldn't remember what it was called. Thanks for the reminder!

Purple Flowers said...

I may not be able to dance a jig, but I have a calling to visit Ireland some day. There is a writer whom I love: Maeve Binchy. She weaves stories about people and places in various parts of Ireland. I feel as if I am there when I read her books. My first name is Kathleen, and maybe I was Irish in another life. :)

kelzone said...

i wore my irish heritage yesterday on my face--my fair irish skin suffered a second degree sunburn and i had(have) blisters on my face. doesn't get much more irish than that!

and i'm pretty sure one of my daughters will have red hair.

beth said...

oh be still my heart.....these are amazing !

Jayni said...

Oh my gosh, thank you! I am half Irish, and have never been able to show in words or images what I think and feel about my heritage. So lovely.

Dee said...

oooooooooooooh I LOVE this post! I'm Irish too, and discovered recently doing genealogy, even more so than I thought! I feel the same way. It's the BEST day!!! oh it makes me so glad! Wish I could sing some songs and tell stories with you! :)