Dakota Beacon

I did not post anything on Sunday.  Events kept me away from my computer.  However it was much on my mind. Tuesday is St. Patrick’s Day.  It brings back so many great memories of celebrations of Ireland’s patron saint.  Often our family would be participating in special events in Winnipeg, at the Irish Association on Erin Street or the Winnipeg Irish Club on Princess Street (sadly I note that this historic old building in the Exchange was demolished just last month).  Other times we did our own shows - in Fargo at the Moose Lodge and in East Grand Forks, at the River Bend Supper Club. My daughter Jenny and I sang and played, respectively, at the Urban Stampede not that long ago.  

This year, the coronavirus pandemic is hampering people’s plans for the celebration so it seems that this would be a good time to learn about the saint whose life and works are celebrated and since you’re probably spending the night at home, have your own hooley - a traditional Irish supper and a ceilidh.  I have assembled some of the best for your party. I hope you will have a blessed and joyful Stl Patrick’s Day, no matter what!

"Christ be within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ inquired, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger." - St. Patrick

Born into a highly placed Roman family in Britain in about 386 A.D., the young boy who would become St. Patrick was kidnapped by Irish pirates, taken to Dalriada in Ireland and sold to a powerful Druid priest.  He was put to work herding - some say swine, some say sheep. He suffered greatly from the cold and from hunger, but it was his experience in pagan Ireland which would shape his future. In about 408 A.D., he escaped from his master and prevailed upon some sailors to return him to England.  However, he and the sailors abandoned the ship on the coast of France. He wandered for a month and was finally reunited with his family. He would study in France.. He had, while in Ireland, a vision of the children of Ireland reaching out to him and he believed it meant that he was to convert them to Christianity..  He would return to Ireland in 432 A.D., as a bishop with the mission to spread the faith throughout the island.  

He managed to accomplish this to an amazing extent during his lifetime, often incorporating familiar pagan rites iinto Christian purposes.  He is believed to have introduced the Celtic cross, which some see as utilizing a familiar symbol of the sun. Patrick founded many monasteries throughout Ireland.  

Among many legends about St. Patrick is that he used the shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity, and that he was responsible for driving the snakes out of Ireland.  He was a mentor to Both St. Columba and St. Brigid, who ministered to him at the time of his death, March 17, 461 A.D. He was known for his humility and his kindness. Here is a video version of the life of St. Patrick: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK0xb7w4SAU

Now.  It is St. Patrick’s Day, a time to remember your Irish roots or invent them if you don’t have them. In these times of quarantine and avoidance of live crowds, here is an idea for how to spend your time in a fun and worthwhile way - your own St. Patrick’s Day celebration.   I would suggest starting off with perhaps a pint of Irish stout and a hearty dinner. If you don’t have a hearty Irish dinner already in mind, here are some recipes - read them check your pantry and maybe make up one of your own. After all it’s what your Irish great granny would do!

Recipe for Cottage Pie

https://www.thekitchn.com/shepherds-pie-261541

Recipe for Irish Stew

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a26258692/irish-stew-recipe/

Recipe for Irish Soda Bread

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16947/amazingly-easy-irish-soda-bread/

Then, on to the ceilidh!  A ceilidh is a traditional party or “hooley” wherein the guests all take turns entertaining the group.  You probably are being careful and avoiding groups, so I have brought a virtual group together of some of Ireland’s greatest entertainers.  At a ceilidh, each guest answers the “noble call” and takes center stage in turn. Here we have poetry and song, we have some fun pub songs as well as ballads, with vintage performances by the Irish Rovers, Tommy Makem, Liam Clancy, and some exciting dance with none other than Chicago’s own High King of Irish Dance, Michael Flatley - there’s a video about him as well as the full Lord of the Dance!   And don’t forget the ladies - Mary Black, Orla Fallon, Rebecca, the fiddle of the amazing Mairead Nesbitt, some more fine instrumentals by The Chieftains, the Irish Tenors will be here, and a fine young group of traditional musicians, The Ghillies. And men of letters and of history - Joseph Mary Plunkett and Seamus Heany. And now it’s your turn! What’ll it be? The harp? The piano? The guitar? The fiddle? A dance?  A poem? Or a story? Yours is the noble call!

To put you in the mood - The Chieftains, with some spectacular scenery

O’Sullivan’s March https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpkrr0-qut4

The Ghillies - traditional Irish music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVh3T2CYNv4

The Irish Tenors:

Only Our Rivers Run Free:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zibl1UIzis

Anthony Kearns:  Grace:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Oi7CdBc78

Orla Fallon:

Carrickfergus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIAowBz_jCY

“Rebecca”

She’s singing “Isle of Innisfree”, written in the 1940’s and included without credit in the movie, “The Quiet Man”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh_aO4lT7IU

On Joseph Mary Plunkett

The son of James Connolly, leader of the 1916 Easter Rising on Joseph Mary Plunkett

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9N7dDovnVA

I See His Blood Upon the Rose (Joseph Mary Plunkett)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJMQKnLHYfs

Mary Black - Song for Ireland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbRuLOfHYfw

The Irish Rovers

The Black Velvet Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBdx2m2xOrA

Tommy Makem

The Four Green Fields https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFvHkcaR068

The Chieftains:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7pDiO52xSs

Liam Clancy:

The Band Played Waltzing Mathilda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFCekeoSTwg

Mairead Nesbitt, violin (Celtic Woman)

Hills of Ireland:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ioy37J5Fvg

Seamus Heany:

St. Kevin and the Blackbird: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BwgIvMDJXM&t=75s

The GREAT Michael Flatley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt3IKP5Bwts

The Lord of the Dance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAD2hCFkmUA

A Poem . . . . and farewell - The Parting Glass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YpOWFbATBc