Boxty, Books, a Poem & More for St. Patrick's Day
We're all a little Irish today, right?
Hello, friends! Mel, here…
Whether you’re Irish, love someone Irish, or are a proponent of the idea that on March 17, we’re all a little bit Irish… Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
This day devoted to wearing green and shouting 'Erin go Bragh' — an anglicization of Éirinn go Brách (Ireland Forever) — is in honor of the patron saint of Ireland. What started as a feast day in the 17th century has evolved into a public holiday in countries all over the world.
If you'd like to get in the spirit, we've got you covered!
Listen: SSoP Podcast Episode 24 — Ireland: It's Not Good, It's Grand
In this episode, we dig into the fraught history of The Troubles, introduce you to remarkable Irish women writers, and get real about leprechauns. Then we recommend five books that will transport you to Ireland, including a larger-than-life biography, a history of The Troubles, an atmospheric short story collection, a contemporary thriller, and a poignant historical novel set in Dublin.
Eat: Irish Boxty (Potato Pancakes) Inspired by Timothy Egan's The Immortal Irishman
Boxty originated in Ireland sometime in the late 18th century, primarily in the northern counties of Cavan and Donegal. Now they’re eaten all over Ireland, usually alongside meat or stew. Although variations exist, the basic recipe is simple: mashed potatoes and grated potatoes, flour, a leavening agent, and a bit of milk. The result is a pancake that’s a bit bready, quite tender in the middle, and crisp around the edges. And buttery! Boxties must be buttery.
Read: 6 Great Books Set in Ireland That We Love
Home to poets and revolutionaries, Ireland’s history is fascinating and troubled in equal measure. So it’s no surprise that stories set there are tinged with melancholy, along with (dark) good humor and a sense of the beauty found in the everyday. Here are six books set in Ireland that took us there on the page: a larger-than-life biography, a history of The Troubles, an atmospheric short story collection, a contemporary thriller, and a poignant historical novel set in Dublin.
Find more books, recipes, and Irish goodness on our Ireland Destination Page.
And now, a poem.
This love letter to Celtic magic by Irish poet gave me semantic satiation and/but I loved it, and I think that's kind of the point.
A Celtic Miscellany by Thomas McCarthy
Magic rain magic mist magic dew magic hail
Magic darkness magic sea magic waves magic
River magic fountain magic well magic spring
That bursts forth when a magic spear pierces
Rock magic oak tree magic ash magic lime tree
Magic bough magic yew magic hawthorn magic
Tree to make you young again magic tree to
Prevent hunger magic thorn magic ivy magic
Fern magic blossom, mistletoe and mandrake
Magic wild grasses magic wheat magic breath
Magic blood magic feather magic dung magic
Piss magic mantle magic trousers magic veil
Magic hat magic chain magic sword magic
Shield magic hearth magic bench magic door
Magic cry of a deer or cry of a magic deer;
Seven as a magic number magic the human
Head for divination magic also the head of
A dog, magic too vessels that burst in the fire
To uncover disobedience magic the river
That rises to drown liars magic the stone
That causes silence magic the deep lake
That causes forgetfulness magic the hazelnut
That makes a lover foolish magic the stone
That banishes sorrow magic the charm bought
Cheaply in the form of small poetry books,
Or nine the magic number and the magic
Number seven again and the magic twelve also
And green as that magic color violet as magic
Red as magic black as magic white as magic
Purple also as a magic hue and also red again;
Magic also the felling of two oak trees in a wood
And the magic wand used by the Druids to
Find your beloved carried away by fairies—
And, when all else fails, magic the new-fangled
Blessings of Christians swarming into our oak
Wood now, making even the disappeared speak.
I need more Irish authors in my life! 💚
A definitive yes to Lucy Foley and The Guest List - such a great (and very Irish) book!