Showing posts with label irish culture. Show all posts

Friday, March 6, 2020

Teachable Moment: Danny Boy, The Soul of Melancholy, The Soul Of Ireland

This song is traditionally sung by a male and is from the perspective of father to son.

Danny Boy - Finbar Wright

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzWRQ5e4qg

Oh Danny boy, the pipes,
the pipes are calling.
From glen to glen,
and down the mountain side.

The summer's gone,
and all the flowers are falling.
'Tis you, 'tis you
must go and I must bide.

But come ye back
when summer's in the meadow,
Or when the valley's hushed
and white with snow.

And I'll be here
in sunshine or in shadow.
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy,
I love you so.

But if you come,
and all the flowers are falling.
And I am dead,
as dead I might well be.

You'll come and find
the place where I am lying.
And kneel and say
an "Ave" there for me.

And I will hear,
though soft your tread above me.
And all my grave
will warmer sweeter be.

And you will bend
and tell me that you love me.
And I shall sleep
in peace until you come to me.

But if I live,
and should you die for Ireland,
Let not your dying thoughts
be just of me.

But say a prayer to God
for our dearest Ireland.
I know she'll hear
and help to set her free.

And I will take your pike
and place my dearest,
And strike a blow,
though weak the blow may be.

T'will help the cause
to which your heart was nearest
Oh Danny Boy, Oh, Danny boy
I love you so.

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Cheesy Jokes and Serious Thoughts for St. Patrick's Day

We're all Irish on St. Patrick's Day--and since the Irish diaspora was over 600 years long, and the Irish lived long and prospered wherever there was a Catholic church worldwide--it's probably true we're all Irish. Geneticists say that Genghis Khan was the foremost contributor to Y chromosomes worldwide, followed by O' Neill of the Nine Hostages (Irish).
My grandmother was completely Irish, her mother immigrating from the Old Sod, so I have been successfully indoctrinated about the Isle of Saints and Scholars. Trust me, no demeaning stereotypical jokes about the Irish in my growing up. Sister Francis Eileen, O.P., was the principal of St. Louis Bertrand's School in Oakland, California, and her lilting Irish brogue came over the P.A. system every morning. She was cool, all the nuns I had were cool; I never had a negative experience in parochial school. Many were from Ireland, many were Irish Americans like my sainted grandmother. And I was in that school both when John F. Kennedy ran for president, was elected, and was assassinated. Powerful stuff.

I am so thankful I didn't have to unlearn prejudice and bias--my Oakland elementary school was perfect. The only almost-bias I had to unlearn was that not everyone was from my church.

http://www.tolerance.org/hiddenbias

I was stunned when I heard my first negative joke about the Irish. Didn't they realize we saved western civilization?
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/cahill/irish.html

The Isle of Saints and Scholars-to be sure

And I didn't even say, "Pog Mo Thoin." Which shows a lot of maturity and restraint.

Ethnic jokes and teasing are a form of bullying--so kids and adults really need to knock it off. Are we that desperate to feel superior? The quiet kid in the back of the room won't be able to stand up for herself in the midst of biased-based laughter. Bullying includes those jokes about physical appearance, churches, where you're from, and let's throw in sports teams since kids are so sensitive about them. Kids should have the right to be in school without bullying or humiliation of any type. Grown-ups, too.

So, anyway, here are the jokes. (That's pretty Irish of me: stick up for the underdog and then tell jokes.)

Green, and Garfield provides the orange

How did the leprechaun get to the moon?

In a shamrocket.

Why is Ireland like a bottle of wine?

Because it has a Cork in it.

What would you get if you crossed a leprechaun with a Texan?

A pot of chili at the end of the rainbow.

No relation to Bono. Or the Edge.

What kind of music does a leprechaun band play?
Shamrock and roll.

What do you call a leprechaun's vacation home in Fort Lauderdale?

A lepre-condo.

Love Irish music. O'Sullivan's March, The Chieftans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpkrr0-qut4
My gggrandmother (later immigrated to Kansas) was a Sullivan leaving from Cork in 1844, and who survived a coffin ship to Grosse Isle Quebec.

Top o the mornin' to ya, from Betty O'Boop

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Teachable Moment: Danny Boy, The Soul of Melancholy, The Soul Of Ireland

This song is traditionally sung by a male and is from the perspective of father to son.

Danny Boy - Finbar Wright

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzWRQ5e4qg

Oh Danny boy, the pipes,
the pipes are calling.
From glen to glen,
and down the mountain side.

The summer's gone,
and all the flowers are falling.
'Tis you, 'tis you
must go and I must bide.

But come ye back
when summer's in the meadow,
Or when the valley's hushed
and white with snow.

And I'll be here
in sunshine or in shadow.
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy,
I love you so.

But if you come,
and all the flowers are falling.
And I am dead,
as dead I might well be.

You'll come and find
the place where I am lying.
And kneel and say
an "Ave" there for me.

And I will hear,
though soft your tread above me.
And all my grave
will warmer sweeter be.

And you will bend
and tell me that you love me.
And I shall sleep
in peace until you come to me.

But if I live,
and should you die for Ireland,
Let not your dying thoughts
be just of me.

But say a prayer to God
for our dearest Ireland.
I know she'll hear
and help to set her free.

And I will take your pike
and place my dearest,
And strike a blow,
though weak the blow may be.

T'will help the cause
to which your heart was nearest
Oh Danny Boy, Oh, Danny boy
I love you so.

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Cheesy Jokes and Serious Thoughts for St. Patrick's Day

We're all Irish on St. Patrick's Day--and since the Irish diaspora was over 600 years long, and the Irish lived long and prospered wherever there was a Catholic church worldwide--it's probably true we're all Irish. Geneticists say that Genghis Khan was the foremost contributor to Y chromosomes worldwide, followed by O' Neill of the Nine Hostages (Irish).
My grandmother was completely Irish, her mother immigrating from the Old Sod, so I have been successfully indoctrinated about the Isle of Saints and Scholars. Trust me, no demeaning stereotypical jokes about the Irish in my growing up. Sister Francis Eileen, O.P., was the principal of St. Louis Bertrand's School in Oakland, California, and her lilting Irish brogue came over the P.A. system every morning. She was cool, all the nuns I had were cool; I never had a negative experience in parochial school. Many were from Ireland, many were Irish Americans like my sainted grandmother. And I was in that school both when John F. Kennedy ran for president, was elected, and was assassinated. Powerful stuff.

I am so thankful I didn't have to unlearn prejudice and bias--my Oakland elementary school was perfect. The only almost-bias I had to unlearn was that not everyone was from my church.

http://www.tolerance.org/hiddenbias

I was stunned when I heard my first negative joke about the Irish. Didn't they realize we saved western civilization?
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/cahill/irish.html

The Isle of Saints and Scholars-to be sure

Green, and Garfield provides the orange

No relation to Bono. Or the Edge.

What kind of music does a leprechaun band play?
Shamrock and roll.

What do you call a leprechaun's vacation home in Fort Lauderdale?

A lepre-condo.

Top o the mornin' to ya, from Betty O'Boop

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Teachable Moment: How the Irish Saved Western Civilization

Finnian of Clonard imparting his blessing to the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland"

1. Who Saved Civilization? The Irish, That's Who!
http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/03/09/bsp/irish.html

2. Hearts And Minds Aflame For Christ: Irish Monks—A Model For Making All Things New in the 21st Century
http://www.cslewis.org/journal/hearts-and-minds-aflame-for-christ-irish-monks%E2%80%94a-model-for-making-all-things-new-in-the-21st-century/

THE REAPPEARANCE OF THE TEXTS OF THE
CLASSICS http://www.tertullian.org/articles/clark_reappearance.htm

3. It Takes a Monk to Save a Civilization
http://chalcedon.edu/research/articles/it-takes-a-monk-to-save-a-civilization/

4. Europe and the Irish Monks
http://www.saint-brendan.org/news.asp?p=europe-and-the-irish-monks-by-enzo-farinella

5. St. Columbanus, Missionary to Europe