Irish Reminiscences and a Giveaway!

I have been very fortunate to have visited Ireland many times over the years. I made the photo collage above from some of my many photos of the trips I made to the republic of Ireland. Long-time readers will know I am half Irish, third generation, on my father's side. I also have a sister-in-law that was born in Ireland, and she is the only one from her family that has lived in the US for most of her life.  I have traveled to most of the counties in the Republic of Ireland and have many fond memories of the people, scenery, food and drink and awe-inspiring places I visited there. (All photos and photo collages in this post will enlarge for easier viewing by clicking on them)

I have also visited Northern Ireland a couple of times and again, the beautiful scenery and warm-hearted people I met there will always be a cherished memory.

I blogged about some of my more recent trips and you can see them all under this label: "Ireland" There are many posts, including some about St. Patrick's day in America and some Irish recipes, so you'd have to keep scrolling through many pages!

One particular post is about my visit to Saint Patrick's grave in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. He is the reason we celebrate this holiday as he is the patron saint of Ireland and of the 31 million-plus people of Irish descent living in the United States!

Another post I'd like to highlight is the one I wrote about the very haunting and beautiful Irish Hunger Memorial in Manhattan, in New York City.  The Irish Hunger Memorial garden is a monument to those who perished during the "A Gorta Mór" (Gaelic for "The Great Hunger" as it was called in Ireland), and is also a symbol to highlight areas of the world affected by hunger today. This memorial is significant to me as my great grandfather and great grandmother both immigrated to the United States during the famine years in Ireland, along with millions more that left Ireland and settled in other countries during this great diaspora.

Every Saint Patrick's Day I treat my family to the American Irish tradition of Corned Beef and Cabbage boiled dinner. Natives in Ireland used ham or thick bacon called "rasher" in their boiled dinners, but the Irish that immigrated to New York found corned beef more readily available and more affordable at the time and substituted that. I sometimes also make a Shepard's Pie and I always make Irish Soda Bread accompany the meal. Last year I made a gluten-free version as well as my traditional recipe.

Of course, a Saint Patrick's Day celebration would not be complete without an Irish tea!  I've collected a few cherished pieces of Belleek China during my visits to Ireland, and this is the time they come out of my china cabinet to see some use, and my decorative Irish blessings are displayed year-round in my home as a tribute to my Irish heritage.

Now for the giveaway! I would like to gift one reader of my blog with this Tea Party idea book by Tracy Stern. It has twenty different themed tea party ideas inside along with recipes and ideas for invitations, decor table settings, and favor.

To win this book all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite things to do on Saint Patrick's Day!

If you become a follower on my blog, Facebook page, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter I would be very appreciative! Come back and leave another comment to tell me what you have joined and I'll give you an extra entry for each.

I will announce the winner on March 18th, 2015! Please make sure I have a way to reach you by e-mail if you do not have a blog. Good luck, and Happy Saint Patrick's Day!