Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years.

On St. Patrick's Day, which falls in the middle of the Christian Lenten season, Irish families would go to church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. The Irish would dance, drink and feast on the traditional Irish Bacon and Cabbage. Lenten regulations about not eating meat were waived if necessary so that the traditional meal could be eaten.

Here in the United States, St. Patrick's Day has become a celebration for not only the Irish, but for all. There are parades and celebrations which include green beer. The Chicago River is dyed green each year in honor of the event.

We have cruised to Ireland a couple of times. We've visited Cork, Kinsale, and Belfast. We were scheduled to visit Dublin, but due to a European Summit, the cruise schedule was changed at the last minute.

The Irish countryside is beautiful, the towns are quaint, and the people are very friendly. It is a great place to visit. Cruises to the British Isles stop at one or more Irish ports. June is a great time to visit Ireland. The weather is usually mild and you'll be comfortable in a light jacket on the cooler days.