Calling All Celts!! (Den of the Irish)

Irish Catholic · #1 Sep 14, '04, 11:04 am

Okay, this thread is for the Irish… with all these other folks starting up “lairs” and such, I think we Irish need a little place to congregate talk about our heritage… (Ooh! It’s like a little online version of the AOH!!! Well, not really, but oh well…)

I’ll begin by admitting that I have a problem. Several, actually. First off, I’m not 100% Irish, I’m only 60% and I’ve never been to Ireland. Because of “intermarriage” our family unites under the banner of an English surname. Also, as hard-core traditionalist as I’d like to believe myself to be, I actually have very little knowledge of Irish traditions. The only one our family has is my grandmother and I bake an Irish whiskey cake every Easter. (It’s our own super-secret recipe that we invented, and it’s to DIE for!!)

It is my belief that traditions really help to strengthen families, and right now our family needs some strengthening. I’m the oldest in my generation on both sides of the family, and one of the few in our whole family who cares about preserving our Irish and Catholic heritage. I can see my younger cousins starting to drift away from both the faith and the family, and I’d like to institute some new family traditions.

Please, if you know of any Irish traditions at Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, St. Brighid’s Day, All Hallow’s Eve, teatime, or any other time the Irish have special traditions, please, please, please, share them!! I’m looking for bits of Irish history, traditional recipes, music, sayings/blessings/toasts/proverbs, any good Irish (Catholic) websites, traditions in general, just anything and everything Irish!! Feel free to ramble and reminisce. (Just a side note: I assume it’s historical in nature, but could someone explain to me why the Irish who live in Ireland have such a hard time getting along with the English? Please be respectful in your answer.)

God Bless you!!
~Irish Catholic

P.S. I also have a bit of Scottish and English blood in my veins so, if anyone else from these countries would care to suggest traditions, they’d be more than welcome!

Irish Catholic · #2 Sep 14, '04, 11:09 am

P.S. If you know any Irish legends/myths post those too (assuming they're short)... or you could post a link to a website with the stories in full. Thanks!!

moira · #3 Sep 15, '04, 6:44 pm

An O'Brien here! Never been to Ireland either but when we were kids our sainted father taught us to respond to his question, "what would you be if you weren't Irish?" "Ashamed of myself."

bapcathluth · #4 Sep 15, '04, 10:13 pm

My paternal grandma was 100% Irish Catholic, and my maternal great-grandmother was Irish but converted to Lutheranism when she married my great grandfather. My grandma was very proud of her Irish heritage and lived to be 99 years old. She never stepped foot in Ireland, nor did her parents who were also born here. She still didn't care for the English. I would love to go to Ireland and perhaps we will next summer.

Will Turner · #5 Sep 15, '04, 11:24 pm

Hello...I am not Irish but I want to welcome you to the Catholic Answers forums....where I hope you find what you seek and enjoy your time here.......good luck ......and may 'God bless you.....
ps...does being a Notre Dame fan qualify?

NightRider · #6 Sep 16, '04, 12:43 am

I am a Celt! A Scots-Irish-American Celt! I was in the North of Ireland in 1998 for the first time, for two weeks, and it was a remarkable experience. I urge anyone who is Irish to go--it is beautiful, the people are beautiful, and everyone walks everywhere! My son, who was 16 then, and I stayed in Belfast and Derry City for the whole time, except for one night in Dublin. We preferred Belfast and Derry over Dublin. My Irish ancestors hail from Belfast, and were Catholic but with an English surname. I am not sure where my Scots ancestors were from (yet) but they were of the Dewar clan.

Thank you for starting this thread!

Geraldine

Irish Catholic · #7 Sep 16, '04, 10:17 pm

I thought the Belfast was pretty war-torn... at least that's what my Uncle Pat (who was in the U.S. Navy) said when he went there. That's cool though, what was your favorite part of the trip? Reccomend any restaurants?

Benignus · #8 Sep 17, '04, 7:41 am

I am Irish on my Dad's side, and you can see this from my last name, Callahan. Right now I am Anglican, but I really want to be Catholic. The problem is, my parents are Anglican, and I am only 16, so I really don't have a choice right now. But at first opportunity I am going to convert. I definitely believe the Catholic Faith. The irony is, I was Catholic when I was younger, but only in name. So I am actually more Catholic not being Catholic than I was when I was actually Catholic. Man, that's a mouthful.

Intrigued Latin · #9 Sep 17, '04, 12:09 pm

I'm of Irish/Scottish decent.

My paternal grandparents are from Co. Mayo (EIRE) and emigrated to Scotland in the late 30's. I was born in Scotland, but emigrated to Canada at age 4 with my parents.

I've never been to Ireland. I've visited Scotland many times.

If the Irish hospitality is what they say it is, there's no other friendlier people in the world.

M'anam, mo chroí, mo ghlóir, moladh duit a Dhia

Brad

workinprogress8 · #10 Sep 17, '04, 12:44 pm

I'm about 25% Irish, and hope I can go to Ireland some day, it looks so beautiful. I also wish I had an Irish last name, my last name is so complicated! Does anyone hear know an Irish Blessing? Someone in my family used to always say it, yet I can't remember. It goes something like, "may the light always.... and the wind.... be at your feet." I know that it's not much, but if you can fill in the blanks that would be really helpful.

Irish Catholic · #11 Sep 17, '04, 2:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by workinprogress8

I'm about 25% Irish, and hope I can go to Ireland some day, it looks so beautiful. I also wish I had an Irish last name, my last name is so complicated! Does anyone hear know an Irish Blessing? Someone in my family used to always say it, yet I can't remember. It goes something like, "may the light always.... and the wind.... be at your feet." I know that it's not much, but if you can fill in the blanks that would be really helpful.

I think the blessing you're looking for goes something like this:

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Does that sound right?

Irish Catholic · #12 Sep 17, '04, 2:39 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benignus

I am Irish on my Dad's side, and you can see this from my last name, Callahan. Right now I am Anglican, but I really want to be Catholic. The problem is, my parents are Anglican, and I am only 16, so I really don't have a choice right now. But at first opportunity I am going to convert. I definitely believe the Catholic Faith. The irony is, I was Catholic when I was younger, but only in name. So I am actually more Catholic not being Catholic than I was when I was actually Catholic. Man, that's a mouthful.

Well, I wish you success...

I think it's great that you've found the Truth, and have the guts to believe what's right even though your parentals think otherwise...

May the angels protect you,
Your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
And heaven accept you...

God Bless you!!!

workinprogress8 · #13 Sep 17, '04, 3:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Catholic

I think the blessing you're looking for goes something like this:

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Does that sound right?

Thank you so much!!!!! That's exactly it.

Robert in SD · #14 Sep 17, '04, 3:38 pm

An O'Shaughnessy here. I'm Irish Catholic.

Great string. Here's another Irish blessing:

May the Lord in His goodness,
turn the hearts of our enemies.
And if He turns not their hearts,
may He turn their ankles,
So we'll know them by their limp.

As far as the troubles go, it would take too long to explain here. Needless to say, if you're not very confused about the whole sorded mess, then you have no idea what's going on. :

In the 90s I spent a summer taking classes at Trinity College in Dublin, and I've taken two long vacations in Ireland. I can only agree with what others have said. Beautiful country and wonderful people. I prefer Dun Laoraigh (pronounced Dun Leary) over downtown Dublin. (It's where the James Joyce tower is located.)

For a tradition, my mother always made Irish soda bread. Very good and there are hundreds of "family recipes." Plus, there's an Irish myth about the cross that you cut into the top, but I can't remember the story right now.

A St. Brigid's cross is also a very beautiful stylized cross that adds an Irish flair to a home. (Again, another myth - She wove the cross out of rushes when teaching the Irish people of Christ.)

Have fun learning about your Irish roots.

BTW - Today is September 17. Were "half-way" to St. Patrick's Day...

Slainte'

Irish Catholic · #15 Sep 17, '04, 4:11 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert in SD

Here's another Irish blessing:

May the Lord in His goodness,
turn the hearts of our enemies.
And if He turns not their hearts,
may He turn their ankles,
So we'll know them by their limp.

BTW - Today is September 17. We're "half-way" to St. Patrick's Day...

Slainte'

I've heard that blessing before; I always thought it was so funny! Thanks for posting it

.

What does "Slainte" mean? I bought a "teach yourself Irish" book, but I haven't had time to learn anything yet. Anybody else know any Gaelic?

Also, is Trinity College a Catholic college?

Thanks for your posts everyone!!!