Irish Eyes Smiling Bright!
Éirinn go brách!
Ok, St Patrick’s Day is days away, Paris to Dublin is a quick flight away, Irish blood running through your veins and all the Guinness, Shepard pies, Jamison and soda bread one could handle — it’s against nature to resist heading to Ireland on March 17th!
For some reason many assume St Patrick’s Day in Ireland is a holy, solemn day — Well, I’m here to confirm that St Patrick’s Day in all of Ireland is a big party! Dublin’s St Patrick Day celebration is a huge 4 day extravaganza and the theme of this year’s St Patty’s parade was the “People’s Parade”!
10′s of thousands of Irish descendants from around the world gathered in Dublin this year to walk in the “People’s Parade” with family and friends. I registered a few months earlier to participate in this international event and represent the great US of A.
Here are some of my pictures from this very fun experience marching with thousands and celebrating with 10′s of thousands of Irish (and International) citizens during Ireland’s biggest holiday event of the year!
You will not believe this but I was asked to walk holding the banner for our group and I was interviewed numerous times throughout the parade by local and national TV stations…asking me where I was from and what did I know about St Patrick ?!
Dia Ghuit (Hello) Dublin!
Incredible view of the parade route and the people lining the street…what a setting!
A sea of green !
The Dublin parade planners did a terrific job organizing, planning and executing this spectacular event. Nothing was left to chance with communications or expectations before, during and after the parade march.
There were many incredible floats and performances throughout the 4+ hour parade……here the original Vikings landing on present day Ireland.
Ahh — the blizzard conditions of the landing
Nothing like an American university marching band to pump up 10′s of thousands of people!! Purdue University Marching Band was a BIG hit with the crowd, with all their marching tunes, cadence calls and dance team performances.
When you hear a quintessential American university marching band in a land far away from home, coming towards you…all I can say is that I felt an adrenaline rush like no other…it was like your family and friends arrived to join you!
And to see the expression of WOW on the faces of individuals from around the world who have never heard, or experienced a 300 plus major university marching band perform makes you proud to be an American!
Go raibh maith agat (Thank you) Dublin!
A few night time pictures of downtown Dublin during the 4 day St Patrick’s celebration…you can see why so many Irish city’s around the world are green with envy :) !
The G.P.O. (General Post Office) was the headquarters of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (today known as the IRA) and where the Easter Uprising ended in 1916.
United States of America Embassy
The front of Trinity College was used as a backdrop for an electronic show.
Even the party wagons are lit up in green neon :) !
After the parade, where better to continue to celebrate St Patrick than at the world’s most famous brewery — Guinness!
New parade friends :-) !
Arthur Guinness…risked his life and fortune to create the world’s most famous Porter (sometimes referred to as Stout)!
I participated in the “perfect pint” competition at the brewery! It takes 1 min and 58 seconds to pour the perfect pint!
- It’s official…!!
Dublin’s Fire Brigade Pipe Band met after the parade at Guinness’s roof top bar called Gravity Bar….I was fortunate to be in the Gravity bar when the Brigade arrived and I had a chance to bond with some of Dublin’s finest.
Here is how the Fire Brigade stacked their hats so not to get dirty or lost!
Before I left my new friends from the Fire Brigade, they asked me if I would accept one of their Brigade metals as a token of our new formed friendship….I can’t begin to describe how touched and honored I felt…a memory I’ll never forget.
Dublin’s renowned Temple Bar area is located in the heart of Dublin and runs parallel to the river Liffey, it is considered (and is) the center of Dublin’s nightlife.
Sir William Temple
One of many Irish ensembles in the Temple Bar area, treating the crowds to traditional and modern Irish music.
Some of Dublin and Ireland’s famous people and landmarks.
Half-Penny Bridge
St Patrick’s Cathedral (ironically not Catholic)
I thought it was important to have a word with arguably Ireland’s most famous writer — James Augusta Aloysius Joyce. I wanted to let him know I found a few spelling errors in Ulysses, Finnegan’s Wake and Dubliners :-) !
The Spire of Dublin, constructed for the Millennium but was completed on Irish time in 2003′ :)! This stainless steel spire is considered the world’s tallest sculpture standing just shy 400 feet (397.6).
Daytime picture of the G.P.O. (General Post Office)…when up close you can see the bullet holes from many of the battles between the Irish people and Britain.
Áras an Uachtaráin — aka the official home of Ireland’s President -located in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
Michael Higgins is the current President of Ireland.
Do you see any resemblance to a famous home in Washington DC :)?!
Molly Malone — “crying cockles and mussels alive, alive o!”
Main entrance to Trinity College (also known as the University of Dublin)…the oldest college in Ireland -1592.
The main square/courtyard inside Trinity College.
Trinity’s Provost George Salmon had deep conservatism roots and did not agree that women should be able to obtain a degree from Trinity College. It is said that Provost Salmon stated women will walk these hallow grounds over my dead body — a few days after Provost’s Salmon’s death in 1904, women entered and walked the grounds for the first time as Trinity College undergraduates.
After spending a few days in Dublin I headed west to the beautiful seaside town of Galway! Here are a few pictures of this majestic city on the western coast.
The first Irish Catholic President of The United States of America — John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s family heritage comes from Ireland. A public park was dedicated to JFK after his historic visit to Ireland and Galway in late June 1963. President Kennedy was assassinated 5 months later on November 22, 1963 in Dallas Texas.
A picture of JFK, the United States 35th President during his visit to Galway in June 1963.
Spanish Arch next to the river Corrib
River Corrib
Scone Heaven…multiple flavors and sizes!
Brown bread and raisin scones….
A typical Irish menu …. something for everyone!
Nothing screams the “Luck of the Irish” more than being the only person on the local tour bus and getting a private tour for 1 hour and 30 minutes — with all your questions answered — and I had plenty of questions :-)!!
Galway is situated next to the little fishing village of Claddagh (In Irish, Cladach means “the shore”).
The Claddagh ring is an Irish tradition given for friendship and love.
This traditional design consists of two clasped hands holding a crowned heart and symbolizes love, friendship and loyalty.
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