Happy St Patrick's Day!

[Savonarola]

There was a parade Saturday in Detroit.  There's a couple hold out Irish bars in Detroit's old Irish ghettos; today they'll open around 6 AM and have long lines around them.

The most entertaining St. Patrick's day I've ever spent was in Modena where the piazza outside the city's only Irish bar was packed with people drinking Guinness while inside a very loud and very bad band from Australia banged out some Irish like tunes. 

[Monoriu]

This thread surprises me.  Are there really that many Irish around the world?

[Admiral Yi]

This thread surprises me.  Are there really that many Irish around the world?

They do have 12 kids apiece.

I sang a couple of Irish tunes at Friday night karaoke.  Talked an ex-stripper with a masectomy and her friend into standing up and doing the hand motions to the Unicorn Song.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Was thinking about visiting the family at the pub.  But that's a drive and traffic will be messy.  Probably leave work early and get a hair cut. 

[Savonarola]

I was in Ireland during the world cup.  England had made it in and Ireland did not.  There was a lot of discussion on talk radio that the Irish wouldn't support the English team and McDonalds' twisted the lion's tail by running an ad saying that one could ease their disappointment of England's success by having a Big Mac.  So, Beeb, if you want to offend the Harps don't wear orange, wear a Union Jack or better still an English soccer jersey.

[The Nickname Who Was Thursday]

Is Cerr --- ?

[Savonarola]

And for Barrister Boy, here's my favorite work from my favorite Orange poet:

An Irish Airman foresees his Death

I KNOW that I shall meet my fate   
Somewhere among the clouds above;   
Those that I fight I do not hate   
Those that I guard I do not love;   
My country is Kiltartan Cross,           
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,   
No likely end could bring them loss   
Or leave them happier than before.   
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,   
Nor public man, nor cheering crowds,   
A lonely impulse of delight   
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;   
I balanced all, brought all to mind,   
The years to come seemed waste of breath,   
A waste of breath the years behind 
In balance with this life, this death.

[Caliga]

This thread surprises me.  Are there really that many Irish around the world?

In terms of people of Irish descent, yes.  There are a very large number of Irish-Americans (according to wiki 12% or so of the U.S. population); in New England it's got to be close to 50%.

I think there are also large numbers of Canadians and Australians with Irish ancestry.

[Caliga]

Oh, and in honor of the holiday:

[Grey Fox]

I'll wear green & watch part of the Parade on TV

Montreal loves it's Irish.

[Neil]

What's wrong with Beeb wearing orange?  The Orange Order are Irish too.

[katmai]

What's wrong with Beeb wearing orange?  The Orange Order are Irish too.

Nothing.

The only one with a stick up his ass has been Beeb.   

[Neil]

What's wrong with Beeb wearing orange?  The Orange Order are Irish too.

Nothing.

The only one with a stick up his ass has been Beeb.   

Not at all.  He said he was going to wear orange, a sign of his protestant faith and lack of traitorous guile.  Then everyone was jumping on him about hating Irish people.

[Brazen]

Traditionalists should be wearing St Patrick's blue, not green :smartarse:

[katmai]

Not at all.  He said he was going to wear orange, a sign of his protestant faith and lack of traitorous guile.  Then everyone was jumping on him about hating Irish people.

Everyone =Martinus then yes.