Saint Patrick’s day for most of the US (except for perhaps, Boston and New York) is much like Saint Valentine’s day: serious stuff… provided you work at Hallmark. It was, however, a bit surreal for Paula and me… being our first year living in Dublin, Ireland.
There were a bunch of events going on in downtown Dublin this weekend, but since Paula is still recovering from being sick we decided to just go to the St. Patrick’s day parade. There were a ton of people downtown and it was fun to check out the scene. Talking to my Irish co-workers it was interesting to find out that many in Ireland view Saint Patrick’s day as a minor, artificial holiday. That said, the Irish people are a social lot and love an excuse to get together (which also explains the third-floor party with a chicken and cow… sort of).
Given the crowds, we couldn’t really see the parade all that well… but we’re both a fan of people watching, so that provided a ton of entertainment in its own right. Here’s an interesting fact: the first Saint Patrick’s day parade wasn’t in Ireland, but in America (in New York or Boston, depending on whom you choose to believe). I suppose that explains why the majority of people in silly leprechaun hats didn’t have Irish accents and hotels which normally charge 90 Euro a night were charging 300 this weekend. Moichandising!
Food Note:
When we got done with the crowds we were having trouble picking out where to grab some lunch. I have a weakness for good pie (especially blueberry) and so when I saw the restaurant “Delish”, which billed itself as a “pie cafe & juice bar” I had to drag Paula in to check it out.
Turns out that “pie” means “pot pie”… and I also love a good meat pie. Paula had the beef and cheese pie while I ordered the chicken, ham and leek pie. Toss in a side of mash (mashed potatoes) with gravy and you’ve got some serious comfort food. It was also seriously tasty. I recommend it if you’re in downtown Dublin and looking for a bit of nosh to warm your belly.