Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This year to celebrate we thought we’d keep things simple and express our love for Ireland, straight from the heart of an Irish national, Amy Irwin.
Dear Ireland,
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you. Today is the day that we celebrate you and ourselves, and amidst all the partying that we’ll be doing, flying our flag high, and taking some time to be proud of who we are and shouting our nationality off the rooftops, I wanted to tell you all the things that I love about you. So here it goes:
When I think of Ireland, I think of green. I think of the mountains and the sea. Those are what I miss most when I’m in London – those mountains get replaced by glittering skyscrapers, and though they’re cool in their own right, they just can’t compare. When I’m back home in Dublin I know that I’m never more than 20 minutes away from the salty breeze of the sea, or more than 20 minutes away from the awesome mountains.
Filled with sandy beaches, twinkling lakes, winding hiking trails, and islands that look like tropical paradises in the sun, I know that you are a vibrant and beautiful country, and you’re a true joy to explore! When the sun shines down on Ireland I know there’s just no other place like it on Earth.
Image source:Contiki
When I think of Ireland, I think of chicken fillet rolls and how I always have to have one when I visit home. Every Irish person knows it isn’t just a chicken sandwich, it’s so much more.
When I think of Ireland, I think of laughter, of friends and family. There’s a real warmth to Irish people: we always say hello to each other when we pass in the streets, we have a lot of empathy and compassion.
In all the places I’ve lived, from the US to the UK I’ve found Irish people to befriend, even when I was trying not to! We just gravitate to each other like magnets and these people always become like family to me. We have good craic, which translates to fun, and we don’t take life too seriously. Ireland, you did a stellar job raising your people.
When I think of Ireland, I think of singing and dancing. Singing and dancing is just a part of Irish culture. It runs in our blood, it’s so entwined with the country, no matter where you go you’ll always be able to find someone who wants to get their boogie on with you and sing at the top of their lungs. Visit any pub, on any night, and the atmosphere will always be out of this world.
And how can I forget the weddings that we brew up? The number one aim at an Irish wedding is to have as much fun as possible – and we always do. The playlist has to be perfect so that everyone can get together on the dance floor and move until our bodies hurt and our feet are sore.
When I think of Ireland, I think of storytelling. We pass everything down: our history and our culture. People are open, they let you in which can be quite rare these days, but Irish people, we give ourselves so easily and happily. If you get one of us talking we’ll tell you our whole life story and listen with a smile on our face as you tell us yours as well.
Image source:Contiki
For such a small country, Ireland, you’re filled with beautiful sights and big personalities.
I love you, Ireland. You’ll always feel like home to me: the fresh air, the sea breeze, the spirited people, all the shades of green, there’s just nowhere in the world like it. You’re a medley of beauty and a wonder of the world!
