It’s that special time of the year where you have to pile on
the green or be prepared to get pinched. Have you ever wondered where this
crazy tradition started? I know most people know it’s an Irish holiday but why
do we observe it and when did the pinching start? The Irish have observed the
feast of Saint Patrick for over a thousand years. The traditional Irish
celebration includes dancing, drinking and a feast. Now what does that feast
include? Bacon and Cabbage.
What is it
with Bacon it sure is popping up everywhere it seems … Moving on … Have you
ever wondered where the Shamrock came from and why it is used? The Shamrock is
a symbol of the rebirth of spring and its use began to be prominent when the
English started to take over the Irish lands and outlaw the Irish language and
practice of Catholicism. This was how the Irish men and women were able to keep
their pride and show their displeasure with the Crown of England.
Most of the music you hear during Saint Patrick ’s Day stems
from the ancient days of the Celts. Music is of major importance in most Irish
national’s lives and using the Celtic Music was a perfect way to express this.
Most of the culture the Celts observed is passed on through music. This also
helped during the days of the oppression for native Irish citizens to remember
all of the events that had transpired through their history. This worked up
until Queen Elizabeth I put a ban on music, well not must music but all Arts.
Anyone caught performing as an artist or piper was to be arrested and hanged on
the spot.
Now who was Saint Patrick and why does he have this day of
feast? Most people have heard the tales of how he stood hilltop and banished
the snakes from Ireland. For those of you who know Ireland’s history you might
recall that Snakes are not indigenous to Ireland. The ‘snake’ was used as a metaphor;
the reality of it was Saint Patrick helped eradicate pagan ideology from
Ireland. Within a short time (200 years) Christianity had completely taken over
and became the religion of choice.
And finally, The Leprechaun. Did you know that the
Leprechaun was not associated with St. Patrick’s Day until Walt Disney made a
film called “Darby O’Gill & the Little People”? Prior to this, Lebrechauns
came from the Celtic believe in fairies. They were tiny men and women and the
possessed magical abilities and could serve good or evil. They were cranky
souls and known for their trickery. So you see The Leprechaun aspect is very
Americanized and has nothing to do with the actual meaning and tradition of the
Catholic Holy Day of March 17th.
Now that we have all the facts down, what does this mean to
me? Growing up my Grandfather always made sure to express how important the
Irish roots are in our family. You see, most of you know that the Blood Series
is from my Arabic roots but there is a whole other half of me, my mom’s half. The
Irish half. The one thing everyone who knew my grandfather can attest too was
how he always ‘prayed for the Irish.’ His last month with us he would talk to
me about my writing, he was just as excited as I was when I was accepted at
XoXo Publishing. However, the one thing I was lacking, according to him, was a
good Irish story. He made me promise him that there would be characters based
on his roots, based on our family and that they would not be vampires. That
still makes me laugh. Thus the birth of Bud’s Christmas Wish, which I am
turning into a holiday series, book two will be Bud’s Christmas Miracle. (I
have to give my hubby props for that, as he came up with the title)
My grandpa had a green suit, he was the tallest Leprechaun
in the world – or so I thought when I was a wee little girl. He used to do a
dance outside of the garage that magically opened the doors. It was all part of
his Irish-ness…to me. While I never have been to Ireland I very much feel like
the Irish is a part of my roots. My grandfather kept our heritage alive and
inside of me. My mother says that the movie ‘Waking Ned Devine’ resembles his
family and I remember the look he always made when I teased about that.
So I sit here, March 17th, 2013, the first Saint
Patrick’s Day without my beloved Grandfather and my heart feels sad. I miss the
man who taught me so much, the man who made me laugh and the man who gave me a
culture that is cherished by so many around the world.
Check out my New
Release Maverick Touch: The Cat coming out Monday March 25th!
Reporter Nadia Maverick takes an adventure
through the underbelly of her town where she discovers that even the criminal
life she had been reporting on isn't quite like it seemed.
Things turn bad for Nadia when in the
middle of an investigation the tables are turned and she becomes the one under
the watchful eye of Mr. A. Everyone becomes a suspect when Nadia turns up
missing.
Who will be there to set her free? Read and see.
If a dream is a wish your heart makes, can it hear those
things we want even if we don’t what they are? When sorrow brings young Lucy
home to a land full of mystery, steeped in tradition and coloured with unspoken
magic, she finds herself re-evaluating her life and her own place in it. Things
are never what they seem and people are seldom what you THINK them to be if all
you base it on is what your eyes see and not what your soul knows. There’s a
fine line between destiny and duty, but when both are blended with love, who
knows what miracles can occur at Christmas.
Purchase it here…
Read my Current Release Blood Purple
In a world we think we know, live other races entirely
hidden from the mortal perspective. Creatures of legend, of fable and myth,
their very history and nature have allowed them to walk side by side with
humans since time immemorial. They are warriors, they are hunters, and they are
Algula. Vampire. And in their own midst, a battle is brewing for supremacy, for
dominance, that can and will affect all around them. Old hatred never dies and
vengeance is a fiery sword that cuts a bloody swath.
Purchase it here….
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