The day is just about upon to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Does anyone have plans for the big day? Do you cook a special meal, participate or go to a parade in his honor, decorate your home or wear anything that's green to signify the Irish? Let us in on your plans for the big day. Is anyone planning to celebrate in Ireland this year? Here's a poem why we celebrate on the 17th of March! St. Patrick's Birthday On the eighth day of March it was, some people say, That Saint Patrick at midnight first saw the day. While others declare 'twas the ninth he was born, And 'twas all a mistake between midnight and morn; For mistakes will occur in a hurry and shock, and some blam'd the babby—and some blam'd the clock— Till with all their cross questions sure no one could know If the child was too fast—or the clock was too slow.
Now the first faction fight in old Ireland, they say, Was all on account of Saint Patrick's birthday. Some fought for the eighth—for the ninth more would die, And who wouldn't see right, sure they blacken'd his eye! At last both the factions so positive grew, That each kept a birthday, so Pat then had two. Till Father Mulcahy, who confessed them their sins, Said, "Ye can't have two birthdays, unless ye be twins."
Says he, "Don't be fightin' for eight or for nine, Don't be always dividin'—but sometimes combine; Combine eight with nine, and seventeen is the mark, So let that be his birthday." "Amen," says the clerk. "If he wasn't a twins, sure our hist'ry will show That, at least, he is worth any two saints that we know!" Then they all drowned the shamrock—which completed their bliss, And we keep up the practice from that day to this. (Edited and adapted from Dick's Irish Dialect Recitations, Wm. B. Dick, Editor, New York, Dick & Fitzgerald, Publisher, 1879)
I got this from www.irishcultureandcustoms.com
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