HOLIDAYS
St. Patrick's Day
3. Learn some Irish words and phrases.
The Irish have their own distinct dialect of the
English language, so if you want to sound like a
true Paddy on St. Patrick's day, try sprinkling
some of these Hiberno-English gems into your
conversation: What's the craic? This phrase
can be interpreted as either "How's it going?"
or "What's going on?" or "What's up?" and is
used in non-formal settings. Grand. It is
another multi-purpose word in Hiberno-
English. It doesn't mean large or impressive,
but rather translates as "fine" or "great"
depending on the context. "I'm grand" is a
perfectly acceptable reply to the question
"How are you?" and means the person is doing
just fine. If you ask an Irish person "How did the
exam go?" and they reply "It was grand" that
means it went okay, it wasn't amazing, but it
wasn't a disaster either. Eejit. It is basically the
Irish word for the one who does something silly.
You can comment "Ah ya big eejit!" It's not
meant to be offensive, rather it's used to
make fun of someone in a playful way.
4. Learn to Irish Dance. Irish dancing is a
form of step dancing which is popular both in
Ireland and all over the world. Not only it will
impress everyone you know, but it's also a fun
way to increase flexibility and burn calories!
You can learn how to Irish dance by attending
classes in your local area or by copying some
of the excellent Irish dancing videos and
tutorials online. Whip out a few impressive
steps and lifts the next time you hear a reel or
a jig and nobody will question your Irish
credentials.
February 2019 №2
5. Play some Irish music. Ireland has a
long history with music, and many incredible
styles have emerged. Find a compilation CD of
traditional Irish songs or download some
individual songs online. You should easily be
able to find traditional Irish music by artists
such as The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Planxty
and Clannad, for example. If traditional music
isn't your thing, don't forget about the many
contributions Irish musicians have made to the
world of rock and pop. Think U2, Van Morrison,
Thin Lizzy and The Cranberries. Alternatively,
you can try your hand at some traditional Irish
instruments, such as the tin whistle, the
bodhrán, the harp, the fiddle or the uilleann
pipes. However, you're not likely to produce
anything very melodic sounding if it's your first
time!
6. Consider having a party at home. If
you aren't a fan of the bar scene but still want
to celebrate, invite a few friends over and have
a St. Patrick's Day themed party. Go as
extreme or as laid back as you want: insist that
everyone wear green. Serve corned beef and
cabbage or Irish stew with colcannon (mashed
potatoes and cabbage). Make green beer and
green chocolate chip cookies for your party.
Follow Anastasia on VK: nasu.tyan
SUNRISE
73