St. Patty's day!

Hi everyone and happy belated St. Patrick's day!

Patty's day is indeed a big deal in Ireland it's even a national holiday. There are parades all over the country and people of all ages and beliefs celebrate. I could not come to Ireland and not take part so I was invited by two "mature" students (they are both 64) to spend a traditional day with them in Sligo county (the northwest countryside).

The journey started on Monday after we were done with class. It took two hours to get from the city into the village of Ballinafad (pop. 47). There is a church, post office, and pub. They live outside of the village in a cottage with a traditional thatched roof. There are sheep and horses behind their house and a lot of mountain scenery. It was all very breath taking.

So after a dinner of lamb chops we went to the pub. Now, if you are reading this then you know me and you know that I am not much of a drinker, so I have pretty much avoided the pubs in the city because they are very rowdy. The Mayflower (pub) was wonderful! there were only about 25 people which was more than it usually sees but the atmosphere is just like how you would imagine an Irish pub to be. And the most incredible thing is that everyone talks to everyone, 18 year old's with 80's over a pint and malibu with pineapple juice.

I did have to drink since it would have been rude not to. So I ordered the only drink in Ireland I have found to be passable Bulmers everywhere else it is called Magners. I usually only drink one, but the owner Dermott, kept bringing more even before I was finished! By the third I was holding to the bottle for dear life so that he wouldn't be able to take it and bring more. I met a lot of really interesting people that night. Such as a girl of 21 who is studying to be a cop in the North of Ireland and an old man and all of his daughters with their families. We did not get back until 2 a.m. and then we had to wake up at 7 to start St. Patty's day.

I will post what happened then later today.