Kiss Me, I’m Irish!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of my Irish wanna-be’s and true Irishmen! Today is a day when we celebrate the Irish heritage and pretend to know everything there is to know about being Irish. Through my dad’s side of the family, I am Irish, English, and Scottish. Ironically enough, not many people know that the origins of St. Patrick go back to England. You heard me right, St. Patrick was English, not Irish.

Being that my sister and I have roots in the British Isles, we both took an interest in learning the traditional dances of that region. Back in high school, I took a semester of Irish Step Dance. I had the best calf muscles that year! My sister ended up taking a few years of Scottish Highland dance. This is an ancient dance that has been practiced and revered by men and women alike.

Above are pictures of my baby sister, Rebecca, in her highland costume. The kilt was made in Scotland and most of them will cost upwards of around $450 each. Competitions and festivals are held all over the United States and parts of Europe. They draw large crowds of people who enjoy the dance, competition, and good Irish whiskey. We honor our heritage through our celebration of these events. The rest of the world honors the Irish ancestry today.

Enjoy your shamrock shakes, excessive drinking, and tacky festive t-shirts! It won’t make you Irish but you can pretend. Lucky for me, I don’t have to! Kiss me, I’m Irish!