Hibernophile, noun, (plural; Hibernophiles) defined as someone who has a love of Ireland and/or Irish culture. In all actuality an Hibernophile probably hasn’t even heard of this word, but it doesnt matter.
What DOES matter is that this love runs deep and the enthusiasm never wanes!
Hibernophiles help to make the St Patrick’s Day “season” extra special. And (I am generalizing a wee bit here) he can be described something like this:
He knows all the bartenders at the pub. He loves the Seisiún, but also recommends the latest rock coming out of Ireland. He loves his GAA, Rugby and Manchester United (in that order of importance). His knowledge of Irish whiskey is impressive but usually just settles in for a pint (the black stuff only). He doesn’t miss Fish Friday and always brings in out of town guests for brunch (the footy is on and a Sunday pint is not to be missed). And when it comes to his local (ie his home away from home) he never actually has to invite a friend to meet him at the bar ….he knows he will make friends or bump into someone he knows, soon enough.
Now, not everyone can aspire to live the life but you can educate yourselves nonetheless as we countdown to the grand holy day of every hibernophile …St Patrick’s Day.
Here’s a list of important St Patricks Day facts that will ensure you can hang with any red-blooded Irish(wo)man or Irish-American hibernophile this March:
#1 – Legend has it that the Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Fact is, there were never any snakes in Ireland. There are now but not 1000 years ago- “Snakes” was a euphemism for heretic.
#2 – Corned-beef and cabbage is not a traditional Irish dish. It’s actually Irish-American, and came about as a result of available meats to the working class immigrants back in the 1800s.
#3 – The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States was held in Boston in 1737.
#4 – In 1903, Saint Patrick’s Day became an official public holiday in Ireland. Banks, stores and schools are closed for the Feast Day, which is considered a religious holiday in Ireland. In America, St. Patrick’s Day is primarily a secular holiday though.
#5 – The Pubs In Ireland were actually closed for a time because drinking got out of hand. That nonsense ended in the 1970’s and things got back to bloody normal.
#7 – The Astronauts on board the International Space Station have celebrated St Patrick’s Day! Irish-American, Catherine Coleman played a hundred-year-old flute belonging to Matt Molloy, of the Chieftains while floating weightless in the space station on Saint Patrick’s Day in 2011. Her performance was later included in a track called “The Chieftains In Orbit” on the group’s album, Voice of Ages.
#8 – Now this is a big one for those of us in the United States to get through our heads. It’s St. PADDY’s Day and never ever St. PATTY’s Day. Paddy comes from the Irish, Pádraig which is where the D’s come from. Patty is the nickname of Patricia…or a burger.
#9 – Legend has it St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, by showing an unbeliever the three-leafed plant with one stalk. The reference to the Holy Trinity at the pub = Guinness, Harp, Smithwick’s (pronounced: “Smiddicks”)
#10 – Shamrocks are the national flower/emblem of Ireland.
So, go on now and commit yourself to entertain, enlighten
…and at the very least, score some serious points at the Paddys Day Pub Quiz this coming week.