Kissing someone who’s Irish

Kissing someone who’s Irish
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No doubt, you’ve heard the phrase, “Kiss me, I’m Irish” – or at least seen it on a T-shirt. Where did this tradition come from? Although no definitive source can be found, the prevailing theory is that the saying refers to kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle in Ireland, which is said to give the lucky smoocher the gift of the gab – so kissing an Irish person is the next best thing. But branding the Irish lucky may not be historically accurate. “The saying, ‘the luck of the Irish’ is not of Irish origin – knowing the history, Ireland was typically unlucky,” Kinealy says. “In addition to the Great Hunger, the Irish poor witnessed many periods of starvation. When they immigrated from Ireland, they were discriminated against and there were many stereotypes surrounding them.” Still, Irish pride may rub off on you, no matter your heritage, on St Paddy’s Day.

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Celebrating the Irish way

Celebrating the Irish way
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To celebrate the Ireland that actually exists, and not just the fantasy created around the holiday, on St Patrick’s Day take the opportunity to learn about more real Irish traditions. Sing an Irish ballad, listen to traditional Irish folk music, take an Irish dance class, read Irish poetry, or even try speaking a bit of the Irish language. In doing so, you’ll become lucky not for some magical reason, but because you’ve experienced the rich culture of this fascinating country.

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Source: RD.com

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