St. Patrick, I hardly knew ye

With it being St. Paddy's day tomorrow I thought I'd share a few of my favorite things Irish, mainly the Celtic Cross. I've been to the ol'sod more than once and I am most happy when I am hanging out with the generations of O'Shaughnessy's long gone and buried around the O'Shaughnessy Chapel at Kilmacduagh Castle near Gort in County Galway.

An place of awesome talent these crosses have existed for hundreds of years. Some more elaborate than others, some in pretty decent shape while others have fallen in shambles.

Each year I contemplate taking the risk of trying to haul one home in my suitcase. How grand it would look in my large farmhouse dining room presiding over the St . Patricks meals that have been served there.

But each year common sense prevails and I leave them resting with all the other remains promising to visit next year...and the year after that. In the meantime I am still searching for a decent stonemason state side who would build me my own Celtic Marker when me own  time comes.

If you know of one drop me an email opies99@gmail.com In the meantime enjoy your over cooked corn beef and slimy cabbage tomorrow, I'm walking on the wild side by making a Guinness Stew and authetic Soda Bread as told me by Tom Cannery himself of County Wexford while visiting his bed and breakfast over a decade ago.

Measured out by his hands into my own measuring cups as he'd never made the bread any other way than "by hand" and no written recipe existed until he gave it to me.



The bestest St. Patricks Day gift of all time.