The 10 Stages of a Sunny Day in Ireland

The first part of this page is about the Irish Weather. In the second part, I write about things that are Irish or American.

Irish Weather - One of the most spoken-about topics in the country, and when there's the chance of a sunny day...

Let's look at the ten stages of a sunny day in Ireland (as I was told by a good friend of mine who lives in Limerick, Ireland). Here we go:

The 10 Stages of a Sunny Day in Ireland...

1. Obsession – There’s to be nice weather at the weekend, did you hear?? It’s going to be a scorcher! Better get the bbq out!

2. Preparation – Do you go out? Or enjoy it at home? YOU NEED TO THINK THIS THROUGH!

3. Panic – The good weather has arrived. It’s only 10 o’clock, and the world and its granny have taken to the roads already. Staying home is the better option.

4. Disgust – Last year's summer clothes are bet on to you. All intentions of having rock-hard abs by this summer went arseways.

5. Shopping – You need to stock up on sunny day essentials. Anyone who’s not stuck in traffic is in the supermarket. Burger buns and chicken wings are like gold dust!

6. The pool – You salvage last year's pool from the shed and check for holes. Pumping it up takes forever, and you’re sweating buckets by the end of it.

7. Filling up the pool – The kids are moaning that it takes too long. Between pumping it and filling it, over an hour has gone by. They play in it for 10 minutes.

8. Exhaustion – The kids are getting whiny from the heat. Tantrums and telltales every 5 seconds while you try and sunbathe.

9. BBQ & Beer – You’ve stocked up on a box of Sol, and the bbq is up and running. Crispy black chicken wings for dinner.

10. Satisfaction – That was great, wasn’t it? Hope it’s the same tomorrow!!

Thank you, my dear friend Rose Wenlow, for sharing this funny content with me so I can share it with my readers. You deserve all the credit.

By the way, is "arseways" a common expression in Ireland? And is it written this way? Please correct me if I'm wrong. As always, I welcome your comments.

IS IT IRISH OR AMERICAN?

Imagine my disappointment in finding out that corned beef and cabbage is not Irish, it's an American tradition. That's what started me on a search for the customs of the old country.

I'm an American of Irish/German descent. I've always celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a dinner of corned beef and cabbage. I still do. But corned beef is not common on the old sod (except maybe around Cork and Dublin). The closest thing they have to it is boiling bacon (cured pork loin). It is cooked much the same way, but they don't boil the potatoes with the bacon and cabbage. They usually boil them in a separate pot.

What is their traditional food? That is one of the many traditions and customs I want to find out. I'm proud of my roots! I grew up in Upstate New York. Irish pride runs strong here, although I'm half German as well.

THE GREEN LIGHT ON TOP

Let me tell you about a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, called Tipperary Hill. Pride is so strong in Tipperary Hill that on one traffic light, the green light is on top. It's been like that since 1924, the only light like it in the U.S. The story goes that city workers don't bother trying to change the greenback to the bottom anymore. When they do, it "mysteriously" changes back to green on top by morning. It must be leprechauns.

Well, that's the story my mother told me when I was young...

The real story is that back in the 1920s, when the traffic light was first installed, the Tipp Hill lads didn't like the idea of the "British red" being over "Erin's green". They would smash out the red light by throwing stones at it. The city decided that, in order to save money on constant repairs, they would change the order of the lights. That's how the "green on top" traffic light came into being.

IRISH NAMES

It all starts off when you are born. You need a name. Irish names are great for baby girls or boys. You can even give your dog or cat an Irish name! Be honest, who wouldn’t like their Wolfhound be named Ryan or their Irish Terrier be named Duffy, right? Irish family names often have such a colorful and rich history, and you may very well use your Irish family name to proudly proclaim your Irish heritage.