I'm only part Irish, and on St. Patrick's Day, in the US it is said that "everyone is Irish," but not everyone would agree, of course. It's a day of fun and celebrating and a reason for drinking green beer if you a prone to drinking, that is. We don't drink in our family. It's not an official national holiday, but just for fun. In our school the children like to make little shamrocks and if you don't wear at least some green, you could get pinched. One little boy gave me quite a pinch and I was wearing green! The kindergarten teacher always had her children make leprechaun traps which was fun. Our art teacher, who was truly Irish, would come tell the children the true story of St. Patrick, or how he chased all the snakes out of Ireland and how he explained the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost by using the three leaves of the Shamrock.

The stereotype of the Irish is that they are playful, talkative like the leprechauns and it is good luck to kiss them, especially on St. Patrick's Day, which comes from kissing the Blarney Stone in Blarney Castle. No one wants to kiss the Blarney stone anymore as it has been soiled with feces and urine over the years. You couldn't just kiss it though. You had to lay on your back, have someone help you scoot way outside over a crevice and hold your head way back upside down to kiss the stone on the wall on the other side. If you were successful you were given the "gift of blarney" or the gift of gab. Sometimes people represent shamrocks with 4 leaves, but those are probably 4 leaf clovers, which are a symbol of good luck, and the Irish also believe in good luck. So.... Top of the Morning ... And the rest of the day to you!