Happy Eire 🇮🇪😄

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back on this Post-Paddy’s Friday, bringing you all the tales we could find about the Irish at home and abroad. If you like this wee weekly digest, pass it on to friends and family by asking them to sign up here.

News from Home

Feck Off, Finland. Despite what some ‘notorious’ former MMA stars have to say, Ireland is broadly a happy place, and we know this because statisticians go to the bother of measuring it. Eire moved up a couple of spots on the World Happiness Index published this week, now 15th among the 140 countries ranked. We beat the Americans (24th) and Brits (23rd), but Finland’s number one. It’s hard to top the aul Nordic lads on these happy lists, isn’t it?

Tayto Heritage. We are the first to admit that the Irish are a bit weird about Tayto crisps, yet they remain a national institution, not to mention a perfect pint accompaniment. This week, the historic Tayto farm that grew the first spuds to make that cheese & onion magnificentness has gone up for sale. It’ll cost you about $5 million if you want to own a crispy bit of Irish history.

International Rules, Baby! Ireland has Gaelic football, and Australia has, er, Aussie footy. Up until 2017, the two nations used to meet regularly to play each other (and kick the shite out of each other) in a hybrid form of each nation’s sport. Plans have been laid out to revive the annual series, although there are a few wrinkles that need to be ironed out.

Cool Celebrations. We are well aware that St Patrick’s Day is a global event, but we were taken back to learn that it reached all the way to Antarctica! Seems the scientists down there love the craic, and they celebrated the big day with their own parade and Gaelic football match. Love it.

The Irish Influence

This week, the Formula One world mourned the loss of one of its towering figures, Eddie Jordan. The Dubliner had a budding career in motor racing in the 1970s, which was cut short due to injuries sustained in a crash. Undeterred, Eddie got into management, eventually setting up his own F1 team – Jordan – in the early 1990s. He later became a serial entrepreneur, also finding the time to launch several charities. One thing we admire about Jordan is that often these ‘global businessmen’ lose touch with their roots, not so Eddie. Despite his vast wealth, he never lost his ‘commoner’ Irishness, enjoying a pint, a bit of ceol, and, quite clearly, the craic. In its tribute, Formula One called him “an all-round entertainer.” We couldn’t agree more. RIP, Eddie.

Cúpla Focal

It’s World Poetry Day! So, what better was to celebrate than with a sonnet or two As Gaeilge. Below is one of the finest, Ceist na Teangan / The Language Issue, from renowned Irish poet Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill. If you want the translation, it’s here. But for now, enjoy it as it was meant to be in its original beautiful Irish.

Cuirim mo dhóchas ar snámh
i mbáidín teangan
faoi mar a leagfá naíonán
i gcliabhán
a bheadh fite fuaite
de dhuilleoga feileastraim
is bitiúmin agus pic
bheith cuimilte lena thóin
ansan é a leagadh síos
i measc na ngiolcach
is coigeal na mban sí
le taobh na habhann,
féachaint n’fheadaraís
cá dtabharfaidh an sruth é,
féachaint, dála Mhaoise,
an bhfóirfidh iníon Fharoinn?

Blast from the Past

Ireland’s Six Nations campaign has ended in disappointment, finishing 3rd overall. Despite being tipped to win it all, the tournament ends with a sense of soul-searching: Key players are retiring, and others form part of an aging squad. A rebuild is on the cards, with the plan of attack being an assault on the Rugby World Cup in 2027. For now, though, let’s take you back to one of the most magical moments in Irish rugby history. 16 years ago on this date, Ireland won its first Six Nations Grand Slam in 61 years. If you don’t want to sit through all of the video below, skip through to about the 5.30-minute mark and watch one of the greatest moments in Irish sports history. Goosebumps, lads.

And One Last Thing….

Much has been made of Ireland’s historic neutrality in major conflicts – we were even talking about it in last week’s newsletter – yet its implementation and purpose are often misunderstood. What’s also often forgotten is the number of Irish people who fought in the Second World War. Around 70,000 Irish men and women joined the British Army to fight the Nazis. On St Patrick’s Day, one of them, John “Paddy” Hemingway, died at his home in Dublin. Aged 105, he was the last surviving pilot from the Battle of Britain. Anglo-Irish history is obviously complex and sometimes too bitter for its own good, yet sometimes heroism transcends all. Hemingway’s life and bravery have rightly been lauded on both sides of the Irish Sea this week.

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