Happy St. Patrick's Day from Iowa!

Tonight my brother-in-law and a friend fly in from Belfast to come to lovely Cedar Rapids Iowa to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. In a couple of days, friends are coming from Boston to add themselves to the meleé. That’s right…people are leaving Belfast and Boston to come to the city of five smells to celebrate an Irish holiday.

I don’t get it. I live in Iowa and I’m running an Irish frat party for adult men who should know better.

There will be drinking. There will be singing. There will be weird, unintelligible accents. The locals will ask where my husband is from and he’ll calmly reply, “West of Dubuque.”

That said, I’m wearing an Irish rugby jersey and flashing shamrock earrings at work. So I guess I’m just as bad as any of the boys, except I’m what my husband would call a “plastic Paddy.”

Anyone know where I can hide out for a few days until the green beer blows over?

I don’t have one single green thing to wear - except for some boxers.

Several years ago when Ireland joined the EU, I bought a bunch of Irish pennies - the last that were minted - to hand out at a St. Patrick’s day celebration as good luck charms. Alas, since then I haven’t been to one.

Be safe and enjoy the day all!

My husband’s crew is from Northern Ireland, so they’re still using Pounds, which confuses things a bit more, IMHO. They’re in a situation where they have to have both Pounds and Euros. One country, two types of money. Weird.

I actually have tons of green stuff, but nothing quite as obnoxious as what I’m wearing…the rugby jersey my bro-in-law left me when he came a couple of years ago. It’s seriously screaming green.

Are you Catholic? St Pat’s is a Catholic holiday, no?
Enjoy the green beer and the accents!

Yes, husband calls himself Catholic, but doesn’t go to mass typically. I think he just identifies culturally with the Catholic…went to Catholic schools, etc.

I was raised “protestant” but am now basically an atheist in spite of the fact that my hubby sometimes refers to me as a “dirty prod.”

I actually hate beer. The accents are terrific though! Oh, and the music will be good.

Here’s what I’m wearing, though mine has a slightly different logo on it and must be an earlier version :

I’m still sober somehow.

I’m not Catholic, and I’m sitting in Tennessee in my green sweater. But we had a St. Patrick’s Day potluck at work, which was much enjoyed (special props to the Guinness cupcakes), despite the fact that out of our 22 person office, two raised their hands when asked “Who’s of Irish descent?”

Tonight I’m going out for St. Paddy’s Day with friends, for corned beef and beer. For, as someone (not Benjamin Franklin) once said, “Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

Happy SPD, everyone. :slight_smile:

And my $1.99 shamrock earrings are still flashing. It’s a St. Patrick’s Day miracle on both counts!

I can’t vouch for my husband’s sobriety here in Iowa. I assume he’s off work and already at it. I only hope I can afford the bail.

I’m having a synchroniciy moment.

I’m wearing lucky boxers (with shamrocks on them). My ancestors were Irish. I live in Boston. And I was born in Cedar Rapids.

Now if you’re going to be drinking tonight, that’s one coincidence too many. Almost… creepy.

I’m hearing faint straings of “It’s a small world…”. Neat!

I never did really get drunk, just really tired. Good night SDMB.

PS I have an Irish playlist out the wazoo if anyone wants some tips on decent tunes just pm me.

Please…no more Christy Moore…no more Irish music…can’t…take…another…fiddle-de-dee…

I dislike Moore’s music TBH. I prefer The Chieftains or some maudlin tenor balladry.