I’m very proud to claim Irish heritage on this Saint Patrick’s Day, but as Kermit the frog said, it’s not easy being green. My surname is derived from the Irish name O’Daniel and I have no idea why my ancestors emigrated from the Emerald Isle to the “Greenfields of America” about three hundred years ago. The O’Daniels settled in Virginia and some of them eventually made their way to South Carolina where I was raised.
I never heard any mention of the fact that we were Irish while I was growing up. My Irishness has been diluted by Americanism but I still admire the pluck of those hardy folks even though I can’t trace my roots back to anyone still living there. Ireland has always fascinated me. It’s a troubled land. Writers and poets flourish there. Maybe because they know a lot about suffering.
I’ve been to Ireland a couple of times. It’s a wonderful place. The people are friendly and it seems as if they haven’t a care in the world. On my bike ride through Sonoma county yesterday I admired the hillsides transformed from brown to green by the recent rains and I thought about how the hillsides still looked very pale compared to Ireland, where green grows on green as far as you can see. Some day I’ll go back to Ireland and take my mandolin with me. I’ll play Irish tunes late into the night at an Irish music “session”. Bucket list for sure.
Irish music is a lot different from bluegrass. But since bluegrass is imbued with Irish music, most of us bluegrass fans like to play and listen to the undiluted versions once and a while, especially today. Red Haired Boy will probably get a lot of air time today. Gilderoy and Garryowen lots of people know. I’ll be sure to play Minstrel Boy, maybe sing it too:
The minstrel boy to the war has gone
in the fields of death you will find him
His father’s sword he has girded on
With his wild harp slung behind him
And land of song, sang the warrior bard
Though all the work betrays you
One sword at least thy rights shall guard
One faithful harp shall praise thee
Enjoy your corned beef and cabbage. Everybody’s Irish today. And we bluegrass fans are luckier than most who have the luck of the Irish. We can enjoy the Irish influences in our music every day. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day everybody.