Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
National Holidays remind us of important dates in history, and more importantly offer the majority of people an extra day off from work – and most of these days also allow people around the world to become very patriotic.
March 1 is St David’s Day where Welsh people proudly display a leek and wear a red Welsh rugby top, November 30 is St Andrew’s Day for all our favourite Scottish people get to dust off their bagpipes and explain to the world exactly what goes into making a proper Haggis.
And, although yes, we English do have St George’s Day (which we always fail to celebrate) on April 23, let’s be honest – it seems everybody in the whole world becomes Irish for 24 hours to party on St Patrick’s Day. Being half Irish I take a certain pride in seeing the joy and laughter this day produces.
If you are planning your own shin-dig with friends and family, here’s some songs for you to jig about to:
The Corrs – Breathless
The Pogues – Wild Rover
The Shamrocks – Tell Me Ma
Van Morrison – Moondance
Dubliners – Irish Rover
Val Doonican – Delaney’s Donkey
U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday Sharon Shannon – Galway Girl
May I leave you with the first two lines of my favourite Irish blessing: May the road rise up to meet you, and may the wind always be at your back!
