5 Green Idioms - Video

Prince William and The Duchess of Cambridge celebrate St. Patrick's day

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are braving ferocious winds and chilly conditions to celebrate St Patrick's Day today by attending a parade of the Irish Guards.

Prince William, who is Colonel of the Irish Guards, and the Duchess are visiting the 1st Battalion at their base in Hounslow, west London.

They watched 350 soldiers arrive on the Parade Square before presenting traditional shamrocks to officers and guardsmen.

St. Patrick's Day | Shaun the Sheep - River Dance video

Shaun and the flock pay tribute to the River Dance in this short clip made for TV!

 

English ST. PATRICK'S DAY Words - video with subtitles

St. Patrick's day: Why do we wear green?

St. Patrick's Day was originally a Roman Catholic holiday celebrating Ireland's patron saint and observed only in Ireland; it was not until the 1700's when Irish immigrants in the U.S. started the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City.

The March 17th tradition of wearing green is explained in differing ways. It's said that blue was originally the color associated with the holiday but over time green took over in popularity due to Ireland's nickname as "The Emerald Isle", the green in the Irish flag and the clover that St. Patrick used in his teachings about Catholicism.

In Ireland, some still follow the tradition where Catholics wear green and Protestants wear orange. These colors are associated with the religious sects and are the represented on the Irish flag; the white on the flag is symbolic of the peace between the two.

On the holiday, people in Ireland do not wear as much green or celebrate quite as wildly as revelers do elsewhere, although there is a legend that wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns that will pinch you if they can see you.

10 Best Irish Films for St. Patrick’s Day

1. Calvary

   2015

   

   Courtesy of Photofest

   We deliberated long and hard over which McDonagh brother to choose for this gallery — Martin McDonagh, writer-director of In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, or John Michael McDonagh, whose credits include The Guard and Calvary. The latter won by a whisker for his searing drama about a good country priest (Brendan Gleeson) facing atonement for the sins of the clergy. Gleeson’s son Domhnall, clearly a chip off the old block in terms of talent and work ethic, is chilling as a murderous convict. — L.F.
2. 9

   10

    

   The Secret of Kells

   2009

   

   Courtesy of Cartoon Saloon

   There’s a strong animation tradition in Ireland going back to the days of Don Bluth, but this jewel of a film suggests that flair for graphical storytelling could be traceable back to the country’s own dark age history.Tomm Moore’s exquisite fable imagines a magic-infused backstory to explain how The Book of Kells, the famous illuminated manuscript, came into being. Moore would go on to direct the equally splendid 2014 Oscar-nominee Song of the Sea. — L.F.  
3. 8

   10

    

   Adam & Paul

   2004

   

   Screengrab

   Last year’s Room may have put Lenny Abrahamson on the map in the U.S., but the writer-director already a few crackers under his belt by the time he "made it." All are excellent in different ways, but this debut is something special, a picaresque comedy-drama that plays like a lost Samuel Beckett play on smack. — L.F.  
4. 7

   10

    

   Intermission

   2003

   

   Courtesy of Photofest

   More than a decade before achieving international success with Brooklyn, John Crowley made a barn-stormingly promising debut with this energetic, Dublin-set, blackly comic multi-strander. First among equals in the impressive ensemble: Castleknock's Colin Farrell, whose lusty closing-credits rendition of The Clash's "I Fought the Law" confirmed he's much more than a pretty face. — N.Y.
5. 6

   10

    

   My Left Foot

   1989

   

   Courtesy of Photofest

   Jim Sheridan's searingly unsentimental adaptation of the inspirational autobiography by cerebral palsy sufferer Christy Brown saw longtime Irish resident Daniel Day-Lewis win the first of his three best actor Oscars, with native Dubliner Brenda Fricker also taking supporting actress honors as his mother Bridget. — N.Y.
6. 5

   10

    

   The General

   1998

   

   Courtesy of Photofest

   Brendan Gleeson had played character roles in over a dozen films by the time he made this sharp black-and-white biopic of Martin Cahill, one of Ireland’s most famous criminals, but it arguably represents the actor’s big breakthrough. Longtime Eire resident John Boorman captures the wit and grit of Dublin life, and includes a scene where his own house is burgled by Cahill, as it was in real life. — L.F.
7. 4

   10

    

   Michael Collins

   1996

   

   Courtesy of Photofest

   Epic and muscular in every sense but, like its eponymous hero, not without its flaws, director Neil Jordan’s long-nursed passion project tells the story of one of the great heroes of the 1916 Easter Rising, played here with blazing charisma by Liam Neeson. Indeed, everyone in the cast is in top form here, from Alan Rickman as Eamon De Valera and Julia Roberts as Collins’ lover to Stephen Rea, Aidan Quinn, Ian Hart, Brendan Gleesonand Jonathan Rhys Myers in key supporting roles. — L.F.
8. 3

   10

    

   The Commitments

   1991

   

   Courtesy of Photofest

   Alan Parker's infectiously entertaining tale of a north Dublin soul outfit, based on the novel by acclaimed writer Roddy Doyle, won the BAFTA for best film, was named the best Irish movie ever made in a 2005 poll, and has spawned an entire mini-industry of touring bands cashing in on the picture's enduring, toe-tappingly feel-good appeal. — N.Y.
9. 2

   10

    

   The Dead

   1987

   

   Courtesy of Photofest

   John Huston relocated to Ireland in 1952 amid Hollywood's "anti-American" witch-hunts, taking full citizenship there in 1964. But he returned to the USA for his valedictory film, a delicate and haunting adaptation of James Joyce's classic short story, whose interiors were shot in a warehouse in Valencia, California. Proof once again that Ireland, in cinematic terms, is often primarily a state of mind. — N.Y.  
10. 1

    10

     

    Man of Aran

    1934

    

    Courtesy of Photofest

    America's "father of documentary" Robert Flaherty traveled to the most rugged western islands off the coast of Galway to shoot this rousingly atmospheric — but almost entirely fabricated — chronicle of hardship among wind-blown fishing-folk. It lives on as a controversial and influential masterpiece of boundary-blurring "ethno-fiction." — N.Y.

Short article and interactive comprehension questions about St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick - a short video about some surprising facts about Ireland's patron saint

St. Patrick's Day Online Quiz

Click on the picture and... have fun!!

Riverdance

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St. Patrick's Day online vocabulary exercise

St. Patrick's Day interactive crosswords and online hangman

St. Patrick's Day E-Cards - set 2

St. Patrick's Day E-Cards - set 1

A Brief History of St. Patrick’s Day - a slideshow from TIME Magazine

Saint Patrick's Day Interactive Quiz

St. Patrick's Day message from Kermit, The Frog

How To Make Traditional Irish Stew | Donal Skehan - video recipe

St. Patrick's Day Green Vegan Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients

·         1 1/2 cups white whole wheat or spelt flour

·         2 teaspoons baking powder

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1 1/4 cup rice, almond or soy milk

·         1 tablespoon maple syrup

·         1 tablespoon vegetable oil

·         1/2 cup applesauce (or 1 mashed banana)

·         1 cup packed fresh spinach

 Preparation 

1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. 

2. Place the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. 

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. 4. Heat a large pan or griddle over medium heat and grease with oil.

5. Pour about 2 tablespoon of the pancake mixture onto the griddle, cook 2 minutes or until bubbles start forming on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.

6. Flip the pancakes and cook for 2 minutes longer. 

 

To Freeze: Allow to cool, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze for up to 4 months. When ready, place in toaster oven or oven at 300 and heat for 10 minutes or until heated through. 

To Keep Warm: Place the pancakes in a 200F oven to keep warm until ready to serve. 

Accompaniments: Serve with maple syrup or honey. They're both delicious!