HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

posted by Sarah
photos of Listowel St. Paddie's Day parade below

St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday, of course. Susannah and her class will march in the parade through town this afternoon, dressed as leprechauns. Probably dressed as slightly bulky leprachauns, as the weather turned colder yesterday. We'll try to post pictures later today.

I'll be at work, which should be crazy. The Writer's Bar has been slow since Lent began. I've come to think of St. Patrick's Day as the Lenten Loophole. People commonly give up drink for religious reasons (I think the second most popular thing to forego is chocolate). St. Patrick was, of course, quite religious, so it's okay to drink in his (and Ireland's) honor. Thus, a well-timed Lenten Loophole. I've run this theory by several people here in Listowel, and they agree that's how it works. For all the talk in the news of celebrating Irish culture and heritage, there is even more about drinking and concerns about drinking. Although there was a riot in Dublin a few weeks ago, nobody anticipates any violence. As someone in the paper recently wrote, "The only throwing on Grafton Street will be up, or the Gardai will have a lot to answer for."

The Listowel Arms Hotel should be the center of action today. Kids get ready for the parade in the Ballroom, and there's a dance there later tonight. A buffet lunch is served in another of the function rooms, and the incredibly cozy Writer's Bar should see a lot of business because of the weather. The formal restaurant might be the only place that's a bit quiet tonight.

WISHING ALL OF YOU GOOD CRAIC ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY!