may the grass grow long on the road to hell for want of use

Here's to being Irish, if only once a year, to clasping hands and sharing your table with anyone in need of a chair.  To luck being on your side, and a fine lass being at it!

Here's a couple of useless facts to enjoy with your Guinness today!  I'll drink a few for me and a few for those who have to work at an Irish Pub (or any pub for that matter) on such a day as this.

On Guinness:
1. The St. James's Gate Guinness Brewery was leased for 9000 years at an annual fee of £45! This lease includes fresh water rights.

2. In 2006, more Guinness was sold in Canada than in Ireland.

3. Over 10 million glasses of Guinness are sold every day.

4. Guinness contains only 198 calories per pint. That is less than most light beer, wine, orange juice.

5. The perfect pour should take 119.50 seconds. It is a result of a double pour at a 45 degree angle. The result a creamy head on a smooth dark beer served at 6 degrees Celsius.

'Pubs' in Stratford to enjoy a pint o' the good stuff: Molly Blooms, Bentley's, Boar's Head, The Parlour, Pour House and Foster's.  Of course Molly's has the luck o' the Irish on their side, so I'll be seeing you there, after the parade of course. 

Irish Proverbs to ponder whilst drinking:

May those who love us love us.
And those that don't love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we'll know them by their limping.

The reason the Irish are always fighting each other
Is they have no other worthy opponents.

May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.

St. Patrick was a gentleman
Who through strategy and stealth
Drove all the snakes from Ireland.
Here's toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good St. Patrick
And see all those snakes again.

Health and a long life to you.
Land without rent to you.
A child every year to you.
And if you can't go to heaven,
May you at least die in Ireland.


And of course, a little music to get St. Patty's Day started off right: