Slainte Archives
Sláinte!: There is Nothin Like a Spud
Whether they’re baked, boiled, roasted, fried, mashed or hashed, potatoes are a cornerstone of Ireland’s…
Sláinte! Lent and Easter: The Fast and the Feast
In pre-Christian Ireland, the spring celebration on May 1 was called Bealtaine. Household fires were…
Sláinte! The Pleasures of an Irish Pub
We Irish are a garrulous folk, given to long-winded debates at the drop of a…
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Sláinte! Bid Thy Guests Welcome Though They Come At Any Hour
In the 16th century Elizabeth I was Queen of England. Spain and England were at war, and their armadas stalked each other on the open seas. Certain Irish sailing captains […]
Sláinte! Many a Shabby Foal Makes a Fine Horse
It is Spring. The foals are being born. In their gawky long-legged honor, I give you the saga of the Irish and their horses. It is a history that stretches […]
Slàinte! A Universal Christmas
All around the world, the holiday season is a time to gather with family and friends, to share abundance, to feast, to reflect on the memories of joyful times past, […]
Sláinte! A Visit to Derry
Like most Americans, my ancestry is mixed immigrant. Mom’s people were Italian; Dad was a storytelling Irish rover. I inherited his wanderlust and his love of words. When I decided […]
Sláinte! The Sweet Sting of Spring
Some foods simply beg to be eaten. Take peaches, for instance. The scent of a ripe peach is pure ambrosia. The pungent smell of tomatoes ripened on the vine and […]
Sláinte! A Fine Cuppa Tay
When I was a child, I suspected my Da’s sister Violet was a gypsy. Not that she was a real descendant of the wandering tribes of Egypt, but she looked […]