THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS of people come to Ireland to help us celebrate our patron saint and all things green on St Patrick’s Day.
And that figure includes the many much-missed people who are returning home for a visit.
So what are some things that Irish people miss from the homeland while they’re off gallivanting abroad? Here are just a few suggestions – don’t forget to add your own below in the comments section.
Ar aghaidh linn…
First things first: the uniquely Irish sense of humour. In what other country in the world would a man simply slipping on ice still move people to tears of mirth, five years down the line?
Hiberno-English has the best slang, hands down – just try telling a friend from America that they should be scarlet after all the shapes they dropped in that kip last night and see how far you get. And where else in the world would “I will, yeah” mean “No”?
Three words: Mammy’s roast dinners. Worth the trans-Atlantic flight? You bet.
You might be able to Skype your family from Oz, but you can’t really call your Da at 10pm on a rainy Sunday and expect his help giving advice on your car’s dodgy transmission.
There’s something comforting about seeing Gaeilge on signposts and shops when you’re back home. It starts as soon as you hit the arrivals hall in the airport, and it means you’re really back on the old sod.
Even if you’re only a short hop away in London across the Irish Sea, you still won’t find a better cup of tea anywhere else in the world than at home. Is it the teabags? The water? The milk? Or perhaps the technique? Forget the large hadron collider, this is what we need the world’s top scientists researching.
One thing you’ll no longer have to miss is the McMór. That’s right – it’s back for a limited time only, just in time for St Patrick’s Day. In case you missed McMór the last time (or need a refresher on why it’s so tasty), it offers a unique blend of Irish ingredients like Charleville Cheddar, Kale Slaw, Ballymaloe Relish and of course 100% Irish beef. Plus rashers of course! McMór, it’s the best of Ireland in a bun.
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