Monday-Tuesday/March 16th-17th “NEWS”! Happy St. Patricks Day! Did the webcam of Irelandseye.com actually catch a Leprechaun streaking by? Take the Emerald Isle tour! “BUZZ” Natasha Richardson dies at 45, after ski accident, “DWTS” injury list grows!
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY! MY GRANDFATHER ON MY MOM’S SIDE OF THE FAMILY CAME FROM IRELAND, AND EVEN THOUGH I’VE NEVER BEEN THERE, HERE’S A CHANCE FOR YOU AND I TO TAKE A TOUR OF THE EMERALD ISLE!
According to the Irish Tourist Board:
St. Patrick used to use the shamrock to explain the trinity-the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit-when he persuaded the Irish to Christianity. Ireland’s climate keeps shamrocks green year round.
There are 166 churches named after St. Patrick within the republic of Ireland.
A Leprechaun is no more than 24 inches tall, dresses in bright colors, is usually skilled as a shoemaker, and if surprised, might lead you to his Pot o’ Gold. Your best chance of seeing one will come if you visit one too many pubs.
Within the last 25 years, four of the six U.S. Presidents have claimed Irish ancestry: John F. Kennedy [County Wexford], Richard Nixon [County Kildare], Gerald Ford [County Longford], Ronald Reagan [County Tipperary].
The official emblem of Ireland is a silver-and-gold Irish harp on a blue background. The oldest Irish harp in existence is the “Brian Boru Harp,” dating from the 14th century and named after the most famous king in early Irish history.
The shillelagh was named for a village in County Wicklow where oak and blackthorn trees are plentiful. It was first displayed in battle in 1209.
The tri-colour Irish flag [green, white, and orange] first gained acceptance as the flag of Irish independence in 1848, and became the national flag when Ireland finally achieved its independence in 1921.
The potato did not originate in Ireland. The lowly spud was actually brought to the Emerald Isle in the 17th century from America by Sir Walter Raleigh, who had a large estate at Youghal [pronounced "Yawl"] in County Cork.
The original “Tara” is actually a mound 500 feet above sea level that was the religious and cultural capital of Ireland in ancient times. It is about 30 miles from Dublin, in county Meath. St Patrick is said to have preached there.
In the 6th century, an Irishman named St. Brendan the Navigator is said to have discovered America and returned to Ireland to tell the tale. To prove the legend, Tim Severin sailed successfully from Kerry to Boston in 1976 using a replica of St Brendan’s 36-foot leather boat.
On Columbus’s 1492 trip to the New World, he stopped at Galway to pick up Irishman Rice de Culvy as part of his crew.
St. Patrick’s Day Facts: According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 33.1 million Americans are of Irish descent — almost 10 times the population of Ireland, 3.8 million. •
The world’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade stepped off in New York City on March 17, 1762. It was staged by Irish soldiers serving in the British army, to celebrate their heritage.
It’s not true that St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland, as popular legend claims. But he did convert most of the Irish from paganism to Christianity by the time he died in 461.
Watch who you’re calling Paddy: Some Irish consider this an insult. The name sprang up in the mid-1800s, when the Irish were among America’s most abused immigrants. It’s where we get “paddy wagon,” the police vehicle that hauled people to jail.
“Leprechaun” is based on an Old Irish word literally meaning “small body.” They’re a mischievous race of elves that are compelled to give up their hidden gold to anyone who catches them. According to one leprechaun story, an Irish gentleman caught a leprechaun, who took him to a bush under which his gold was buried. To mark the spot, the man tied a red handkerchief to the bush before running home to get a shovel. When he returned to the area, he found that the tricky leprechauns had tied red handkerchiefs to every bush in the field.
IS THIS AN ACTUAL LEPRECHAUN CAUGHT ON WWW.IRELANDSEYE.COM? WATCH THE TREES ON THE RIGHT ABOUT 8 SECONDS INTO THE VIDEO FOR SOMETHING STREAKING PAST THEM….IS IT ONE OF THOSE LITTLE GREEN MEN?
“May these 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.” — Irish toast.
AND FINALLY A SPECIAL VIDEO CARD FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY!
BESIDES AIG, THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING AFTER BERNIE MADOFF’S WIFE!
“WOLVERINE” TAKES ON “WATCHMEN”! “I’M A MARVEL….I’M A DC”!
THE AIRLINES NEW PLAN TO AVOID FUTURE BIRD STRIKES TO AIRLINERS!
TYRA BANKS HAS A MESSAGE FOR ALL YOU “TOP MODEL” WANNA BE’S!
For those lovely ladies who were prevented from trying out for America’s Next Top Model Saturday, fear not. Tyra Banks has your back.
“To all the Top Model hopefuls who were affected by the New York casting, we are doing everything we can to make sure that ALL the girls who weren’t seen, get an opportunity to audition—we’ll update you on our plans very soon,” read a bit of Tyra Mail released Monday.
“ALL” the girls weren’t seen because a stampede broke out among the horde of petite posers gathered in Manhattan for an open casting call, triggered by a fight further down the line, as well as by panic that ensued when rumor of a car bomb (really just a smokey BMW) broke out.
At about 6 p.m., long after the cops (three people arrested) and ambulances (two hospitalized) had done their duty, about 100 women lingered outside the Park Central Hotel. About a half hour later, they were informed that the auditions were over and they should head on home.
But Banks is determined to keep the dream alive.
“It is so important to me to redefine beauty, and make sure that everyone gets a fair chance to pursue their dream,” she said. “I am beyond excited for Cycle 13; for the first time ever, young women 5’7″ and under have a shot at becoming America’s Next Top Model! I encourage each girl to come out ready to rock the runway and show off their fiercest pose. I’m rooting for all of you!”
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE JON STEWART-JIM CRAMER SHOWDOWN THAT I’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SINCE LAST WEEK, AND A LINK TO THE FULL SHOW!
SESAME STREET EXPLAINS THE BERNIE MADOFF PONZI SCHEME!
BUSH VS. BUSH: WILL FERRELL AND HIS HBO SPECIAL ABOUT GEORGE BUSH!
HERE’S HOW VANESSA HUDGENS STAYS IN SHAPE WITH PILATES!
MARIO LOPEZ AND EVA LONGORIA SURE HANG OUT A LOT TOGETHER!
AND FINALLY TODAY, ONE OF THE BEST ILLUSIONS YOU’LL EVER SEE!
