Lo and behold, the pipes, the pipes are calling. From glen to glen…the day of St Patrick is approaching once again. This calls for all the gals and fellas of the land to celebrate with a right ole knees up! Here are four ways to join in the craic!

Grow a ginger beard
Raise your chin to the sun with pride by sprouting some bristly red whiskers. Once they’ve grown, you will have a great bushy nest of magnificent ginger – plait it, curl it, embellish it as meticulously as Elizabeth I’s wig. If you’re not ginger, then orange dye will suffice. If you’re a woman, then someone else’s ginger beard stuck to your face will suffice. Just make sure it’s good quality and fire-resistant.

Green eggs and ham
Your mammy always told you to eat your greens. Well now make her proud, and make your plate as dazzlingly emerald as the isle itself. Experiment with different shades of green- pasta with pesto, potatoes with parsley, pizza with green peppers, poached pear pie, pistachio pudding parfait- remember, plentiful portions, because St. Patrick’s day only comes once a year! Wash down your feast with a jug of green beer- it looks grand, and will put hairs on yer chest!

The luck of the Irish
You won’t see any black cats crossing the road on the 17th March, because it’s a lucky day. Make the most of the fortune that St Patrick’s day brings – give a kiss to a pretty gal, wish upon the first evening star, flip a coin into a fountain. Oh, and if you happen to find a four-leafed clover lying about, tuck it into the heel of your left shoe, and you’ll marry the first person that enters the room (better count your lucky stars on that one!).

Raise your glass
A wise ole man once said ‘no one goes thirsty on St Patrick’s day’, and by the grace of God, no truer words were e’er spoken. 13 million pints of Guinness are drunk on St. Patrick’s day, so join the merry folk and have yourself some of the black stuff. Or if you’re after something a wee bit stronger to elevate your spirits, a naggin of whiskey is guaranteed to warm your cockles and give you a rosy glow. As you raise your glass, call out ‘Sláinte!’ – gaelic for ‘to your health’!

‘Beannachta na File Pdraig oraibh’- St. Patrick’s Day blessing upon you!