An Irish Blessing

Not only is it Sunday, a traditional day of worship for many faiths, it's also St Patrick's Day, celebrated across the world in most English speaking countries that have a significant Irish diaspora. There has been migration from Ireland since the Middle Ages, but it can be more accurately recorded from around 1700. Since then, between 9 and 10 million people born in Ireland have emigrated.

Millions of residents in Great Britain have Irish roots or are entitled to Irish citizenship – apparently at least 25% of the British population has Irish ancestry and many of those could apply for an Irish passport, having a parent or grandparent born in Ireland.

Apart from its population that other famous Irish export, Guinness, is brewed in 50 countries and you can buy a pint of it in over 120. Arthur Guinness started brewing ales in 1759 at the St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin when he signed a 9,000 year lease at £45 per annum for the brewery. Seems that was a shrewd move, the site now home to the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin's most popular tourist destination, attracting over 1.5 million visitors a year.

So what about a traditional Irish dish – well there's soda bread of course, and an anaemic looking stew that, as I recall, tasted a lot better than it looked – coddle. My best recollection is white onions, bacon, sausages, carrots, potatoes, all thrown into a large pot with a vegetable or chicken stock and a grind of salt and pepper, slow cooked for an eternity and served with that aforementioned bread.

So, nothing whatsoever to do with Curry Rivel, but have a happy St Patrick's day and enjoy your pint!