The yellow pool has overflowed high up on Clooth-na-Bare,
W. B. Yeats, “Red Hanrahan’s Song About Ireland”
For the wet winds are blowing out of the clinging air
We have storms in our region today. It’s been raining somewhat since Monday, gushing rain now. It will be flooding somewhere nearby. I’m thankful to have always lived on a hill.
I learned today that St. Patrick’s Day is not the unique in American holidays. We also have National Tartan’s Day on April 6. Maybe folks who attend Highland games knew that. I’ve only thought about attending those games, when I occasionally hear of them, so I didn’t know about Tartan’s Day.
I think most Americans couldn’t tell the difference between Irish and Scottish or Celtic and Gaelic cultural things unless clearly marked. As a trivial example, here’s my favorite Scottish reel, “The J.B. Reel,” arranged with a jig called “The Shepherdess.”
Note the stark contrast of this piece with the first of the Irish reels performed in this recording of Brendan P. Lynch.
That’s how you tell the difference, friends. Happy St. McPaddy’s Day.