We are getting into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit early with a celebration at our New York office. Ahead of Monday’s holiday, Fiona baked a loaf of Irish Soda Bread for us, a family recipe from her great-grandmother who hailed from Clifden, Ireland that her family has been making for decades. The recipe was even shared by Family Circle Magazine many years ago. Of course, we enjoyed it with a generous spread of Kerrygold butter. No Guinness yet, but we have a feeling this weekend’s festivities might bring a pint or two.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Irish Arts Center Book Day
There’s no better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than with free books! Across New York City, volunteers spent the holiday giving away books by Irish and Irish diaspora authors as part of the 10th Annual Irish Arts Center Book Day. This year the event also featured books by Jewish authors, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the publication of James Joyce’s modernist masterpiece Ulysses, and in tribute to the book’s protagonist, Leopold Bloom. Despite the rainy day, commuters and pedestrians in every borough paused to browse the book tables and talk about literature with the volunteers. By the end of the day, the Irish Arts Center gave out thousands of free books to New Yorkers, “using the power of storytelling to bring people of all backgrounds together.”