Christmas in Ireland 2010

Christmas in Ireland, kind of started for us a month ago with the onset of the artic weather when we were forced to down tools and stay indoors which is normally what we do out of choice for practically a month at Christmas anyway. Thankfully most people were already well stocked up with Christmas goodies so there were quite a few tins of Cadburys Roses and Quality Street consumed, not being that organised myself, I even had to resort to raiding my nephews Selection Boxes!

And while it was a novelty for the first few days, and beyond picture postcard pretty, cabin fever set in quickly enough, which is fine if you are fit and able and can brave it out in the cold, but desperate for older neighbours and friends. Some people in the Slieve Bloom mountains have not been able to leave their homes for over a month now. And while we are good at looking after each other in Ireland and by nature sociable, it can be very isolating and lonely especially at this time of the year.

It’s all about family in Ireland at Christmas time and getting home, even if you are wondering why the hell you bothered by Stephens Day, it’s a lot of pressure most of us can do without. There are 1000’s of people still stranded at airports here and in the UK and my heart goes out to them, there is nothing more miserable then that. Some, like my brother are making epic treks via trains, ferry and possibly yak at this stage to get home to a high stool and a decent pint of Guinness in the company of old friends.

Which is possibly what we Irish love most at Christmas meeting up with friends, you can’t go ten paces down Shop Street in Galway without running into someone you know and it will be ‘Howya horse’ (don’t ask) ‘are you coming for a quick one?’ which means heading to the nearest pub and forgetting all about going home….again! The bad weather has had a serious impact on business (could it get any worse?) with shops losing out big time, the same for hotels and restaurants with cancelled events and party nights etc.

Which might be great for our wallets and waistlines but not what we are about, we are not frugal by nature and it doesn’t suit us ( we might have to get used to it) for a while with the budget we have just been landed with? But we will more than likely kick that lot (Fianna Fail) into touch in the New Year which will cheer the majority of us up and give us something to look forward to…. That and the longer days which started yesterday with the winter solstice. So roll on the thaw, Spring time and a change of fortune for all of us.

Nollaig Shona Dhaoibh

Susan Byron author of www.irelands-hidden-gems.com

Christmas in Ireland a return to our traditional roots at Bunratty Folk Park

Christmas in rural Ireland fádo, fádo (a long time ago) as it is depicted in Bunratty Folk Park, can only be described as utterly charming and ultimately heartwarming. There is a wave of proud austerity sweeping over Ireland right now in light of recent financial catastrophes and the desire to get back to our roots where hard work, neighbourly kindness and supporting the local community were the order of the day, has never been more keenly felt then at the end of 2010.

Ignore what the media are saying, there is no miserableness on the ground here in Ireland, despite the financial ‘hardship’. But a renewed sense of pride and resilience, we know we have a great country and even better people, and that we will show the world we are a force to be reckoned with in 2011. But first, we are going to enjoy Christmas probably more than ever before because we appreciate just how blessed we really are, by returning to the simple customs and traditions of the past. We have already had more than a ‘sprinkling’ of snow with lots more promised so the scene is set for…

Lighting a candle on Christmas Eve, just as it used to be in every household throughout Ireland, as a symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus, who would be born that night. The same welcome was extended to not only friends and neighbours but especially returning family, who were often ‘out foreign’ working which is sadly the case again in Ireland. But never mind, nobody in Ireland is going ‘to die with the hunger’ certainly not at Christmas, when there will be a nice fat, pasture reared turkey or goose on the table along with all the trimmings, including the Pudding and Cake.

I nearly cried when I saw the one at Bunratty, at least a foot square, and God knows how heavy, covered with no nonsense icing (frosting) and topped with the same little plastic Santy, reindeers and snowmen, fondly remembered from my childhood. And the plum pudding, well we never had one that big? topped with a decent sprig (small branch) of holly and standing proudly on a tinfoil covered platter, a whiff up close would be enough to knock anybody. It’s a lucky family that will be tucking into those two after 'the dinner' with a little whiskey beside the fire….

Nollaig Shona Dhuit (Happy Christmas)

Susan Byron author of http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/

For more information on Bunratty Folk Park visit http://www.shannonheritage.com/

Let's talk about the weather......

Well, let's face it, we have had it up to here with politics and as for religion? we are not even going to go there… Apparently there is a big freeze on its way (in more ways than one) to Ireland, which could result in us having a premature 'White Christmas' yippee...... Just what we need a bit of festive cheer, an excuse to hole up with friends and loved ones and forget about all that’s going on.

We are obsessed with the weather here in Ireland, we talk about it all the time, its woven its way into our language and shaped us and environment over the millennia. And while we never stop going on about it, we are in fact blessed in that we never get extremes of weather in Ireland. ie it never gets too hot or too cold. We don’t get hurricanes, whirlwinds, terrible droughts or floods and all the nasty stuff that goes with them like bugs, flooding and erosion. Okay, we do get occasional flooding but that’s more to do with global warming and our own mis-management (nothing new there) like building on natural flood plains or releasing water from hydro-electric dams…..

But when we are not whingeing about it we realise this how lucky we are especially on what we call a ‘pet day’. This is an unseasonably, perfectly still, warm and sunny day that we get once in a while in the middle of winter, where all is well with us, our neighbours and the world.... Compared to the other extreme which is ‘a day for the high stool’ when the weather is so cold, wet and miserable you have no choice but to head for the pub.



Whereas we usually manage to survive ‘soft days’ (because we are so used to them) which is what we call rainy days. True, you can get some wet days in Ireland were the rain is as soft as an Evian facial but we used the same term to excuse the horizontal stuff that blows in from the Atlantic. Which we really shouldn’t complain about either as these prevailing westerly winds are the reason we have the cleanest air in Europe. The tell-tale signs being the lichen that grows on rocks and trees all over Ireland, which doesnt happen in polluted environments.

And is the reason why, we have the healthiest growing conditions for crops and animals, evident in our fresh food, and even ourselves, if we don’t mess with it of course. So it’s ‘a good day’ we would have it and despite all our financial woes we are beyond fortunate to live in the most beautiful country in the world, Let's hear if for the 'Greens' (whoops, naughty...)

Susan Byron author of http://www.ireland-hidden-gems.com/

For more about the weather in Ireland check out http://www.irishweatheronline.com/

Read more: Arctic spell could see temperatures in Ireland drop to 14F - SEE PHOTOS